WVU Extension Service – Brooke County

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WVU Extension Service

Office Information

WVU Brooke County Extension Office
840 Charles Street
Wellsburg, WV 26070

Phone: 304-737-3666
FAX: 304-737-3681
Hours: Mon-Fri 8:00 to 5:00

Brooke County is in the Northern Panhandle of West Virginia located northeast of Wheeling and about 24 miles west of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Its western boundary is the Ohio River which is the West Virginia state border with Ohio. Its eastern boundary line is part of the West Virginia state border with Pennsylvania. It was formed in 1796 from part of Ohio County. The county is named after Robert Brooke (1751-1799), a Virginia legislator and governor.

Its present territory is 90 square miles with a population of 24,515. Its largest city is the Brooke County portion of Weirton (pop. 3,886) along its northern border with Hancock County. Its second largest city is Follansbee (pop. 3,115). Its third largest city is the county seat, Wellsburg (pop. 2,891). All three cities are located along the Ohio River. Wellsburg is closer to the center of he county and Follansbee is about halfway between Weirton and Wellsburg, across the river from the larger city of Steubenville, Ohio. Other towns are Beech Bottom (pop. 606); Bethany (pop. 985); Hooverson Heights (pop. 2,909); and Windsor Heights (pop. 431). The Ohio River is a major transportation waterway and the county has rail connections.

Major employment is in health care and social assistance, manufacturing, education, accommodation and food service, retail, transportation, and construction. Most manufacturing is in the making of iron and steel, fabricated metal products, paper bags, and plastic bottles. There is some manufacturing of basic chemicals, glass, and machinery. Most transportation employment is in trucking although about one quarter of the total is employed in water transportation. Until recently bituminous underground coal mining was a major employer, but now few are employed and all in surface coal mining. A major employer in education is the rurally located Bethany College which is a private, church affiliated (Christian Church – Disciples of Christ) liberal arts school of higher education. Agriculturally there is some notable production of eggs, but the major products are livestock and forage.

Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. David Miller, Director, Cooperative Extension Service, West Virginia University. West Virginia University is governed by the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission and the WVU Board of Governors. Programs and activities offered by the WVU Extension Service are available to all persons without regard to race, color, sex, disability, religion, age, veteran status, political beliefs, sexual orientation, national origin, and marital or family status.