Mingo County
Mountainous terrain and a lack of transportation made the Mingo County area unattractive to early settlers.

Like many counties in the region, the discovery of coal, and the building of rail lines into the area would be the fuel that allowed the area to grow.

Norfolk and Western built lines into the area in 1889. In 1895, the county was formed from part of Logan County. Coal production reached five million tons per year in 1930 and remains there today. The population in the area rose to more than 47,000 in 1950, it has since declined because the coal industry requires fewer employees due to mechanization.

The county was the site of the famous Hatfield and McCoy feud and the site of several labor disputes between miners and operators.

The county seat of Mingo County is Williamson.

Source: The 55 West Virginias: A guide to the State's Counties, by E. Lee North, Published by The West Virginia University Press.

Population: 28,253
Land in square miles: 423
Number of people per square mile: 66.9
More facts from the 2000 Census