Located along at the confluence of the Ohio and Kanawha rivers, Cabell County is one of the key population centers in West Virginia.

Cabell County is named for William H. Cabell, governor of Virginia from 1805-1808. The county is on land that was part of 28,628 acres granted to John Savage and others for military service in the French and Indian War.

The area prospered after 1900 following the opening of the southeastern W.Va. coal fields.

The county seat is located in Huntington. The city was developed as the western terminus of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad. An engineer for the railroad laid out the city with wide streets, making Huntington the only planned city in the state.

Huntington is home to Marshall University, which traces its origin to 1837 with the formation of the Marshall Academy.

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

Population: 96,784
Land in square miles: 282
Number of people per square mile: 343.7
More facts from the 2000 Census