When was Gilmer County founded?

Gilmer County was founded in 1845, formed from Kanawha County and Lewis County, and named after Thomas Walker Gilmer.

What is the county seat of Gilmer County?

The county seat of Gilmer County is Glenville.

Is there an online parcel map for Gilmer County?

Yes. West Virginia University GIS Technical Center publishes a parcel map of 7,671 parcels, rated good enough here. You can click any parcel on it in Parcel Chart's free map, no sign-in needed.

Has Gilmer County's boundary or name changed?

Gilmer County was created in 1845 from Kanawha County and Lewis County. Since then the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries records 5 later changes, chiefly involving Calhoun County, Ritchie County and Roane County.

Is my lot in a flood zone?

We do not have flood maps for Gilmer County yet. Look up the address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, which shows the effective flood map for any lot.

County · code 54021

Gilmer CountyWest Virginia

Gilmer County is a county in West Virginia, with its seat in Glenville. It was formed on February 3, 1845, by Virginia from parts of Kanawha and Lewis counties, and named after Thomas Walker Gilmer.

Founded1845
County seatGlenville
Named forThomas Walker Gilmer
Land area339 sq mi + 1.6 sq mi water
Population7,408 2020 Census
Parcels mapped7,671 checked 16 October 2026

Open the free map Click any parcel in Gilmer County: acreage, parcel id, address and who publishes the map. No sign-in.

Updated 20 October 2026

Census outline · seat marked

History

Formed in 1845 from Kanawha County and Lewis County

An old deed may name a county that no longer exists, or a boundary that has since moved.

When Virginia divided in 1863, Gilmer County separated to become part of West Virginia. The county lost area to the creation of Calhoun County in 1856 and Roane County the same year, and ceded small areas to Ritchie County in 1863 and to Calhoun County again in 1883.

Boundary changes from the Newberry Library, Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.

1845
Gilmer County created Gilmer created by Virginia from Kanawha and Lewis.
from Kanawha from Lewis
3 February 1845 · Va. Acts 1844-1845, ch. 43, sec. 1/pp. 45-49
1856
Lost territory Gilmer lost to creation of Calhoun.
to Calhoun
5 March 1856 · Va. Acts 1855-1856, ch. 108, sec. 1/pp. 90-91
1856
Lost territory Gilmer lost to creation of Roane.
to Roane
11 March 1856 · Va. Acts 1855-1856, ch. 109, sec. 1/pp. 91-94
1863
Became part of West Virginia Gilmer separated from Virginia and became a county in the state of West Virginia. 20 June 1863 · Swindler, 10:363
1863
Lost territory Gilmer lost small area to Ritchie to accommodate local landowner.
to Ritchie
8 October 1863 · W. Va. Acts 1863, 1st sess., ch. 61, sec. 1/pp. 59-60
1883
Lost territory Gilmer lost small area to Calhoun.
to Calhoun
23 May 1883 · W. Va. Acts 1883, 16th sess., ch. 35, sec. 1/pp. 52-53

Land and parcels

What the maps cover in Gilmer

Who publishes each layer, how good it is, and when we last checked.

Parcels Good enough

Lot lines and tax-map numbers for 7,671 parcels from West Virginia University GIS Technical Center. Drawn for tax purposes: usually within a few feet of a survey, but not a survey.
checked 16 October 2026
Address points Official

One point per address, 4,557 in all from WV GIS Technical Center (WVGISTC, West Virginia University — the state's GIS clearinghouse) serving WV Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (WVDHSEM) SAMS-II address points.
checked 13 October 2026
Buildings Reference

Roof outlines traced from aerial imagery from FEMA Response Geospatial Office with Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). Good for seeing what is on a lot; not accurate enough to set a fence from.
checked 18 October 2026

Official: from the office that keeps the record
Good enough: a reliable statewide or national copy
Fallback: a guide only; check the official record
Missing: nothing public found yet

People and land

Gilmer by the Census

Population

7,408 2020 Census count

Housing units

3,090 2020 Census count

Land area

339 square miles

Water area

1.6 square miles

People per sq mi

22 population ÷ land area

Source: US Census Bureau, 2020 Census; US Census Bureau, 2020 Gazetteer Files. Not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.

Rules and offices

Gilmer County's official site

We have found the county's site but not its offices yet; start there.

County government

County government
The official website of Gilmer County.
gilmercounty.wv.gov

See your own lot on these maps

Open Gilmer County on Parcel Chart's free map and click your parcel. Save it with a free account; the full record of your place (site map, projects, documents) is Pro, in early access.

Open the free map no sign-in Pro early access

Questions

Common questions about Gilmer County

When was Gilmer County founded?: Gilmer County was founded in 1845, formed from Kanawha County and Lewis County, and named after Thomas Walker Gilmer.
What is the county seat of Gilmer County?: The county seat of Gilmer County is Glenville.
Is there an online parcel map for Gilmer County?: Yes. West Virginia University GIS Technical Center publishes a parcel map of 7,671 parcels, rated good enough here. You can click any parcel on it in Parcel Chart's free map, no sign-in needed.
Has Gilmer County's boundary or name changed?: Gilmer County was created in 1845 from Kanawha County and Lewis County. Since then the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries records 5 later changes, chiefly involving Calhoun County, Ritchie County and Roane County.
Is my lot in a flood zone?: We do not have flood maps for Gilmer County yet. Look up the address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, which shows the effective flood map for any lot.

Nearby