When was Ritchie County founded?

Ritchie County was founded in 1843, formed from Harrison County, Lewis County and Wood County.

What is the county seat of Ritchie County?

The county seat of Ritchie County is Harrisville.

Is there an online parcel map for Ritchie County?

Yes. West Virginia University GIS Technical Center publishes a parcel map of 13,260 parcels, rated good enough here. You can click any parcel on it in Parcel Chart's free map, no sign-in needed.

Has Ritchie County's boundary or name changed?

Ritchie County was created in 1843 from Harrison County, Lewis County and Wood County. Since then the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries records 3 later changes, chiefly involving Doddridge County and Gilmer County.

Is my lot in a flood zone?

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

County · code 54085

Ritchie CountyWest Virginia

Ritchie County is a county in West Virginia with its seat in Harrisville. It was created in 1843 from parts of Harrison, Lewis, and Wood counties.

Founded1843
County seatHarrisville
Land area452 sq mi + 1.7 sq mi water
Population8,444 2020 Census
Parcels mapped13,260 checked 16 October 2026

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

Updated 20 October 2026

Census outline · seat marked

History

Formed in 1843 from Harrison County, Lewis County and Wood County

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

Ritchie County was created by Virginia on February 18, 1843, from Harrison, Lewis, and Wood counties. In 1845, it lost territory to the creation of Doddridge County. When West Virginia separated from Virginia on June 20, 1863, Ritchie County became part of the new state.

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

1843
Ritchie County created Ritchie created by Virginia from Harrison, Lewis, and Wood.
from Harrison from Lewis from Wood
18 February 1843 · Va. Acts 1842-1843, ch. 52, sec. 1/pp. 35-37
1845
Lost territory Ritchie lost to creation of Doddridge.
to Doddridge
4 February 1845 · Va. Acts 1844-1845, ch. 42, sec. 1/pp. 42-45
1863
Became part of West Virginia Ritchie separated from Virginia and became a county in the state of West Virginia. 20 June 1863 · Swindler, 10:363
1863
Gained territory Ritchie gained small area from Gilmer to accommodate local landowner.
from Gilmer
8 October 1863 · W. Va. Acts 1863, 1st sess., ch. 61, sec. 1/pp. 59-60

Land and parcels

What the maps cover in Ritchie

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

Parcels Good enough

Lot lines and tax-map numbers for 13,260 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, 7,036 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

Ritchie by the Census

Population

8,444 2020 Census count

Housing units

4,142 2020 Census count

Land area

452 square miles

Water area

1.7 square miles

People per sq mi

19 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

Ritchie 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 Ritchie County.
ritchiecounty.wv.gov

See your own lot on these maps

Open Ritchie 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 Ritchie County

When was Ritchie County founded?: Ritchie County was founded in 1843, formed from Harrison County, Lewis County and Wood County.
What is the county seat of Ritchie County?: The county seat of Ritchie County is Harrisville.
Is there an online parcel map for Ritchie County?: Yes. West Virginia University GIS Technical Center publishes a parcel map of 13,260 parcels, rated good enough here. You can click any parcel on it in Parcel Chart's free map, no sign-in needed.
Has Ritchie County's boundary or name changed?: Ritchie County was created in 1843 from Harrison County, Lewis County and Wood County. Since then the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries records 3 later changes, chiefly involving Doddridge County and Gilmer County.
Is my lot in a flood zone?: We do not have flood maps for Ritchie County yet. Look up the address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, which shows the effective flood map for any lot.

Nearby