Bethany, West Virginia
Bethany is a town of 1,039 people in Brooke County, West Virginia.
Why visit Bethany
Townapedia lists 5 museums and landmarks, 2 places to eat and 1 attraction in and around town.
Highlights include West Liberty University, Alexander Campbell Mansion and Bethany Historic District.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 83°F; January lows average 22°F.
Weather in Bethany
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Bethany
Bethany is a town in southern Brooke County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 756 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Weirton–Steubenville metropolitan area. It is best known as the home of Bethany College, a private liberal arts college that was the first institution of higher education in what is now West Virginia.
From the Wikipedia article Bethany, West Virginia (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do1
West Liberty University
School · 3.4 mi
Public university in West Liberty, West Virginia
Museums and landmarks5
Alexander Campbell Mansion
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.7 mi
Bethany, West Virginia, NRHP-listed
Bethany Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
Historic district in Bethany, West Virginia
Delta Tau Delta Founders House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Historic house in West Virginia, United States
Old Main
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Historic building group on the Bethany College campus in West Virginia
Pendleton Heights
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Building in West Virginia, United States
Restaurants and cafes2
Churches and places of worship3
Old Bethany Church
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
Church building in West Virginia, United States of America
West Liberty Presbyterian Church
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 3.0 mi
Church building in West Liberty, United States of America
History
Scotch-Irish minister Alexander Campbell established a post office in the area of his homestead around 1827. In 1840, he founded Bethany College, and then platted the town in 1847. The town was most likely named after the biblical town of Bethany, where Jesus was said to have raised Lazarus of Bethany from the dead. The town was chartered in 1853.
The Bethany Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. Located within the district are the separately listed Alexander Campbell Mansion, Delta Tau Delta Founders House, Old Bethany Church, Old Main, and Pendleton Heights.
From the History section of Bethany, West Virginia on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Schools, colleges and libraries7
Map of Bethany
18 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 37°F | 22°F | 2.8 in |
| Feb | 40°F | 24°F | 2.1 in |
| Mar | 50°F | 31°F | 3.0 in |
| Apr | 62°F | 42°F | 3.1 in |
| May | 72°F | 51°F | 4.0 in |
| Jun | 79°F | 59°F | 4.1 in |
| Jul | 83°F | 63°F | 3.4 in |
| Aug | 82°F | 62°F | 3.7 in |
| Sep | 75°F | 55°F | 3.2 in |
| Oct | 64°F | 45°F | 2.8 in |
| Nov | 51°F | 35°F | 2.6 in |
| Dec | 41°F | 28°F | 2.6 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Wheeling Ohio Co Ap (5 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Brooke County has had 14 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2026-01-24: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2024-05-24: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Flood)
- 2024-05-22: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Severe Storm)
- 2020-04-03: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2018-04-17: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Mud/Landslide)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Wheeling-Ohio County Airport (HLG) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 5 miles away.
- Brilliant 6 mi northwest, about 10 min by car
- Tiltonsville 8 mi west, about 12 min by car
- Mingo Junction 9 mi north, about 14 min by car
- Wheeling 11 mi southwest, about 18 min by car
- Martins Ferry 11 mi southwest, about 18 min by car
- Steubenville 12 mi northwest, about 20 min by car
- Weirton 14 mi north, about 23 min by car
- Wolfdale 14 mi east, about 22 min by car
- Wintersville 14 mi northwest, about 23 min by car
- Bridgeport 14 mi southwest, about 22 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- West Liberty park at church site, Nyttend, Public domain
- Alexander Campbell Mansion, Bethany, West Virginia, Shonebrooks, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Delta Tau Delta Founders House front and eastern side, Nyttend, Public domain
- Old Bethany Church in color, Nyttend, Public domain
- Pendleton Heights at Bethany College, Nyttend, Public domain
- Old Main at Bethany College, eastern front, Nyttend, Public domain
- Downtown Bethany, West Virginia, Nyttend, Public domain
- Main Hall and Paul N Elbin Library at WLU, Peridotcat, CC BY-SA 4.0
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