Buckhannon, West Virginia
Buckhannon is a city of 5,116 people in Upshur County, West Virginia.
Why visit Buckhannon
Townapedia lists 6 museums and landmarks, 10 parks and trails, 35 places to eat, 6 places to stay and 1 attraction in and around town.
Highlights include Upshur Cinema 6, Agnes Howard Hall, Buckhannon Central Residential Historical District and Buckhannon Country Club Golf Course.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 84°F; January lows average 21°F, and about 39 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Buckhannon
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Buckhannon
Buckhannon is the only incorporated city in, and the county seat of, Upshur County, West Virginia, United States. Located along the Buckhannon River, the population was 5,299 as of the 2020 census. The city is 46 miles (74 km) southwest of Morgantown, 88 miles (142 km) northeast of the capital city of Charleston, and 100 miles (160 km) south of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It is home to West Virginia Wesleyan College and the West Virginia Strawberry Festival, held annually during the third week of May.
From the Wikipedia article Buckhannon, West Virginia (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do1
Museums and landmarks6
Agnes Howard Hall
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.5 mi
University building in Buckhannon, West Virginia
Buckhannon Central Residential Historical District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Historic district in West Virginia, United States
Downtown Buckhannon Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Historic district in West Virginia, United States
William Post Mansion
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Building in West Virginia, United States
Parks, trails and playgrounds10
Restaurants and cafes35
The Market Bistro
Restaurant · Bistro, Salad
18 North Kanawha Street, Buckhannon
Mizu Japanese Steakhouse & Sushi
Restaurant · Japanese · 1.0 mi
221 South Kanawha Street
23 more on the map.
History
According to tradition, the first settlers in the Buckhannon River Valley were brothers John and Samuel Pringle. John and Samuel were soldiers serving in the British army during the French and Indian War (Seven Years' War) who, in 1761, deserted their posts at Fort Pitt (present-day Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania). They traveled southward and upstream along the Monongahela and Tygart Valley rivers, continuing up what is now called the Buckhannon River. John and Samuel Pringle are said to have arrived in present-day Upshur County in 1764 and took up residence in the hollow stump of an American sycamore tree later named the Pringle Tree. They lived there for three years, surviving on game and fish. When they ran out of bullets in 1765, John made the journey to settlements along the South Branch Potomac River to purchase more and found out from the locals that the war was over and the brothers were no longer wanted men. After his return, they moved to the South Branch settlements. John later went to Kentucky, but Samuel returned to the river valley in 1769 with his new wife Charity Pringle (née Cutright), her brother John Jr., friends Thomas Hughes, and John and Elizabeth Jackson with their sons George and Edward. (Edward was the grandfather of Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson).
From the History section of Buckhannon, West Virginia on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay6
Churches and places of worship18
Southern Methodist Church Building
Church · National Register of Historic Places
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Church · Mormon · 0.7 mi
179 South Kanawha Street, Buckhannon
Shopping8
Gas and EV charging6
Schools, colleges and libraries15
Charles W Gibson Public Library;Charles W. Gibson Public Library
Library
105 East Main Street, Buckhannon
Buckhannon Upshur Middle School
School · 1.5 mi
553 South Route 20 Road, Buckhannon
Healthcare3
Map of Buckhannon
108 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 41°F | 21°F | 3.6 in | 11.9 in |
| Feb | 44°F | 23°F | 3.3 in | 11.3 in |
| Mar | 53°F | 29°F | 4.2 in | 6.7 in |
| Apr | 66°F | 38°F | 3.8 in | 0.7 in |
| May | 74°F | 49°F | 5.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 81°F | 57°F | 5.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 84°F | 62°F | 5.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 84°F | 60°F | 4.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 79°F | 53°F | 3.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 67°F | 41°F | 3.8 in | 0.1 in |
| Nov | 55°F | 31°F | 3.0 in | 1.8 in |
| Dec | 45°F | 26°F | 3.9 in | 6.9 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Buckhannon Hcn (1 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
Upshur County has had 16 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2026-08-03: Severe Storm, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Flood)
- 2026-01-24: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2020-04-03: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2016-06-25: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Flood)
- 2015-03-31: Severe Winter Storm, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Severe Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
North Central West Virginia Airport (CKB) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 21 miles away.
- Clarksburg 20 mi north, about 33 min by car
- Bridgeport 21 mi north, about 35 min by car
- Fairmont 34 mi north, about 54 min by car
- Barrackville 35 mi north, about 57 min by car
- Morgantown 47 mi north, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Cheat Lake 51 mi northeast, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Oakland 53 mi northeast, about 1 h 30 min by car
- Mountain Lake Park 53 mi northeast, about 1 h 30 min by car
- Point Marion 54 mi north, about 1 h 30 min by car
- Bobtown 55 mi north, about 1 h 30 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
- Buckhannon West Virginia, Tim Kiser ( w:User:Malepheasant ), CC BY-SA 2.5
- BUCKHANNON CENTRAL RESIDENTIAL HISTORIC DISTRICT, UPSHUR COUNTY, WV, JERRYE & ROY KLOTZ, M.D., CC BY-SA 4.0
- SOUTHERN METHODIST CHURCH BUILDING, BUCKHANNON, UPSHUR COUNTY, WV, JERRYE & ROY KLOTZ, M.D., CC BY-SA 4.0
- WILLIAM POST MANSION, BUCKHANNON, UPSHUR COUNTY, WV, JERRYE & ROY KLOTZ, M.D., CC BY-SA 4.0
- AGNES HOWARD HALL, BUCKHANNON, UPSHUR COUNTY, WV, JERRYE & ROY KLOTZ, M.D., CC BY-SA 4.0
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