Harrisville, West Virginia
Harrisville is a town of 1,574 people in Ritchie County, West Virginia.
Why visit Harrisville
Townapedia lists 3 museums and landmarks, 2 parks and trails, 4 places to eat and 1 place to stay in and around town.
Highlights include Harrisville Grade School and Harrisville Historic District (Harrisville, West Virginia).
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 84°F; January lows average 21°F.
Weather in Harrisville
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Harrisville
Harrisville is a town and the county seat of Ritchie County, West Virginia, United States. As of the 2020 census, Harrisville had a population of 1,631. Harrisville is located at the junction of State Routes 31 and 16, five miles south of U.S. 50. Within the community are an elementary school, the county board of education, many businesses, three banks, a library, offices of the Ritchie Gazette and The Pennsboro News, a municipal park, and North Bend Golf Course.
From the Wikipedia article Harrisville, West Virginia (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Museums and landmarks3
Harrisville Grade School
Museum · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
Museum in West Virginia, United States of America
Harrisville Historic District (Harrisville, West Virginia)
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Listed on the NRHP in West Virginia
Ritchie County Courthouse
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Courthouse in Harrisville, West Virginia, US
Parks, trails and playgrounds2
Restaurants and cafes4
Where to stay1
History
The town was laid out in 1822 by Thomas Harris, who had moved his family there in 1807. The town was chartered in 1832, and the first post office opened in 1833, under the name Solus. The name was later changed to Ritchie Court House, and then changed again to Harrisville in 1895, when the town was named for Gen. Thomas Harris, nephew of the founder. Ritchie County was formed in 1843, and the first courthouse was built in 1844. It was replaced by a brick structure in 1874. The present courthouse, a Harrisville landmark, was completed in late 1923.
The Pennsboro & Harrisville Railroad was built in 1875, operating between the two communities of its name. The broad-gauge Harrisville Southern Railroad ran to Cornwallis between about 1909 and 1929.
From the History section of Harrisville, West Virginia on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Churches and places of worship3
Gas and EV charging2
Schools, colleges and libraries7
Ritchie County High School
School · 3.6 mi
201 Ritchie County School Rd, Ellenboro
Healthcare1
Map of Harrisville
23 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 40°F | 21°F | 3.6 in |
| Feb | 44°F | 23°F | 3.3 in |
| Mar | 54°F | 30°F | 4.1 in |
| Apr | 67°F | 38°F | 3.8 in |
| May | 75°F | 50°F | 4.9 in |
| Jun | 81°F | 58°F | 4.6 in |
| Jul | 84°F | 62°F | 5.4 in |
| Aug | 84°F | 61°F | 3.9 in |
| Sep | 78°F | 53°F | 3.5 in |
| Oct | 67°F | 41°F | 3.3 in |
| Nov | 56°F | 31°F | 3.0 in |
| Dec | 45°F | 25°F | 3.8 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Harrisville (0 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
Ritchie County has had 18 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)
- 2018-04-17: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Mud/Landslide)
- 2015-05-18: Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Flood)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Mid-Ohio Valley Regional Airport (PKB) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 23 miles away.
- Newport 16 mi northwest, about 25 min by car
- Reno 21 mi northwest, about 35 min by car
- Glenville 22 mi southeast, about 35 min by car
- Marietta 26 mi northwest, about 42 min by car
- Boaz 26 mi northwest, about 42 min by car
- Parkersburg 27 mi west, about 43 min by car
- Vienna 27 mi west, about 43 min by car
- Belpre 29 mi west, about 47 min by car
- Devola 29 mi northwest, about 47 min by car
- Blennerhassett 31 mi west, about 50 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
- Harrisville West Virginia, Tim Kiser ( w:User:Malepheasant ), CC BY-SA 2.5
- Ritchie County Courthouse, Tim Kiser ( w:User:Malepheasant ), CC BY-SA 2.5
- Harrisville Grade School, Nyttend, Public domain
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