Wetzel County is named for Lewis Wetzel, who was a noted frontiersman.
Surrounding County Courthouses:
N – Marshall County and Greene County, Pennsylvania
E – Monongalia County, Marion County and Harrison County
S – Doddridge County and Tyler County
W – Monroe County, Ohio
Created: January 10, 1846 
County Seat:
New Martinsville 1846 – present
County Courthouse – New Martinsville
Location: 200 Main Street / Washington Street
Built: 1900 – 1902
Style: Richardsonian Romanesque Revival
Architect: W Chamberlin Company and W J Alexander
Contractor: Caldwell and Drake of Columbus, Indiana
Description: The building faces east and is a two story buff colored sandstone and concrete structure. The building is located on landscaped grounds in the center of New Martinsville. The east front has a one story portico at the central entrance. Behind the portico rises a high square tower with open center for the bells and above a clock and steep red colored roof. Each corner of the building has a square tower with steep red colored roof. The south side has an arched entrance on the first story. The building houses the County Circuit Court of the 2nd Judicial Circuit and County Family Court. During construction of the building, J H Braun was the superintendent. Along the north side of the building is the Sheriff Residence built in 1897.
See: The contractor, Caldwell & Drake Construction of Columbus, Indiana also constructed courthouses in Boone County, Monroe County, Putnam County and Starke County; in Ohio in Mahoning County and Ottawa County; in Pennsylvania in Somerset County, and in West Virginia in Wood County.
Note: The County Magistrate Court is located at 303 North Main Street at North Street.
History: The county was created in 1846 and New Martinsville was selected as the county seat. The first court was held in the residence of Sampson Thistle at Main Street and Jefferson Street. The first courthouse was built in 1848 to 1852. The building was torn down in when the second and present courthouse was constructed in 1900 to 1902 at a cost of $175,000.
County Courthouse - New Martinsville
Old Sheriff Residence – New Martinsville
Photos taken 2012