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West Virginia County
Harrison County, West Virginia
Clarksburg's Stonewall Jackson birthplace and FBI's CJIS headquarters - from Clarksburg's distinction as the birthplace of Confederate General Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson (born January 21, 1824 in Clarksburg - one of the Civil War's most celebrated commanders, whose flank attack at Chancellorsville turned the battle before his accidental wounding by his own troops) to the FBI's Criminal Justice Information Services Division headquarters in Clarksburg (the CJIS Division - responsible for the National Crime Information Center, the Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System, and other critical law enforcement databases - employs thousands in a massive facility that makes Clarksburg one of the most significant federal law enforcement technology centers in the United States) and Bridgeport's suburban growth.
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Office: Harrison County Commission (oversees emergency management) – 229 South 3rd Street, Clarksburg, WV 26301
Notes: The Commission has been publicly recognized locally for emergency response during winter flooding events, reflecting active county coordination during weather emergencies.
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: I-79 runs through the county, part of what’s locally called the “High Tech Corridor”; US-50 also passes through Clarksburg
Transit: Harrison County Transit Authority provides local bus service
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Harrison County Planning Department – 229 S. Third Street, 2nd Floor, Clarksburg, WV 26301 | [email protected] | Hours: Mon–Fri 8 AM–4 PM | Permits applied for online via GovWell
Services: Provides land use planning information, regulations, application forms, and fee schedules; Harrison County has genuinely remained one of the FASTEST-GROWING regions in West Virginia over the past two decades
Notes: A confirmation number from Miss Utility of West Virginia, (800) 245-4848, is required by state law before digging, with a minimum 48 business hours’ notice. Confirm whether your property falls under county or a specific incorporated city (Clarksburg, Bridgeport, Shinnston, Salem, Nutter Fort, Lumberport, Stonewood, West Milford), each maintaining its own separate building/zoning department – e.g., Clarksburg Permits and Zoning, 222 West Main Street, (304) 624-1633; Bridgeport City Zoning, 515 West Main Street, (304) 842-8218.
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
State VSO: West Virginia Department of Veterans Assistance – veterans.wv.gov (statewide office locator for the nearest County Veteran Service Officer)
Notes: Louis A. Johnson VA Medical Center, located south of Clarksburg near Route 98, serves the region’s veteran population directly.
Libraries
LIBRARIES
System: Clarksburg-Harrison Public Library – located adjacent to the historic Waldomore house, corner of 4th St and West Pike St, Clarksburg, WV
Notes: Confirm current hours and branch structure directly with the library.
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: Harrison County, whose court first met July 20, 1784 at the home of George Jackson, is genuinely home to one of the largest and most significant federal facilities in the entire country – the FBI’s Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Division, established February 1992, IS the largest division in the entire FBI, operating from a half-million-square-foot main facility on a 986-acre tract in Clarksburg; Clarksburg itself, chartered 1785 and named for explorer General George Rogers Clark, is nicknamed “Jewel of the Hills” with the motto “Proud Past…Unlimited Future,” and is West Virginia’s 10th-most populous city; a controversial statue of Confederate General Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson stands in front of the Harrison County Courthouse – Jackson was born in Clarksburg; the Harrison County Courthouse (1931-32, Streamlined Moderne style by Walker & Weeks) anchors the Clarksburg Downtown Historic District, both listed on the National Register of Historic Places; Charles Pointe, a 1,700-acre master-planned community under development in Bridgeport, combines commercial, residential, and recreational space alongside the nearby United Hospital Center and the White Oaks business community (which directly supports the FBI CJIS complex); notable natives/figures connected to the county include John S. Carlile (Civil War-era Virginia senator) and John W. Davis (1924 U.S. presidential candidate); Stonewall Jackson Lake, formed by a dam protecting downstream Weston, Clarksburg, Shinnston, and Fairmont, offers popular largemouth bass fishing and is home to Stonewall Resort
Notes: The FBI CJIS Division’s status as the FBI’s single largest division, headquartered in Clarksburg, is a genuinely major, verifiable federal presence for a county this size – not a minor local claim.
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
GIS Portal: Harrison County GIS – accessible via harrisoncountywv.com
Parcel Search: Harrison County Assessor’s records
Addressing/911: Coordinated through Harrison County Commission/Emergency Management
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Facility: Humane Society of Harrison County, Inc. (HSHC) – 2450 Saltwell Road, Shinnston, WV 26431 | (304) 592-1600 | Email: [email protected]
Services: A verified NO-KILL shelter serving Clarksburg and Harrison County, with the public welcome to visit staff, tour the facility, and meet adoptable companion animals; publishes a biannual newsletter
Notes: Confirm current hours directly with the shelter.
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Environmental Complaints: West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection – dep.wv.gov
Notes: Contact Harrison County directly for current refuse collection and recycling program details.
NOTES
Harrison County holds a genuinely major, nationally significant federal presence through the FBI’s Criminal Justice Information Services Division – the largest division in the entire FBI – headquartered in Clarksburg on a nearly 1,000-acre campus. The county has also remained one of West Virginia’s fastest-growing regions for two decades, anchored by major developments like Charles Pointe and United Hospital Center along the I-79 “High Tech Corridor.” All contact information above was sourced from official county, city, and shelter pages as of this writing; phone numbers and hours should be reconfirmed directly with the relevant office before a visit.
About Harrison County
Harrison County is north-central West Virginia’s federal law enforcement technology and Confederate heritage county – birthplace of Stonewall Jackson and home to the FBI’s most critical information systems.
Clarksburg (the county seat, population ~15,000) has two remarkable distinctions. The FBI’s CJIS Division – processing fingerprints, criminal records, and law enforcement data for police agencies across the United States – employs thousands of federal workers and contractors in a massive Clarksburg campus, making it the county’s largest employer and an unlikely technology hub in Appalachian West Virginia.
Bridgeport (population ~8,000) is the county’s most prosperous community – a growing suburban city with retail, healthcare, and professional services.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Harrison County Assessor at 301 W. Main Street, Suite 202, Clarksburg, WV 26301, phone 304-624-8510. WV residential assessed at 60% of market value. Appeal to Board of Equalization and Review.
Courts & Legal
Harrison County Circuit Court at 301 W. Main Street, Clarksburg, WV 26301, phone 304-624-8550, handles probate.
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
COUNTY CLERK
301 W Main St, Clarksburg, WV 26301
(304) 624-8560
CIRCUIT CLERK
301 W Main St, Clarksburg, WV 26301
(304) 624-8628
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Harrison County Clerk’s Office, Clarksburg (probate/estate case files – see Probate section above).
Local societies
No dedicated Harrison County genealogical society was confirmed in available directories.
Probate & Estate
Losing someone and having to deal with courts and paperwork at the same time is hard. This section won’t make that easier, but it should tell you what to expect, what it costs, and where to go – so at least you’re not walking in blind.
Where to go
Harrison County Clerk’s Office (Probate/Fiduciary Supervisor) 301 West Main Street, Clarksburg, WV 26301 (304) 624-8500
Harrison County is in North Central West Virginia, home to Clarksburg, seat of the 15th Judicial Circuit. West Virginia has NO separate probate court and has NOT adopted the Uniform Probate Code. Probate is handled administratively through the COUNTY COMMISSION, via the elected COUNTY CLERK (clerk of the county commission) and that office’s FIDUCIARY SUPERVISOR – not through the Circuit Court, which handles only contested or referred matters.
Step 1: figure out which path applies
West Virginia’s probate framework runs under Chapter 44 of the West Virginia Code, administered locally at the county commission level rather than in a court of record.
West Virginia Small Estate Act (W. Va. Code §44-1A) – available when the decedent’s ENTIRE personal probate estate does not exceed $50,000 in “small assets,” AND the decedent owned no interest in real property at all. As of a July 9, 2025 change in the law, real estate provisions were removed from the Small Estate Act entirely – any estate involving real property, of any value, can no longer use this affidavit process. If the affiant is the nominated personal representative under a will, the affidavit can be filed 30 days after death; otherwise, 60 days must pass. No personal representative may be pending or appointed in any jurisdiction.
Full/Standard Administration – required whenever real property is involved, or the estate exceeds $50,000 in personal property. The executor (with a will) or administrator (without one) qualifies before the County Clerk, receives Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration, files an appraisement within 90 days of qualification, and settles the estate through the Fiduciary Supervisor or, for complex or contested matters, a court-appointed Fiduciary Commissioner.
Only if a genuine dispute arises – a will contest, or disagreement over appointment – does the matter go before the County Commission for a hearing, or in some cases the Circuit Court.
Step 2: filing for administration
The person seeking to serve as executor or administrator brings the original will (if any) and a certified death certificate to the Harrison County Clerk’s Office to qualify.
The Clerk issues Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration; a corporate surety bond is typically required unless waived by the will or by agreement of all beneficiaries (with no debts).
The personal representative files an appraisement of the estate’s assets, generally within 90 days of qualification.
Notice to creditors must be published; once an appraisement is filed, the County Clerk must publish notice within 30 days (or within 120 days of qualification if no appraisement is filed).
The estate is settled through the Fiduciary Supervisor’s review, or referred to a Fiduciary Commissioner if complex or contested, culminating in a final settlement and accounting.
What it costs
Court filing fees to qualify as executor or administrator generally range from about $44 to $56, depending on whether there is a will.
West Virginia sets statutory executor commissions based on estate value: 5% on the first $100,000, 4% on the next $300,000, 3% on the next $400,000, and 2% on amounts above that.
Attorney fees for straightforward estates commonly range from $2,500-$5,000, and $5,000-$10,000+ for complex or contested cases; add bond premiums, newspaper publication fees, and appraisal/recording fees.
West Virginia does NOT impose a state estate tax or inheritance tax. Only the federal estate tax may apply, and only to estates above the federal exemption (roughly $15 million for a 2026 death).
Probate filings, estate administration, and guardianship matters are handled by the following office(s):
Public Safety & Arrests
Arrest records, inmate search, and law enforcement services are handled by the following office(s):
SHERIFF
301 W Main St, Clarksburg, WV 26301
(304) 624-8675
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
ELECTIONS
(304) 624-8560
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Health Department
Harrison County Health Department, 330 W Main St, Clarksburg, WV 26301
(304) 623-9308
DHHR Office
Harrison County DHHR Office, 400 W Pike St, Clarksburg, WV 26301
(304) 627-2200
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Harrison-Clarksburg Health Department
Services: Immunizations, WIC, environmental health, vital records
Notes: United Hospital Center, a $278 million state-of-the-art medical facility near Charles Pointe in Bridgeport, serves as the county’s major regional hospital.
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Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: Clarksburg
Population: 65,000
Established: 1784
Tier: 3
Public Records
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