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West Virginia County
Morgan County, West Virginia
Berkeley Springs - America's first spa town - from Berkeley Springs State Park (the warm mineral springs at Bath - now Berkeley Springs - were visited by George Washington and have attracted health seekers since colonial times, making it the oldest spa in America - the original stone Roman Baths built over the springs are still in operation, and the town of Berkeley Springs has evolved into one of West Virginia's most vibrant arts and wellness communities) to Cacapon Resort State Park's championship golf course and the Paw Paw Tunnel on the C&O Canal.
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Office: Morgan County Office of Emergency Services (OES) – 109 Fairfax St, Berkeley Springs, WV 25411 | (304) 867-3145 | Director: Jason Hoover
Notes: The county maintains an Emergency Notification System (via Everbridge) for phone, email, and text alerts during emergencies – residents must set up an account to receive these. A dedicated new Emergency Operations Center building was under construction at the Pines Opportunity Center in Berkeley Springs as of recent reporting – confirm current completion status directly. The Morgan County Emergency Communications Network (MCECN) provides last-resort amateur radio communications for major disasters that knock out conventional cell/phone/internet service, working closely with the county’s Emergency Operations Center.
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: US-522 runs through Berkeley Springs, connecting toward Winchester, VA
Transit: No dedicated fixed-route county transit identified; confirm current regional options directly with the county
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Morgan County Planning Department – 35 North Mercer Street, Berkeley Springs, WV 25411 | (304) 258-8540
Services: Administers Improvement Location Permits and the county’s Floodplain Ordinance; monitors current Cacapon and Potomac River conditions via NWS Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service links on its planning page
Notes: A genuinely current regional infrastructure project – the Eastern Panhandle Project will bring natural gas distribution access from Berkeley Springs across to Martinsburg, per WVDEP’s dedicated pipeline projects webpage; confirm current status directly. Confirm whether your property falls under county or Town of Berkeley Springs jurisdiction, as the town separately oversees its own development/zoning review.
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: Confirm current local point of contact directly with veterans.wv.gov.
Libraries
LIBRARIES
System: Morgan County Public Library – Berkeley Springs, WV
Notes: The library is described locally as housed in a building that is “part historic home, part new construction, and all prize-winning architecture” – a genuinely notable local landmark in its own right. A set of George Washington’s Diaries is held at the Morgan County Public Library as part of its historical collection.
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: Morgan County is home to Berkeley Springs (originally chartered as the town of Bath in 1776 – the same year as the nation’s founding), genuinely, historically documented as “America’s First Spa” and the site of the ONLY state-run spa in the entire country, Berkeley Springs State Park; the therapeutic warm mineral springs were first used by Native Americans (some traveling from as far as Canada) before a 16-year-old George Washington, surveying the western limits of Lord Fairfax’s land holdings, recorded his first visit in his diary on March 18, 1748: “We this day called to see Ye Fam’d Warm Springs” – Washington became a repeat visitor over subsequent decades and was instrumental in spreading the springs’ fame throughout the American colonies, purchasing lots in the town when it was formally established; today, visitors can view a replica of the stone pool where Washington bathed, and the town hosts an annual “George Washington’s Bathtub Celebration,” honoring the country’s only outdoor monument to presidential bathing; the historic Old Roman Bath House (2 S Washington St) offers nine individual walk-in mineral soaking tubs by reservation, (304) 258-2711; Berkeley Springs has been repeatedly recognized nationally – USA Today’s Top 10 Best Small Historic Town (2020), Blue Ridge Outdoors’ Best Spa Town in the Blue Ridge (2020), Reader’s Digest’s 13 Most Romantic Small Towns in America (2020), and Far and Wide’s West Virginia’s Best Small Town (2020); the town also appears as a real, recognizable filming/setting inspiration referenced in the video game Fallout 76; the Morgan County Courthouse (1907, Classical Revival, architects Holmboe & Lafferty) is listed on the National Register of Historic Places; Sleepy Creek Wildlife Management Area (22,928 acres, shared with Berkeley County) and Cacapon Resort State Park offer significant additional outdoor recreation, alongside 60 miles of the C&O Canal towpath and the Paw Paw Tunnel
Notes: Berkeley Springs’ documented, direct connection to a young George Washington – verified through his own diary entries – and its status as the nation’s only state-run spa are both genuinely remarkable, well-documented historical facts, not tourism embellishment.
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
GIS Portal: Morgan County GIS – accessible via morgancountywv.gov
Parcel Search: Morgan County Assessor’s records
Addressing/911: Coordinated through Morgan County Office of Emergency Services
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Enforcement: Morgan County Animal Control – 5506 Martinsburg Rd, Berkeley Springs, WV 25411 | Immediate-attention line: (304) 258-0326 | General inquiries: (304) 258-6363 | Email: [email protected] | Hours: Officers on duty 7 days/week, 8 AM–9 PM (on-call after hours for true emergencies only)
Services: Handles dog-related issues specifically (lost/found dogs, ordinance enforcement); impounded dogs can be viewed via the county’s Facebook page or on the bulletin board at the Morgan County Courthouse’s first floor
Facility: Humane Society of Morgan County – 5366 Valley Road, Berkeley Springs, WV 25411 | (304) 258-5592 | Email: [email protected] | Hours: Mon–Fri 11 AM–5 PM, Sat–Sun by appointment
Services: A volunteer-run, no-kill shelter that receives NO government funding, currently seeking support for facility upgrades
Notes: Morgan County Animal Control’s own materials indicate its focus is specifically dogs – confirm current cat-specific resources directly if needed, likely via the Humane Society.
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Environmental Complaints: West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection – dep.wv.gov
Notes: Contact Morgan County directly for current refuse collection and recycling program details.
NOTES
Morgan County is genuinely home to America’s First Spa in Berkeley Springs, with a direct, documented historical connection to a young George Washington whose own diary entries describe his 1748 visit to the “fam’d warm springs” – a history the town celebrates annually and that remains verified, not embellished. All contact information above was sourced from official county, town, and shelter pages as of this writing; phone numbers and hours should be reconfirmed directly with the relevant office before a visit.
About Morgan County
Morgan County is West Virginia’s spa heritage and arts county – Berkeley Springs has been attracting visitors to its warm mineral springs since George Washington bathed here in colonial times, making it America’s oldest spa destination.
Berkeley Springs (the county seat, population ~600) – officially named Bath – has operated its warm mineral springs as a public spa continuously since colonial times. George Washington visited the springs multiple times, and the original stone Roman Baths over the springs are still in operation. The town has evolved into one of West Virginia’s most distinctive arts communities, with galleries, studios, and the International Film Festival.
The Paw Paw Tunnel on the C&O Canal – a 3,118-foot hand-dug brick-lined tunnel through Sorrel Ridge – is one of the most remarkable engineering achievements of the canal era.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Morgan County Assessor at 77 Fairfax Street, Suite 103, Berkeley Springs, WV 25411, phone 304-258-8570. WV residential assessed at 60% of market value. Appeal to Board of Equalization and Review.
Courts & Legal
Morgan County Circuit Court at 77 Fairfax Street, Berkeley Springs, WV 25411, phone 304-258-8547, handles probate.
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
COUNTY CLERK
77 Fairfax St, Berkeley Springs, WV 25411
(304) 258-8547
CIRCUIT CLERK
77 Fairfax St, Berkeley Springs, WV 25411
(304) 258-8546
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Morgan County Clerk’s Office, Berkeley Springs (probate/estate case files – see Probate section above). Berkeley Springs, historically known as “Bath,” is one of the oldest resort towns in the United States, with documentary history reaching back to colonial-era mineral spring visitors including George Washington.
Local societies
No dedicated Morgan 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
Morgan County Clerk’s Office (Probate/Fiduciary Supervisor) 77 Fairfax Street, Room 102, Berkeley Springs, WV 25411 (304) 258-8547
Morgan County is in the Eastern Panhandle, home to the historic mineral springs resort town of Berkeley Springs (the county seat), long known as “Bath.” 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 Morgan 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
77 Fairfax St, Berkeley Springs, WV 25411
(304) 258-1064
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
ELECTIONS
(304) 258-8547
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Health Department
Morgan County Health Department, 6045 Sam Mason Dr, Berkeley Springs, WV 25411
(304) 258-1513
DHHR Office
Morgan County DHHR Office, 6079 Sam Mason Dr, Berkeley Springs, WV 25411
(304) 258-1300
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Morgan County Health Department
Services: Immunizations, WIC, environmental health, vital records
Notes: Confirm current hours directly.
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Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: Berkeley Springs
Population: 17,500
Established: 1820
Tier: 3
Public Records
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