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West Virginia County
Upshur County, West Virginia
Buckhannon's West Virginia Strawberry Festival and West Virginia Wesleyan - from the West Virginia Strawberry Festival (held annually in Buckhannon since 1936 - one of West Virginia's largest and most beloved festivals, drawing tens of thousands of visitors for five days of strawberry-themed food, carnival rides, parades, and concerts celebrating the county's strawberry-growing tradition) to West Virginia Wesleyan College (a United Methodist-affiliated liberal arts college founded 1890, enrollment ~1,200, whose campus anchors Buckhannon's cultural and educational life) and the Buckhannon River's gentle central West Virginia valley.
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Office: Upshur County Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (DHSEM) – 181 Pallottine Drive, Buckhannon, WV 26201 | (304) 472-4983 | Fax: (304) 472-6539 | Email: [email protected] | Director: Derek V. Long, Deputy Director
Notes: Uses Everbridge Nixle for real-time community emergency notifications and advisories – sign up via the county’s Office of Emergency Management page. Upshur County E-911 Communication Center, 181 Pallottine Dr, (304) 472-9550, Fax: (304) 472-2175, Director Doyle R. Cutright, II. Upshur County EMS, 164 Pocahontas Street, (304) 472-1224. WVU Medicine St. Joseph’s Hospital, founded 1921 by the Pallottine Missionary Sisters, (304) 473-2000.
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
Roads: US-33 and US-119 both serve Buckhannon; the Buckhannon-Upshur Airport Authority operates Upshur County Regional Airport (FAA LID: W22), opened May 1998, along US-48 near I-79
Transit: No dedicated fixed-route local transit identified; confirm current regional options directly with the county
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Upshur County Commission – Addressing & Mapping, Building Permits and Floodplain Management
Services: A building permit from the Upshur County Commission is required for construction outside incorporated city limits; development within a designated floodplain is separately regulated by FEMA and requires special documentation/construction methods – floodplain development can be denied
Notes: If your project is within the CITY of Buckhannon’s corporation limits, contact the City directly instead – Buckhannon City Hall, 70 East Main Street, (304) 472-1430 or (304) 472-1651, Building Permits handled by City Hall staff.
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: Upshur County Public Library – Buckhannon, WV
Notes: A local visitor draw in its own right, frequently listed alongside other Buckhannon attractions.
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: Upshur County is home to Buckhannon and West Virginia Wesleyan College, whose campus hosts the United Methodist Annual Conference; the county is genuinely the birthplace of the WEST VIRGINIA STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL, one of the state’s most historic and beloved annual events – organized in 1936 after Professor J. E. Judson of West Virginia Wesleyan College pointed out to the local Lions Club that Upshur County’s climate and soils were ideal for strawberries; the first festival, held June 3, 1936, drew over 6,000 spectators for a coronation by Governor Kump and a 30-princess grand march parade; the festival has grown into a major late-May event now drawing more than 60,000 visitors from around the world for three WAMSB-affiliated, internationally recognized parades on “Strawberry Lane,” alongside carnival rides, concerts, and competitions – genuinely the largest late-spring gathering in the county, marking its 84th-plus consecutive year; the county is also home to the West Virginia State Wildlife Center at French Creek, a real state-run wildlife park; the West Virginia Farm Bureau’s state headquarters and the WV Division of Highways’ state equipment repair/distribution headquarters (in a landmark cut-stone building) are both located in Buckhannon; local industry has historically included tanneries, chemical companies, glass plants, and significant coal mining operations
Notes: The West Virginia Strawberry Festival’s genuine, nearly 90-year continuous history and status as one of the state’s largest spring events are well-documented, distinctive facts central to this county’s identity.
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
GIS Portal: Upshur County GIS – accessible via upshurcounty.org
Parcel Search: Upshur County Assessor’s records
Addressing/911: Coordinated through Upshur County E-911 Communication Center
Animal Services
ANIMAL SERVICES
Facility: Lewis-Upshur Animal Control Facility – a JOINT shelter serving both Lewis and Upshur counties, located near the Upshur/Lewis county line in the Buckhannon area
Notes: Confirm current address, hours, and intake process directly, as this facility is shared jointly with neighboring Lewis County – see the Lewis County file for additional detail. Confirm current contact information directly with Upshur County, as an Animal Control Officer role may also be separately staffed.
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Office: City of Buckhannon Waste Department – (304) 472-4443
Environmental Complaints: West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection – dep.wv.gov
Notes: Contact Upshur County directly for county-wide (non-city) refuse collection and recycling program details.
NOTES
Upshur County is genuinely the birthplace of the West Virginia Strawberry Festival, one of the state’s largest and longest-running annual celebrations, now drawing over 60,000 visitors each May after nearly 90 consecutive years. The county shares its animal control facility jointly with neighboring Lewis County – worth confirming current details directly given the shared arrangement. All contact information above was sourced from official county, city, and festival pages as of this writing; phone numbers and hours should be reconfirmed directly with the relevant office before a visit.
About Upshur County
Upshur County is north-central West Virginia’s strawberry festival and Methodist college county – a Buckhannon River community whose annual celebration and liberal arts institution give it a cultural profile exceeding its modest size.
Buckhannon (the county seat, population ~5,500) hosts the West Virginia Strawberry Festival each May – five days of events culminating in a parade that draws tens of thousands of visitors to one of West Virginia’s most anticipated annual celebrations.
West Virginia Wesleyan College – founded 1890 by the United Methodist Church – provides liberal arts education with strong programs in education, nursing, and business. The college’s Victorian-era campus buildings and residential character make it one of West Virginia’s more distinctive small college environments.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Upshur County Assessor at 38 W. Main Street, Suite 101, Buckhannon, WV 26201, phone 304-472-1180. WV residential assessed at 60% of market value. Appeal to Board of Equalization and Review.
Courts & Legal
Upshur County Circuit Court at 40 W. Main Street, Buckhannon, WV 26201, phone 304-472-1068, handles probate.
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
COUNTY CLERK
38 W Main St, Buckhannon, WV 26201
(304) 472-1180
CIRCUIT CLERK
38 W Main St, Buckhannon, WV 26201
(304) 472-1080
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Upshur County Clerk’s Office, Buckhannon (probate/estate case files – see Probate section above). West Virginia Wesleyan College’s library holds regional historical archives.
Local societies
No dedicated Upshur 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
Upshur County Clerk’s Office (Probate/Fiduciary Supervisor) 38 West Main Street, Room 204, Buckhannon, WV 26201 (304) 472-2053
Upshur County is in North Central West Virginia, home to West Virginia Wesleyan College, county seat Buckhannon. 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 Upshur 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
38 W Main St, Buckhannon, WV 26201
(304) 472-1176
Elections & Voting
Voter registration, polling locations, and elections information are handled by the following office(s):
ELECTIONS
(304) 472-1180
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Health Department
Upshur-Buckhannon Health Department, 176 Nolan Ave, Buckhannon, WV 26201
(304) 472-1000
DHHR Office
Upshur County DHHR Office, 38 East Main St, Buckhannon, WV 26201
(304) 472-4300
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Upshur County Health Department
Services: Immunizations, WIC, environmental health, vital records
Notes: WVU Medicine St. Joseph’s Hospital is the primary local hospital.
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Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: Buckhannon
Population: 24,000
Established: 1815
Tier: 3
Public Records
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