Lincoln County

Lincoln County is an administrative division in West Virginia characterized by forested hills, open valleys, and the Guyandotte River valley running through it. Hamlin serves as the county seat, functioning as the center for local services in this rural area.

The county was formed in 1867 from portions of neighboring counties and named for President Abraham Lincoln. The local economy shifted from tobacco cultivation to timber harvesting after the Civil War, with natural gas becoming important later.

Residents maintain strong ties to the land through farming families who have worked the same properties for generations, visible in scattered homesteads and agricultural fields across the valleys.

The area is accessible via U.S. Route 119, which passes through Hamlin and connects to nearby regions. Visiting typically requires a car since public transportation is limited in this rural setting.

The area underwent economic transformation in the 20th century when mining operations created infrastructure that still shapes the local landscape today. This industrialization left a distinctive terrain where mountains show visible traces of that extractive history.

Location: West Virginia

Inception: February 23, 1867

Capital city: Hamlin

Shares border with: Putnam County, Mingo County, Logan County, Boone County, Kanawha County, Cabell County, Wayne County

Website: http://lincolncountywv.org

GPS coordinates: 38.18000,-82.07000

Latest update: December 7, 2025 20:21