Parkersburg, WV

Parkersburg is the county seat of Wood County, set along the Ohio River in northwestern West Virginia. Settlers first called it Newport after the Revolutionary War, and the city later grew into a major river, rail, and oil-region center. The Mid-Ohio Valley Multi-Cultural Festival gives Parkersburg a lively annual gathering, while older neighborhoods and downtown buildings show its former industrial weight. Parkersburg feels river-bound and historic, with bridges, hills, regional hospitals, and a practical Mid-Ohio Valley character.