Virginia in 1617, 10 years after the first settlement at Jamestowne

Virginia in 1634, 8 original shires

Virginia in 1656, after almost 50 years of settlement

Virginia in 1703, almost 100 years have passed

Virginia in 1738, Augusta & Frederick Counties are formed in what will become West Virginia

Virginia in 1753,Hampshire formed from Frederick County

Virginia in 1770, Botetourt formed from Augusta

Virginia in 1772, Dunmore and Berkeley from Frederick

Virginia in 1776, A Nation is born! Ohio & Monongalia formed

Virginia in 1778, Greenbrier County is formed

Virginia in 1784, Harrison County is formed

Virginia in 1787, Hardy & Randolph are counties

Virginia in 1788, Kanawha County is formed from parts of Greenbrier and Montgomery

Virginia in 1792, 9 counties separate to form the state of Kentucky

Virginia in 1796, when the first pioneers settled in Jackson County, Brooke County formed

Virginia in 1798, Wood County is formed from part of Harrison County

Virginia in 1804, Mason County is formed from part of Kanawha County, Jefferson from Berkeley (1801), Monroe from Greenbrier (1799)

Virginia in 1809, Cabell formed from Kanawha, Harrison gains from Ohio (1806)

Virginia in 1816, Lewis County is formed from Harrison County, Tyler from Ohio (1814)

Virginia in 1822, Nicholas & Preston (1818), Morgan (1820), Pocahontas (1821), Monroe loses some to Alleghany

Virginia in 1831, Jackson & Fayette formed, Logan formed (1824), Boundary changes 1820-1830: Nicholas gains from Kanawha & Lewis, Monroe to Giles, Preston from Randolph

Virginia in 1836, Braxton formed, Marshall formed (1835), Boundary changes: Preston from Randolph

Virginia in 1844,Taylor formed, Barbour & Ritchie formed (1843), Marion & Wayne formed (1842)

Virginia in Census year 1850,Raleigh & Wyoming formed., Hancock, Putnam & Wirt formed (1848). Boone formed (1847)Doddridge, Gilmer formed (1845) boundary changes 1840-1850: Mercer, Glies, Braxton, Preston

Virginia in 1856, Roane, Calhoun & Tucker formed, Taylor gains from Marion; Pleasants & Upshur formed (1851)

Virginia/West Virginia in 1863,West Virginia becomes a state!; Webster formed (1860); Clay formed (1858)

Virginia/West Virginia in 1871, Summers formed; Lincoln formed (1867); Grant & Mineral formed (1866) Boundary changes 1860-1870 Upshur, Wirt, Jackson gain; 1870-1880 Hampshire, Raleigh, Wayne, Tucker gain

Virginia/West Virginia in 1895,Mingo formed, WV complete

Maps by AniMap, available courtesy of Goldbug