Mason County Area Chamber of Commerce

Mason County was formed in 1804 and named after George Mason of Fairfax County, Virginia. Today, Mason County is known for its scenic, rural countryside as well as an expanding business community. With the Great Kanawha River flowing Northwest through the county and flows into the Ohio River at Point Pleasant, Mason County is and always has been the site for river industries. The Point Pleasant River Museum is the only one of its kind in West Virginia and it houses a valuable archival collection of artifacts and an extensive array of photos depicting early life along the rivers. Mason County has a rich historical past and, at the same time, offers the best educational training in our state-of-the-art schools. Our local hospitals provide the latest technology and health care service to rival any in this country. Tempered with all the modern conveniences, Mason Countians pride themselves as being hospitable and down-to-earth, while maintaining a pioneer spirit of moving forward with the times. Mason County experienced a great tragedy with the collapse of the Silver Bridge in December 1967. Despite discouraging setbacks and obstacles in the way, Mason County citizens have learned the importance of banding together to find ways to restore the old landmarks and add new interest to attract business and promote commerce. A short time back, the Kanawha Gateway Project was created to coordinate heritage tourism along the Kanawha River from Point Pleasant to Nitro. The goal is one of pooling resources to educate those new to Mason County and surrounding communities concerning recreational activities and special events in and around those towns.