Cabell County, formed in 1809 from Kanawha County, was named for William H. Cabell, whose term as governor of Virginia had just ended. The first courthouse was at Guyandotte, but the more centrally located Barboursville became the county seat in 1814. In 1840 the U.S. Census counted a population of 8,163. The population remained relatively stable throughout the mid-nineteenth century, but almost doubled between 1880 and 1890, from 13,744 to 23,595. The increase can be explained in one word: Huntington. In 1887 Huntington replaced Barboursville as the county seat, and the county's development has been largely inseparable from the city's ever since. Huntington annexed Guyandotte in 1911, and Barboursville is now a suburb. Fortunately, each older community has preserved a nucleus of early structures and maintains an individual identity. Cabell County's 2000 population was 96,784.
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