Grant County is located in the midst of the
Potomac Highlands. The area was settled by pioneers in the
1700s, especially after the conclusion of the French and
Indian War with England in 1763. Grant County itself only
came into being following the Civil War, when Union sympathizers
in the western part of Hardy County opted to separate themselves
from the Confederate loyalists concentrated in the eastern
part of the county. Although the conflict with Native Americans
continued for some time after, the lack of support from
the French and the steady influx of settlers resulted in
the withdrawal of the Native Americans from the contested
ground.
The topography of Grant County is characterized
by a series of parallel ridges and valleys pierced by occasional
water gaps, and in the part of the county west of the Allegheny
Front is a high rolling plateau that is cooler and wetter
than the ridge and valley land to the east.
This climactic and topographic diversity provides
the people of Grant County with a plethora of recreational
choices. Choose from skiing, biking, hiking, hunting, fishing,
caving, rock climbing, kayaking, boating or golfing. Or
you can quietly enjoy the scenic beauty of the area.
One unique recreational feature of Grant County
is the Petersburg Wave, a rising column of air generated
by strong west winds plunging over the Allegheny Front and
deflected upward by ridges to the east. Each March finds
many glider pilots setting altitude records on the Petersburg
Wave.
