CLARKSBURG, a city in the heart of the coal, oil and gas fields of West Virginia, U.S.A., on the West Fork river at the mouth of Elk creek; the county seat of Harrison county. It is on Federal highways 19 and 5o, and is served by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. The population in 1920 was 27,869 native white), and was 28,866 in 1930 by the Federal census. The city lies on a plain 1,1 oof t. above sea-level, surrounded by beautiful hills, in a rich agricultural and grazing, as well as mining, region. It has a large wholesale and retail trade. Coal, natural gas and electric power are available for industrial uses, and the city has numerous manufactures, with an output in 1925 valued at $15,949,281. The leading products are glass of various kinds, pottery, china, porce lain, earthenware, carbon electrodes, tin-plate, tin cans, zinc spel ter, boxes, caskets, bricks, tiles and machinery.
Clarksburg was settled in 1765, and was incorporated in 1785 by the general assembly of Virginia. It was named after George Rogers Clark. In 1917 the towns of Broad Oaks, Stealey Heights, Adamston and North View and several adjoining districts were consolidated with the old city of Clarksburg, which in 1910 had a population of 9,201. A new charter was adopted in 1921, estab lishing a council-manager form of government. In the next five years contagious diseases were practically eliminated, infant mor tality was reduced far below the average for the country, a mu nicipal playground system was developed, the best record in the State was established for the enforcement of the liquor laws, loss by fire was cut to a very low figure, public improvements costing $1,200,000 were made and the city debt was reduced by over $500,000.
Clarksburg was the birthplace of "Stonewall" Jackson, of Nathan Goff and of John W. Davis.