Ohio County is a county located in the Northern Panhandle of the U.S. state of West Virginia. As of the 2010 census, the population was 44,443. Its county seat is Wheeling. The county was formed from the District of West Augusta, Virginia in 1776. It was named for the Ohio River, which forms its western boundary.  West Liberty (formerly Black's Cabin) was the county seat from 1777 to 1797.