MARTINSBURG, W.Va. (September 17, 2024) – Effective October 15, all in-person services of the Berkeley County Clerk’s Office will be provided on the first floor of the newly renovated County Administration Office Building at 400 W. Stephen St. in Martinsburg.
The Civil Service, Licensing, Recording and Vital Statistics divisions of the County Clerk’s Office are scheduled to begin operating in Suite 103 at 400 W. Stephen St. on Oct. 15 at 8 AM.
“Anyone wishing to obtain information about the hiring process for county law enforcement jobs, marriage licensing, recording of deeds, obtaining a death certificate or who are in need of any other county administrative services, will be provided assistance at 400 West Stephen Street,” Berkeley County Clerk Anthony J. “Tony” Petrucci said.
The soon-to-be relocated divisions of the County Clerk’s Office will join the Voter Registration and Finance divisions of the County Clerk’s Office, and several other administrative offices that previously relocated to the County Administration Building.
The relocation of the remaining County Clerk’s offices at 100 West King St., completes another phase of the Berkeley County Commission’s courthouse expansion project for administrative and judicial services.
“With the completion of this latest renovation project, we trust that residents and visitors in need of Berkeley County government services will find them more publicly accessible than ever before,” Berkeley County Commission President Jim Whitacre said.
“On behalf of the Berkeley County Commission, I want to thank everyone for their patience and understanding throughout the various phases of renovation, construction and relocation of county offices. This project has been no small undertaking.”
The relocation of the County Clerk’s office and several other offices and departments is made by possible by recently completed renovation of about 42,000 square feet of the County Administration Building as well as construction of a new 600-square foot addition and parking lot and ADA improvements. Architectural services for the Administration Building renovation and expansion project were provided by Crabtree, Rohrbaugh & Associates. Brechbill & Helman Construction Co., Inc., of Chambersburg, Pa., was the general contractor.
Background: The County Administration Building is part of a historic woolen mill complex that was purchased by the County in 2001. Formerly home to the Blue Ridge Outlet Center retail shopping development, the woolen mill buildings were originally built along West Stephen Street for the Crawford Woolen Mill, which began operations in 1891, and the Martinsburg Worsted and Cassimere Co., which incorporated in 1899. Years later, the mills were sold and then operated under new ownership as the Berkeley Woolen Co. and the Dunn Woolen Co. Products manufactured by the mills included automobile cloth for Henry Ford; wool lining cloth and blankets for the Army. Both mills ceased operation and closed by the early 1950s, respectively.
Brief History of Berkeley County Courthouse:
- 1779: Original Berkeley County Courthouse is completed at 100 W. King St.
- 1855-56: New Courthouse built on the site of previous structure, which was razed for new, larger facilities.
- 1880-1881: Courthouse expanded with third-story addition
- 1908-09: Courthouse remodeled with addition of dome.
- 2000: Courthouse expanded with elevator/ADA accessibility
- 2001: Berkeley County Commission approves purchase of historic mill complex formerly used by the Blue Ridge Outlet Center along West Stephen and South Raleigh streets for new county courthouse complex.
- 2005: Dedication of County Administration building; Partial relocation of administrative offices to 400 W. Stephen St. from buildings at 110, 119 and 126 West King Streets and 800 Emmitt Rousch Drive.
- 2006: Dedication of Judicial Center building at 380 W. South Street; Allows for judicial offices to be relocated from historic court house and buildings at 110 W. King Street, 205 East King Street and 120 West John Street.
- 2007: County purchases former shopping plaza in 500 block of South Raleigh Street, allowing for additional consolidation of county government offices, including new Berkeley County Sherriff’s Office headquarters for Law Enforcement Division (2014) and development of comprehensive facility for Berkeley Day Report Center (2021).