Blog · October 14, 2026 · West Virginia
Nicholas County Plat Book in West Virginia
What a Nicholas County plat book is, where to track down one around Richwood, and the free map that covers the gaps.
Main page: Nicholas County, WV GIS & Parcel Viewer (official map link, Nicholas County facts and neighboring maps).
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The printed Nicholas County plat book and the online parcel map answer the same question, who owns the land near Richwood, in different ways. We'll cover what's in one, where Nicholas County copies turn up, and how the county's free map fills the gaps.
Plat books vs. recorded plats in Nicholas County
Private publishers compile plat books from county records, so a county edition is a snapshot of who owned land near Summersville the year it was printed. It's different from a recorded plat, which is the official survey drawing for a subdivision in Summersville filed with the county.
Opening the Nicholas County parcel viewer
There's no separate Nicholas County parcel site to hunt for; the West Virginia Property Viewer carries the county's parcels along with the rest of West Virginia. Choose Nicholas County, then click a parcel near Belva to see its district, map and parcel number. Bookmark our Nicholas County page too; it tracks the official West Virginia link if it moves and lists the maps around Belva.
Finding a printed Nicholas County plat book
Whether a current Nicholas County edition exists varies, so ask locally in Summersville before ordering; county offices commonly know if one is in print. An old atlas can help trace when a property near Belva split off from a larger farm.
The free online alternative
The West Virginia Property Viewer works as a living Nicholas County plat book, with owner names and parcel lines over aerial photos of Nicholas County. Pair the county map with a road atlas for the back roads near Belva.
Towns and land across Nicholas County
From Summersville, the seat of the county, the map spreads out to Richwood. Smaller places such as Belva, Birch River, and Craigsville appear on the county map as little clusters of lots. Nicholas County had an estimated 24,169 people in 2023 (Census Bureau), spread across about 647 square miles. Beyond the town lots in Summersville, expect big rural parcels across the county. With a founding date of 1818, Nicholas County has long chains of title on some rural tracts.
Reading a Nicholas County atlas page
Plat book pages for Nicholas County typically include an index of owners, so you can track down a family name near Richwood without knowing the township. Owner names in an older Nicholas County edition may be decades out of date, so confirm on the county map before contacting anyone near Craigsville. If you use a plat book for hunting permission near Summersville, recheck the landowner on the county map first.
Making your own atlas of Nicholas County
Farm families near Richwood commonly keep successive editions of the Nicholas County plat book, which together display how ownership shifted over decades. Some buyers print the county parcel map at township scale to carry on back roads near Summersville.
Work and land use in Nicholas County
County Business Patterns counted 554 business establishments in Nicholas County for 2022, led by retail trade, health care and social assistance, and other services. Compared with national shares, Nicholas County leans toward forestry and logging and mining (except oil and gas), which shapes demand for land near Belva.
Where Nicholas County land records are kept
The parcel layer for Nicholas County points back to recorded deeds and plats, kept by the county's recording office (its title varies by state). A deed book and page or instrument number on the county record is the fastest way to order the document for a lot in Richwood.
Quick answers for Nicholas County
What is the difference between a plat book and a plat in Nicholas County?
No; a lot in Summersville answers to its recorded plat, and the county atlas is just a reference.
Are older plat books for Nicholas County, West Virginia online?
Check the library in Summersville, local historical groups and estate sales for older Nicholas County editions.
Can I buy a new plat book for Nicholas County, West Virginia?
Editions come and go; inquire at the courthouse, extension office or farm supply stores in Summersville.
Should I use the Nicholas County, West Virginia parcel map instead of a plat book?
For current owners near Richwood, yes; the West Virginia Property Viewer updates as deeds are processed.
Does a Nicholas County plat book display property lines?
Only roughly; a Nicholas County plat book is a reference, so a licensed survey decides the real line.
Open the official Nicholas County, WV parcel map Nicholas County in the Platbookmapper directory
Not a survey. County GIS and tax parcel maps are assessment and planning layers. They are not a substitute for a recorded plat, deed, or licensed survey, especially for fences, setbacks, or boundary disputes.