Fairmont occupies the steep hills surrounding the Monongahela River, which divides the town into east and west sections in
Marion County (
Northern Region).
Originally two towns, Palatine and Middletown, Fairmont was incorporated in 1843. Ferries shuttled people and supplies across the river until 1852 when a suspension bridge unified the town. During the 1850s, railroad access encouraged the development of coal mines in the area.
While coal continues to be a source of employment, today the town is on a hi-tech corridor with a NASA software facility and a software consortium.
Fairmont is the northern end of the scenic section of US 250, which runs 73 miles to Huttonsville and continues as US 219 to
Lewisburg.