Created on April 19, 1851, from part of Bedford County, Fulton County was named for Robert Fulton, who pioneered the use of the steam engine. The area that became Fulton County was included in the 1754 Albany Purchase from local Indian tribes. Early on, gristmills and tanneries and the timber industry brought economic growth. Somehow, though, the Main LineCanal and the Pennsylvania Railroad bypassed Fulton County, making it difficult for the county to access distant markets. Through the 1930’s, while it was not economically advantageous, its population was able to enjoy the peace of being nestled quietly in the Appalachians.

The county is still home to over 50,000 acres of state forest. In 1940, the Pennsylvania Turnpike came through, changing the economic and real landscape. Today, thirty-six percent of the valleys in Fulton County are farmed, and manufacturing accounts for many jobs. Many residents commute to other locales for work. McConnellsburg, the county seat, was named for Daniel McConnell, who laid out the borough in 1786. The borough’s historic district is impressive: in 1933 the U.S. Department of the Interior recognized 144 structures, including the County Courthouse, inns and taverns, in the National Register of Historic Places.