[3][4] Gilmer was later a representative in the United States Congress and Secretary of the Navy in President John Tyler's cabinet.

Cedar Creek State Park offers camping, fishing, swimming, and hiking.

Glenville State University has a community activity center, a state-of-the-art library, and a complete collection of hand-carved, West Virginia–native birds on public display.

The Gilmer County Recreation Center Complex includes a small golf course, a convention / reunion hall, and bunk houses.

[citation needed] Gilmer County is home to ten nationally registered historic landmarks, the Cedar Creek Backway, and the annual West Virginia Folk Festival.

[6] In 1863, West Virginia's counties were divided into civil townships, with the intention of encouraging local government.

This proved impractical in the heavily rural state, and in 1872 the townships were converted into magisterial districts.

[7] Gilmer County was divided into four districts: Centre,[i] De Kalb, Glenville, and Troy.

As of the 2010 United States census, there were 8,693 people, 2,753 households, and 1,806 families living in the county.

[18] In 1972, against the strongly left-wing George McGovern, Richard Nixon became the first Republican to carry the county in 104 years, and in a similar landslide Ronald Reagan repeated this in 1984.