The city's economy includes several telemarketing facilities, and a factory that does metal fabrication and plastics molding.

In 1772, the Cox brothers, Friend, Israel, and Jonathan, made tomahawk rights claims totaling 1,200 acres (4.9 km2) in the area now including Wellsburg.

In March 1788, Charles Prather purchased 481 acres (1.95 km2) from the Cox heirs for $3,000.

In 1791, Prather petitioned Ohio County to incorporate the town of Charlestown, Virginia, naming it after himself.

The original name continued until 1816, when it was changed to Wellsburg, to avoid confusion with Charles Town, Jefferson County.

The new name was in honor of Alexander Wells, Charles Prather's son-in-law, builder of the first large flour warehouse in the east.

[6][7] Wellsburg was the home of Patrick Gass, the last surviving member of the Lewis and Clark expedition and author of a memoir of the famous journey.

Here also was the home of Joseph Doddridge, author of Notes on the Settlement and Indian Wars.

[8] In 1832, the original Grimes Golden apple tree was found just east of Wellsburg.

[6] Wellsburg has a number of entries on the National Register of Historic Places.