McDowell County Offers Outdoor, Historical, and Community Gems Worth Exploring

McDowell County, located in southern West Virginia, is a beautiful and historical county full of Appalachian culture and hospitality. The southernmost county in West Virginia, it was created in 1858 and named in honor of James McDowell, the governor of Virginia. Among its several historic communities is the city of Welch, serving as the county's seat since 1892, with smaller towns including Gary, Keystone, War, Kimball, Keystone, Northfork, Iaeger, and Anawalt each adding a distinct layer to the county's character. Located in the most southern part of the West Virginia coalfields, McDowell was best known in its golden years as the coal power source for the nation: it fueled the steel industry and was responsible for making the weapons and ships that won World War II. That legacy runs deep in the landscape, the landmarks, and the people here.

Welch: The County Seat and Its Firsts

Welch was incorporated in 1894 and named for Isiah A. Welch, a captain in the Confederate Army. Situated on the Tug Fork River at the mouth of Elkhorn Creek, the city boomed in the early 1900s. Few cities its size can claim so many national firsts. The first memorial raised to U.S. veterans of World War I is located at Welch, as was the nation's first municipally owned parking building. Minnie Buckingham Harper became the first Black woman legislator in the United States in 1928, appointed by the governor to fill the vacancy caused by the death of her husband. Comedian Steve Harvey was born in Welch in 1957.

The McDowell County Courthouse and the Welch Commercial Historic District are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The iconic, castle-like courthouse built in 1895 is the town's most recognizable landmark, perched on a hillside overlooking downtown. Strolling the commercial district reveals architecture from Welch's early 20th-century heyday, including the historic Bank of Welch building. Martha H. Moore Riverfront Park, developed after a devastating flood in May 2002, uses the remnants of past structures for recreation and offers a quiet green space along the waterfront in the heart of the city.

For arts and culture, the Jack Caffrey Arts and Cultural Center, located at 143 Wyoming Street, is a historically renovated structure that welcomes heritage, education, and business to the city. Its mission is to remember the past, reawaken heritage, and re-imagine the future through arts and education. At the center, visitors learn about coal mining, daily life in the coal camps, and pivotal moments that shaped labor history in Appalachia, and can also view and purchase art by local artists.

The Kimball War Memorial: A Monument the Nation Should Know

No stop in McDowell County carries more historical weight than the Kimball War Memorial, a few miles from Welch in the town of Kimball. The memorial was the first building in the United States to honor the 400,000 African Americans who volunteered their service during World War I. Of the 50,000 who served overseas, over 1,500 were from McDowell County.

The Classical Revival style building, designed by noted West Virginia architect Hassel T. Hicks of Welch, was completed in 1928 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1993. The War Memorial became the headquarters of the nation's first all-Black American Legion Post and hosted some of the state's first NAACP meetings. This multi-purpose building housed a library, kitchen, trophy room, reading room, pool hall, auditorium, and offices. The building became the center of community life, hosting high school proms, wedding receptions, and performances by Cab Calloway and other well-known entertainers.

As the coal industry declined, so did the memorial. Local restoration efforts were underway when the building caught fire on April 12, 1991, leaving only the exterior shell. Community members began raising funds to restore the building, and with additional funds from state and federal sources, the war memorial was restored and reopened in 2006. Today, the Kimball Memorial serves as a living community resource and is available for tours, training sessions, classes, organizational meetings, dinners, receptions, and social events. Tours take about one hour and are filled with information, photographs, and tributes to African American heroes from McDowell County and around the country who served in World War I.

The Hatfield-McCoy Trails: Two Systems, One County

One of the biggest draws to McDowell County is access to the legendary Hatfield-McCoy Trail System, one of the largest off-highway vehicle trail networks in the country. The trails are popular for ATVs, UTVs, and dirt bikes, but are also open to hikers, mountain bikers, and horse riders. McDowell County is unique in that it is home to two Hatfield-McCoy Trails.

Located near Ashland in McDowell County, the Indian Ridge Trail System offers a variety of trails of all difficulty levels and provides community access to the ATV-friendly towns of Northfork and Keystone. Indian Ridge offers 63 miles of trails in McDowell County with food, gas, and lodging available in the surrounding area.

The Warrior Trail System, which connects with the Pinnacle Creek, Indian Ridge, and Pocahontas trail systems, is located in the City of War, West Virginia's most southern city. This trail system also accesses the ATV-friendly City of Gary. The Warrior Trail System offers numerous scenic views and has direct access to gas, food, and lodging.

Riders can explore miles of rugged terrain by ATV or side-by-side, winding through forested hills, hollows, and towns that have officially embraced trail tourism. Several communities here are ATV-friendly, meaning riders can travel directly through town to fuel up, grab a bite, and admire colorful murals. A valid permit is required to ride the Hatfield-McCoy Trails; permits can be purchased online or at authorized retailers located near the trails.

Wildlife Management Areas and Natural Spaces

Beyond the trail system, visitors can enjoy several wildlife reserves including Panther Park Wildlife Management Area, Berwind Lake Wildlife Management Area, and the National Coal Heritage Area, a thirteen-county area designated as a coal heritage history area by Congress and listed with the National Park Service. Whether the interest is hunting, hiking, or fishing, these wildlife management areas offer multiple options for outdoor recreation. The majority of the county is forested and encompasses several state parks, scenic vistas, and wildlife.

For golfers, not far from Gary, Blackwolf Links offers terrific views and challenging play for golfers at every skill level. Linkous Park Pool in Welch is an outdoor swimming pool open to the public and county visitors.

The National Coal Heritage Trail and the Merci Boxcar

Welch holds significance as the site of several markers along the National Coal Heritage Trail. As part of the National Coal Heritage Trail, interpretive stops throughout the county educate visitors on miners and their conditions. The trail connects McDowell County to a thirteen-county corridor of coalfield history recognized at the federal level.

The Merci Boxcar, one of the county's distinctive historical objects, is a French railroad boxcar and one of several gifts of gratitude from France in response to relief efforts provided by the United States. It stands as a tangible reminder of how deeply this small Appalachian county was woven into the fabric of global history.

Coalwood and the "Rocket Boys" Connection

McDowell County is widely known as the setting of the number one New York Times bestselling memoir "Rocket Boys" by Homer Hickam, which inspired the beloved film "October Sky." The true story of the Coalwood boys and their journey into rocket science brought national attention to this small Appalachian community. This exploration of the West Virginia coalfields becomes even more meaningful for those who have read "Rocket Boys" or seen its adaptations: the story captures the spirit of the region, hope, ambition, and ingenuity rising from coal towns against all odds. The community of Coalwood sits within the county, and the memoir's legacy remains a point of pride for residents across McDowell.

Planning Your Visit

McDowell County is now known for its rugged mountain terrain and its ATV trail systems, which are open to ATVs, dirt bikes, selected utility vehicles, mountain bikes, horses, and hikers. Ashland Resort, with RV sites, cozy cabins, cottages, and tent sites, sits amid 1,600 acres of mountain scenery and is the largest campground in the Hatfield-McCoy Trail System; ATVs can be rented there. The historic Elkhorn Inn, a restored 1922 miner's clubhouse, offers train-view guest rooms near the trout-filled Elkhorn Creek, an on-site café, gift shop, and restored theatre.

A few practical tips for making the most of the county:

• A valid permit is required to ride the Hatfield-McCoy Trails; purchase in advance online to save time at the trailhead.
• The Kimball War Memorial is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and by appointment.
• Complimentary parking at the Welch Parking Garage is available on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.
• Coal sculptures are a popular local souvenir, reflecting the county's identity as the heart of West Virginia's coal-mining territory.

Located in the southernmost part of the West Virginia coalfields, the county quickly gained national recognition for its coal production, setting industry records and playing a vital role in the state's economy. That era shaped everything visible here today: the memorial in Kimball, the murals in Welch, the trail systems threading through Gary and War, and the stories passed down in every holler. McDowell County's past is not tucked away in archives; it is laid out across the land, waiting to be explored firsthand.