A woman with hair in a ponytail looking out a car window - historic sites you can see from the car

By car · County in West Virginia

Historic Sites You Can See from the Car in McDowell County, WV

Listed sites near you that can be read and seen from the roadside or a short level walk, for visitors who cannot manage long distances on foot.

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Photo: Ahmet Yüksek ✪ on Unsplash

McDowell County is one of 55 counties in West Virginia. Most people in McDowell County, WV could name one or two historic sites nearby. The records usually list more than that, and the closest ones are below with the distance to each.

A horse carriage with people in it - historic sites you can see from the car — Photo: Diane Picchiottino on Unsplash

A woman in a wheel chair at the edge of a cliff - historic sites you can see from the car — Photo: Romain Virtuel on Unsplash

Woman riding wheelchair near trees - historic sites you can see from the car — Photo: Zachary Kyra-Derksen on Unsplash

On the record near McDowell County, WV

The 12 nearest

38 listed historic sites on the record within 30 miles of McDowell County, WV. 17 listed sites carry McDowell County as their county.

Carter Coal Company Storeunder a mile from the center of McDowell County · Building · Coalwood · listed 1992National Register of Historic Places
Carter Coal Company Store4.0 miles from the center of McDowell County · Building · Caretta · listed 1992National Register of Historic Places
McDowell County Courthouse5.0 miles from the center of McDowell County · Building · Welch · listed 1979National Register of Historic Places
U.S. Coal and Coke Company6.7 miles from the center of McDowell County · Building · Ream · listed 1992National Register of Historic Places
Houston Coal Company Store8.7 miles from the center of McDowell County · Building · Kimball · listed 1992National Register of Historic Places
World War Memorial8.7 miles from the center of McDowell County · Site · Kimball · listed 1993National Register of Historic Places
Henrietta Dismukes Hospital Nurses Home8.8 miles from the center of McDowell County · Building · Kimball · listed 2026National Register of Historic Places
Peerless Coal Company Store9.4 miles from the center of McDowell County · Building · Vivian · listed 1992National Register of Historic Places
Empire Coal Company Store10 miles from the center of McDowell County · Building · Landgraff · listed 1992National Register of Historic Places
Page Coal and Coke Company Store11 miles from the center of McDowell County · Building · Pageton · listed 1992National Register of Historic Places
Hindman Ben Franklin11 miles from the center of McDowell County · Building · Hindman · listed 2007National Register of Historic Places
Algoma Coal and Coke Company Store13 miles from the center of McDowell County · Building · Algoma · listed 1992National Register of Historic Places

Distances are straight-line from the center of McDowell County, WV. Many sites are private property or working buildings - view them from the public way. See them on the map.

Drive-Up Historic Sites in McDowell County, step by step

1
Set the loop so you never double back
2
Check pull-offs and parking at each stop
3
Read the record for each stop before you arrive
4
Pull over safely, step out, and see it in person
5
Collect the stops and save the loop for another season

What people in McDowell County, WV ask first

How much does it cost to visit these sites in McDowell County, WV?

Most listed sites can be seen from a public road or sidewalk at no cost, and the app is free to use. Some sites are private homes, working churches or museums with their own hours and fees. The record for each one says what it is, so you know before you go.

Where does the information on these sites come from?

From published records: the National Register of Historic Places, the Recorded Texas Historic Landmark program, and the Georgia Historical Society and Georgia Department of Natural Resources marker program. Every site on the page names its source.

How close does a site have to be to show up here?

The list is sorted by straight-line distance from the center of McDowell County, WV and covers sites out to about sixty miles. Most people find several within a short drive, and in older towns a few within walking distance.

Can I visit the sites that are private homes?

You can see them from the street, which is how most listed houses are meant to be enjoyed. Please do not walk onto the property or knock unless the site is open to visitors.

How a visit works in McDowell County

Step 1
Find the place
Every stop starts as a pin with real coordinates. In McDowell County, WV the map shows what is listed around you and how far each one is, so the first decision is where to go, and it takes a few seconds.
Step 2
Read the story
The record behind each marker is kept whole: what happened there, when, who was involved, and why it was worth a sign. You read it standing where it happened, which is the part a textbook cannot give you.
Step 3
Get there under your own power
Walk it, run it, hike it, ride it or drive it. Stops in McDowell County, WV are chained into routes that fit the way you move, so a lunch break, a long run or a Saturday drive can all pass through history.
Step 4
Collect it and come back
Each stop you reach counts toward a badge, and a photo or a correction you send makes the record better for the next person. The map remembers where you have been, so the next trip starts where the last one ended.