Three men and laughing two women walking side by side - walking group history routes

On foot · County in West Virginia

Walking Group History Routes in McDowell County, WV

Weekly routes for walking groups, a different set of historic stops each time, at a pace everyone can hold.

McDowell County is one of 55 counties in West Virginia. Groups in McDowell County, WV that meet every month are always looking for an outing worth the drive. Local history is the one that never runs out.

Four people walking - walking group history routes — Photo: sk on Unsplash

People walking on dirt road between trees during daytime - walking group history routes — Photo: Kitera Dent on Unsplash

Two women and man walking in the street during daytime - walking group history routes — Photo: Philippe Leone 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.

Walking Group Routes in McDowell County, step by step

1
Choose a starting point you can park at or walk to
2
Load the loop and check the distance between stops
3
Walk it at an easy pace and read each story on arrival
4
Photograph anything that differs from the record
5
Log the walk and let the map suggest the next loop

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.

Can our group in McDowell County, WV build its own route?

Yes. Pick the listed sites that fit your theme, add your own notes for each stop, and share the route with members or the public.

Do members need to download anything?

The map runs in a phone browser, so members can open a link and go. The app keeps track of badges for anyone who signs in.

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.