McDowell County
McDowell County is located at the southern tip of West Virginia alongside Mercer County. The population in 2010 was 22,113 and the county seat is Welch. Coal has been the major industry for over 100 years, and the town of Coalwood was made famous in the movie October Sky.
Major cities in McDowell County include Welch, Gary, and War.
https://www.wvencyclopedia.org/articles/1631
GOOGLE EARTH MAP OF ALL MARKERS – McDOWELL COUNTY

BARTLEY MINE DISASTER
LOCATION: RT 83, APPX 1/4 MILE WEST OF BARTLEY AT CR 83/1 (BARTLEY BRIDGE ROAD)
NOTE: UMW MONUMENT NEARBY AT METHODIST CHURCH
GPS:
37* 20′ 31″ N, 81* 44′ 20″ W
37.341952 N, 81.739013 W
eWV ENCYCLOPEDIA – BARTLEY MINE DISASTER
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BUSHWHACKERS IN McDOWELL
LOCATION: JUNCTION OF RT 52 / RT 16 AND RT 103, APPX 1 MILE SOUTH OF WELCH AT ROADSIDE MEMORIAL PARK
GPS:
37* 25′ 06″ N, 81* 35′ 24″ W
37.418337 N, 81.590093 W
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CARSWELL MINING COMPLEX
LOCATION: RT 52, CARSWELL, APPX 6 MILES EAST OF WELCH AT THE HOUSTON COAL COMPANY STORE AND MUSEUM. MARKER IS LOCATED APPX 200 FEET FROM HIGHWAY BY MUSEUM PARKING LOT ENTRANCE
GPS:
37* 25′ 48″ N, 81* 30′ 31″ W
37.430143 N, 81.508635 W
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ELIZABETH SIMPSON DREWRY
LOCATION: RT 52, NORTHFORK, APPX 12 MILES EAST OF WELCH, AT SMALL BRIDGE ACROSS ELKHORN CREEK (SIDE-STREET)
GPS:
37* 24′ 58″ N, 81* 26′ 10″ W
37.416165 N, 81.436342 W
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LEWIS’ CAMP
LOCATION: RT 80, IAEGER, APPX 100 YARDS SOUTH OF JUNCITON WITH RT 52, EAST END OF FRONT STREET BRIDGE
GPS:
37* 27′ 51″ N, 81* 48′ 50″ W
37.464370 N, 81.814106 W
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McDOWELL COUNTY COURTHOUSE /
SID HATFIELD
LOCATION: WELCH, RT 16 (WYOMING STREET), COUNTY COURTHOUSE STEPS BY FRONT DOOR
GPS:
37* 25′ 57″ N, 81* 35′ 03 W
37.432541 N, 81.584346 W
NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES – COURTHOUSE
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McDOWELL IN THE CIVIL WAR
LOCATION: WELCH, RT 52 OVERLOOK ABOVE DOWNTOWN
GPS:
37* 25′ 47″ N, 81* 35′ 02″ W
37.429828 N, 81.583895 W
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WELCH
LOCATION: WELCH, RT 16 (WYOMING STREET), APPX 100 FEET TO THE RIGHT OF STEPS IN FRONT OF COUNTY COURTHOUSE
GPS:
37* 25′ 56″ N, 81* 35′ 04″ W
37.432352 N, 81.584460 W
NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES
NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES – PHOTOS
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WELCH EMERGENCY HOSPITAL
LOCATION: WELCH, RT 16, APPX 1/2 MILE NORTH OF COURTHOUSE, AT TURNOFF FOR CR 7 (McDOWELL STREET)
GPS:
37* 26′ 19″ N, 81* 35′ 21″ W
37.438681 N, 81.589212 W
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WORLD WAR I MEMORIAL
LOCATION: RT 52, KIMBALL, APPX 7 MILES EAST OF WELCH, APPX 3/4 MILE EAST OF HOUSTON COAL COMPANY STORE AND MUSEUM
GPS:
37* 25′ 30″ N, 81* 30′ 22″ W
37.425037 N, 81.506365 W
WIKIPEDIA – WWI MEMORIAL BUILDING
NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES
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McDOWELL COUNTY /
WEST VIRGINIA
LOCATION: RT 16 AT VIRGINIA STATE LINE, BISHOP, APPX 25 MILES SOUTH OF WELCH
** MISSING ?? **
GPS: (APPX)
37* 12′ 25″ N, 81* 33′ 41″ W
37.207139 N, 81.561507 W
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McDOWELL COUNTY /
MERCER COUNTY
LOCATION: RT 52, APPX 4 MILES NORTH OF BRAMWELL, APPX 20 MILES EAST OF WELCH, APPX 3/4 MILE WEST OF COALDALE
GPS:
37* 22′ 01″ N, 81* 20′ 42″ W
37.366992 N, 81.345233 W
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McDOWELL COUNTY /
WYOMING COUNTY
LOCATION: RT 16, APPX 3/10 MILE NORTH OF ENTRANCE TO FEDERAL CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION McDOWELL, APPX 6 MILES NORTH OF WELCH
GPS:
37* 29′ 13″ N, 81* 32′ 28″ W
37.487117 N, 81.541377 W
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McDOWELL COUNTY /
WYOMING COUNTY
LOCATION: RT 52 / RT 80, APPX 4 MILES NORTH OF IAEGER
GPS:
37* 30′ 33″ N, 81* 48′ 40″ W
37.509323 N, 81.811122 W
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