Mcdowell County Pins and Buttons

McDowell County courthouse in Welch WV. Famed labor leader Sid Hatfield was shot and killed on the steps during the coal wars.

Closed historic Pharmacy,War,WV

The McDowell County Courthouse is a historic courthouse in Welch, West Virginia. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 29, 1979.The courthouse was built in two phases. The first part was built in 1893 in the Romanesque Revival style. It was the earliest independent work of architect Frank P. Milburn, then practicing in Kenova. Milburn would go on to be prolific designer of courthouses in the southern states. He reported that the original brick design had been built in stone, and that the jail had been turned around, but stated that "the contractors had done a good job of which they could justly be proud."Due to space constraints, the county decided to build an addition in 1908. W. E. & E. L. Shufflebarger of...

Windows in an abandoned classroom,Gary WV middle school

Coal hopper by the boiler in the basement of the abandoned Northfork WV High School

I was randomly shooting the border mountains between Tazewell County Virginia and McDowell County WV when I stopped to see if I could get a shot of the ridge in the distance. In the process I made a new friend.

Mountain Top Removal site near Cucumber WV,I couldn't think of another name for this piece that summed it up so well.

Clock inside the abandoned Elkhorn Elementary School, Elkhorn WV, McDowell County WV

Stairway to either the second floor or the basement in the abandoned Coalwood School,Coalwood WV

View from the top of the steps looking out where the front doors were in the abandoned Coalwood school,home of the Rocket Boys from the movie October Sky,based on a real story,that happened,here.

Trees grow inside the abandoned Coalwood School,viewed from outside,though the difference is negligible now.

The old post office in Iaeger WV,which was taken over by Sunamco and now looks abandoned by them.

Steps down to the basement of the abandoned Keystone School

Most unexpected of finds in an abandoned coal processing plant near Six WV. It just looked like someone carefully set them down,and then just never came back

A former church school in Gary WV, it was converted to apartments for local miners,and then abandoned.

Abandoned coal tipple near Cucumber WV, McDowell County WV

Third floor classroom in the abandoned school in Keystone WV

Third floor in the abandoned Keystone School, it was last used at all after it closed as a backdrop for scene in the Richard Gere,Edward Norton film Primal Fear,and then finally abandoned again forever. It is VERY hairy to get up there to the third floor,but I love this shot,so,worth it.

Abandoned cafeteria, Gary Middle School Gary WV, McDowell County WV

Graffiti in the upper floor of the abandoned Vivian coal company store,Peerless Coke Company,it was built in 1912

Steps inside the remains of Coalwood High School,home of the Rocket Boys from the book,and the movie October Sky

Hidden plinths in the woods behind the coal wash office building in Jenkinjones WV

Basement in the abandoned company store in Vivian WV

Inside the abandoned coal company story Vivian WV. It was about 0 degrees that day, I had to stop shooting when both batteries I had with me lost juice because of the cold.

The remains of the boiler room in the abandoned Coalwwood school

Abandoned class room, Iaeger Middle School, Iaeger WV

Grave inside the Thorpe Cemetery miners graveyard

This is actually the 3rd floor of the abandoned Coalwood School. The lay off it,reminded me of some of the slightly less touristy Roman ruins.

Hallway and equipment in the abandoned Northfork Hospital, Northfork WV

Remains of a piano inside the abandoned Pageton church.

While nosing around an abandoned funeral home in Keystone WV, I nosed around at the garage in the back,classic 60s Chevy Impala,and this stretcher.

View upward in to the bell tower at the abandoned Connely's Chapel,Gary WV

Abandoned playground at the closed Pageton WV Elementary School

Abandoned Coal Tipple near Cucumber WV, McDowell County WV

Line treatment of a photograph of the crumbling filing cabinets in the upper floor of the abandoned company store,Vivian WV

Abandoned 1949 Fleetmaster Aerosedan in Gary WV