Welch (West Virginia)

• History in Our Mountains Museum and Gift Shop

  address: 8 Wyoming Street
  Features a 25-minute film on the coal industry, coalfield memorabilia, and information on a self-guided tour of the county.

• McDowell County Courthouse

  phone: +1 304-436-8544
  address: 90 Wyoming St
  An imposing Romanesque Revival style stone building atop a hillside overlooking downtown. The courtyard steps were infamously the site of the murders of Edward Chambers and Sid Hatfield, who was the sheriff of nearby Matewan and an outspoken union organizer, by agents of the coal company.
• Many abandoned tipples, which were used to transport coal and slate to dump sites, can be seen throughout the county.
• The interestingly-named town of War, a mining community on WV-16. Homer Hickam's 1960 science fair award is on display in Big Creek High School, which will be preserved as a museum when the school is closed in 2008.

• Marquee Cinemas

  phone: +1 304-436-2236
  address: 60 McDowell Street
  3 screens.

• McArts AmphitheatreAnnual performances in July and August of "Terror of the Tug", a dramatization of the Baldwin-Felts coal company murders outside the Welch courthouse in 1921.

• Berwind Lake Wildlife Area

  phone: +1 304-875-2577
  address: WV-16 near Warriormine
  18,000 acres of rugged mountain terrain and 20-acre lake, with picnic areas, swimming pool, hiking trails, hunting and fishing. 8 camping sites.

• Panther State ForestSouth of Panther. Swimming, picnicking, hiking, hunting and fishing. 6 rustic camping sites. Camping $13.

Events

• Autumn Harvest Festival. Live entertainment, fairground rides, food booths.
• October Sky Festival, in Coalwood. Held annually in early October. Book signings by Homer Hickam and the Rocket Boys, representatives from NASA and Space Camp USA, rocket shootings, parade, speeches, live entertainment, food and souvenir booths.

• If you want a local souvenir, the Coalwood Community United Methodist Church has published a cookbook entitled Cooking the Coalwood Way with favorite regional recipes.
• As McDowell County is the heart of West Virginia's coal-mining territory, coal sculptures are also a popular local souvenir.

• Betty & Lois' Diner, US-52 in Roderfield, +1 304-436-3650.
• Friendly Mart Diner, in Panther, +1 304-938-3031. Try the slaw-topped hot dogs and french fries.
• Hemlock Restaurant, route 83 in Raysal, +1 304-967-5982.
• Iaeger Dairy Bar, US-52 in Iaeger, +1 304-938-5774.
• Lynne's Pizza & Diner, Main Street in Iaeger, +1 304-938-3440. Homemade pizza and dinners.

• Raymond's Restaurant

  address: 24 McDowell Street

• Sterling Drive Inn

  address: 788 Stewart Street
  Try their famous submarines with deep-fried buns.

• The Loft

  address: 8 Wyoming Street

• Ya'Sou Deli

  address: 138 Main Street
  In Kimball. Open 8 am to 6 pm Monday through Friday, and 8 am to 5 pm on Saturday; closed Sundays. Breakfasts, subs, sandwiches and Greek dishes.

Motels

• Big Four Motel, in Big Four, 304-585-7313.
• Count Gilu Motel, Vocational School Road, 304-436-3041.

• Pocahontas Motel

  phone: +1 304-436-2250

Bed and Breakfasts

• Elkhorn Inn

  phone: +1 304-862-2031
  address: US-52 in Landgraff
  13 rooms. A restored 1922 miner's clubhouse with train-view guest rooms near the trout-filled Elkhorn Creek. On-site cafe, gift shop and restored theatre.

Campgrounds

• Ashland KOA and ATV Resort

  phone: +1 304-862-2322
  address: WV-17 (Northfork-Ashland Road)
  2,500 acres of private hardwood forest with cabins, cottages, RV and tent sites. Camp store, bathhouse with showers and hot water, pay laundromat, covered kitchen, wireless internet access, playground and horseshoe pits. ATV trails nearby.

• Bluefield is about 1 hour southeast on US-52.
• Williamson is a little over 1.5 hours northwest on US-52.