Essay: Marshall Essay: Wilt
ESSAY: MARSHALL WILT MCDOWELL COUNTY, WEST VIRGINIA: THE HISTORY, FLUCTUATING ECONOMY, AND HEALTH CRISIS Issue Overview Historically, McDowell County has fluctuated between being a beacon of light, wealth, and opportunity and being a dark blemish on the face of West Virginia. This region is rare and unique as its metamorphosis over the past 70 years is likely the most dramatic of any area of the United States. Once a prospering land of coal that led America in production, McDowell now leads the country in all the wrong ways, consistently finding itself near the top of the list of national rates of drug abuse, drug-related deaths, obesity, and suicide. History of McDowell County The southernmost county in West Virginia, McDowell County was created in 1858. Named after Virginia Governor James McDowell, McDowell County officially became a part of West Virginia in 1863, as several counties succeeded from Virginia during the Civil War. The seat of McDowell County is Welch, a quaint region commonly referred to as a ‘city built on coal.’ McDowell County is located “deep in the heart of the Pocahontas Coalfields” and is “often referred to as the ‘Free State’ because of the independent nature of [its] citizens” (“McDowell County Commission History”). Today, the population of McDowell is 18,661, a figure which continues to fall steadily year after year. There are many factors at play in the disappearance of McDowell’s population such as its declining economy, poor living conditions, and lack of health care availability. The Economy’s Rise Word of rich coalfields in Welch spread quickly throughout the surrounding area during the 1800s, leading many hopefully members of the coal industry to flock to the Pocahontas Coalfields. The boom of the coal industry brought wealth and prosperity to the region and made McDowell the most prosperous county in West Virginia. For several decades, McDowell County was “the world’s largest coal producer” and almost single-handedly “fueled the steel industry, which made the weapons of war and the ships that helped win both world wars” (“McDowell County Commission History”). To this day, McDowell’s coal “continues to fuel the power plants that produce the electric energy that [the United States] demands” (“McDowell County Commission History”). In the 1950s, the coal industry was continuing to give life to McDowell County, making Welch a bustling town flooded with eager workers. Today, the pride of coal miners in this area is apparent and can easily be seen in conversations with locals. Robert Coleman, the owner of a small home in Panther, West Virginia, whose walls were being repaired by our group, recounted with great pride the glory days of his hometown. During Coleman’s youth in the 1950s, Welch was a popular destination to visit the movie theater or dine at an exciting new restaurant. McDowell was a place to raise a family, start a new career in the mines, and enjoy the beautiful scenery of the surrounding Appalachian Mountains. It is because of the mass production of coal during this time that McDowell County has become “synonymous with the coal that helped build both
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