McDowell County Beyond the Stats

Prior to working fulltime with YouthWorks, I had lived in West Virginia for about eight months, including spending a summer in Logan as a Kids Club Coordinator. It’s strange that a city kid from Ohio would fall in love with a state as rural as West Virginia, but the presence of God is palpable in those hills, and is made evident through his people.

Joining the fulltime team, I was ecstatic to be given the opportunity to return to those mountains several times a year to visit and build relationships. I knew Logan well, and was familiar with neighboring Mingo County. I had never been to McDowell County, though.

In many ways Southern West Virginia is the backbone of the state; they’re known as the coalfields and were the seats of power at the height of the coal industry. But as the strength of the coal industry waned, so too did the counties. And since McDowell was once the heart of the coalfields, it’s felt the decline more than anyone. Because of the economic loss and social issues, many of the surrounding counties look down on McDowell to this day.

And so last fall, having heard mixed opinions about the place, I went to McDowell County – forsaking cell phone service and major highways. If you Google the county, you’ll read all the stats about poverty and population decline, but everyone I know who had interacted with the people couldn’t say more positive things.

I had a very full day in McDowell the first time around. I had exactly three “meetings.” The county might not be known for its timeliness, but it’s certainly known for its heart. The folks there could fill in gaps that headlines failed to report. They saw the beauty of the mountains that their homes nestled into. They found community in the deep isolation of the mountains. They’ve learned to care for each other and lean on one another when others overlook them. And they’ve held onto their pride despite what others say about them.

I learned from Marsha Timpson, a service partner and hosts of an evening activity, that McDowell County is home – even to those who leave, they’ll always have roots in McDowell. She talked beautifully about her home, and succinctly explained that “Your heart is in the holler you were born in.” No statistic or headline could ever take that away from her, and they certainly don’t make her love it any less.

Below is a clip from the Hollow Documentary, an interactive documentary about McDowell County West Virginia, featuring Marsha. She helps explain both a few issues in McDowell as well as her heart for her home.

There is so much more to say about what a beautiful county McDowell is, or how wonderful the people are. If you are interested in hearing more, you can view the Hollow Documentary online for free and see  what residents have to say about their home.

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Trevor brings three summers of site staff experience into his role as Area Director. Having been interested in Youth Ministry since high school, Trevor developed a passion for working in communities during college. His role as Area Director is a perfect intersection of these two passions. Beyond the work he does for YouthWorks, Trevor can be found in a coffee shop, thrift shopping or becoming a world-famous blogger.