Welch

Welch is a town in McDowell County, West Virginia, spreading at the confluence of Elkhorn Creek and Tug Fork amid forested mountains at 403 meters elevation. The historic courthouse district with its early 20th-century brick building forms the center of the settlement and stands listed on the national heritage register.

The settlement experienced its rise after the arrival of the Norfolk and Western Railway in 1891, which enabled coal transport from the Pocahontas field. Mining shaped life and economy of the community for decades until the decline of the coal industry began.

The town carries the first memorial building for World War I veterans on American soil, erected in 1923. This commemoration site still shows the deep connection the community holds with its fallen soldiers from that time.

The courthouse district in the town center offers a look into the architectural past and can be explored on foot. The mountainous location requires attention when walking, as some streets rise or drop steeply.

In 1961, a family here received the first federally issued food stamps as part of a program by the Kennedy administration. This action made the town the starting point of a nationwide welfare initiative that would reach millions of households.

Location: McDowell County

Inception: 1893

Elevation above the sea: 403 m

Website: http://local.wv.gov/welch

GPS coordinates: 37.43722,-81.57889

Latest update: December 13, 2025 16:16