McDowell County, West Virginia, 1938
In September 1938 the photographer Marion Post Wolcott photographed Welch, Capels, Mohegan and Twin Branch in McDowell County, West Virginia, for the Farm Security Administration. These are 12 of those negatives, with the captions she wrote for them.
The negatives are federal works. They are in the public domain, they are held by the Prints and Photographs Division of the Library of Congress, and anyone may reproduce them. Each caption below is hers, transcribed in full — including the parts a video has no room for.
Her captions for West Virginia name the town, not the county. The county given here was resolved against the United States Geological Survey's Geographic Names Information System, Domestic Names file for West Virginia.
Wife and two children of unemployed mine worker. She has TB and syphilis. They are one of five families living in old abandoned company store in abandoned mining community of Marine, West Virginia
Marion Post Wolcott, Farm Security Administration, September 1938. Library of Congress record.
Miner and wife going home with provisions bought at company store on payday. Capels, West Virginia
Marion Post Wolcott, Farm Security Administration, September 1938. Library of Congress record.
Mother, wife and child of unemployed coal miner, Marine, West Virginia
Marion Post Wolcott, Farm Security Administration, September 1938. Library of Congress record.
Coal miners waiting along road for bus to take them home. In Welch, Bluefield section, West Virginia
Marion Post Wolcott, Farm Security Administration, September 1938. Library of Congress record.
Miner waiting for ride home. Each miner pays twenty-five cents a week to owner of car. Capels, West Virginia
Marion Post Wolcott, Farm Security Administration, September 1938. Library of Congress record.
Wife of unemployed coal miner, suffering from T.B., living in old company store. Abandoned mining town of Marine, West Virginia. (See 50110-D)J
Marion Post Wolcott, Farm Security Administration, September 1938. Library of Congress record.
Family of man dying of T.B. gather around on front porch. Abandoned mining town, Marine, West Virginia
Marion Post Wolcott, Farm Security Administration, September 1938. Library of Congress record.
Carrying water to one of the houses in abandoned mining community, Marine, West Virginia
Marion Post Wolcott, Farm Security Administration, September 1938. Library of Congress record.
Coal miner's wife and child, Mohegan, West Virginia
Marion Post Wolcott, Farm Security Administration, September 1938. Library of Congress record.
Coal miner waiting for lift home. Caples, West Virginia
Marion Post Wolcott, Farm Security Administration, September 1938. Library of Congress record.
Coal miner's wife bringing groceries from company store, Caples, West Virginia
Marion Post Wolcott, Farm Security Administration, September 1938. Library of Congress record.
Child in miners boarding house. Mohegan, West Virginia
Marion Post Wolcott, Farm Security Administration, September 1938. Library of Congress record.