West Virginia | Forgotten Rural Areas

I took a drive through some of the forgotten areas in and around Beckley/Raleigh, West Virginia to see how bad things really are. Raleigh is 1.5 miles south east of downtown Beckley and is an unincorporated coal town. The Raleigh Coal and Coke Company was the primary mining company in this area. After the decline of the coal industry this town all but folded up and is what you see today, a grim reminder of the past.
As I check out some other parts of Beckley, there's a fair bit of dilapidation and rough areas. Crime is almost twice the national average, and continuing to get worse each year. Good paying jobs are hard to come by, its no surprise the population has been on decline. Not all is bad though, I think there are many decent areas and its certainly building up compared to years ago, so there's hope it'll turn around for the better. Let's take a drive and check it out!

[@Thomas-cx6cb]

... and to think that all these abandoned houses were once inhabited. People, families lived there, it´s heartbreaking.

[@teddibayer]

Funny how these homes are rundown, deteriorating, and collapsing, but there are decent newer cars parked in front or along side them.

[@smorgasbroad1132]

I saw 3 three healthy trees in full leaf. Looks like all the others died from sorrow.😞

[@michaelwhite2823]

When you see nice, late model cars - even an ESCALADE - in front of shacks how can you not laugh?

[@nicolejennings2958]

I said to myself well at least it's nice vehicles

[@s5adventures]

So sad to see all the abandoned houses. Great video as always

[@lindapietrasz8070]

If I lived in any one of these towns or cities that you show, I would stay in bed all day and not go outside and keep the blinds down because it's so depressing just to see what's outside.

[@michaelwhite2823]

You'd leave for another city

[@brandonhajdin9777]

West Virginia’s one of the poorest states, and it’s also very beautiful in some parts, I really enjoyed living there.

[@williebeamish5879]

@@brandonhajdin9777 It really is a beautiful state. Shame what's been done to it.

[@robertb5465]

Not that bad there. Start a community outreach program.

[@imaniharrison6665]

I’m with you,only I wouldn’t stay in bed …I would move 😮,too depressing 😢

[@ConeysIsland652]

Excellent drive today. Thank you. I wood love to see a drive around Wiley Ford West Virginia (also un-incorporated.) , the airport, and Cumberland Md. I havent been home in a decade plus .Our family farm , after Immanent domain, become the airtport and the highway runs right through the living room of our home. They took the land. They will never get the good and golden memories. You stay safe out there and enjoy this lovely spring.

[@danclark1348]

John Denvers song comes to mind

[@tooge47]

our modest home on the very rear of 38 heavily wooded acres isn't fancy, but we take GREAT pride in maintaining both the home and the land. The woods are so well-cleaned, you can SEE through it, mow grass between all the trees ! Deer, turkey and eastern diamondbacks come from all OVER the county to gaze in awe !!

[@williebeamish5879]

Don't get old.

[@thomasfields2082]

Beautiful old homes. What a great retirement project to get one and restore it.

[@HackHunter1835]

@11:39 The swing set in the middle of nothing. Watching your videos make me feel so fortunate that I was able to leave the valley at 20 years old. I return to visit but the feeling i get when i travel back home to the big city is that of relief. Well done HnH.

[@MrScotia]

I was half expecting Leatherface from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre to emerge from some of the scrap wood, cough, houses.

[@rosiemcnaughton9933]

Along with depressing, the word DISMAL comes to mind. I hope all of those people found a better place to live. Very interesting video. The country is beautiful.

[@bridgetmuehlberger5141]

Wow. I can only imagine the stories those large buildings by the first railroad crossing could tell, and the stories of the people who worked there. I also find the juxtaposition of a row of dilapidated, crumbling homes, next to a house that is clearly inhabited, fascinating.

[@22vx]

Thoroughly pitiful - thanks for sharing 👍

[@johnmurphy5466]

BECKLEY was know for the best coal. It was call the smokeless coal capital..I used to drive semi truck loads of coal from Berkeley to a local train station to ship to power plants in a 500 miles area. Then my company would pickup the coal when it arrived at the other train yard. Then we take it to the local power plants. I lost my job with my other trucker friends. 300 of us. And the coal miner also lost thier jobs also.4000 men. A very sad ending to a wonderful town...

[@jakejake708]

I used to live near Beckley. No money much but most ppl are super friendly

[@sr633]

1960's was so long ago. I drove away from my school on the out back roods of WVA. God bless those folks.. I love West Virginia.

[@thejudgmentalcat]

Probably the saddest thing was the closed school 😢

[@hookedoutfitters4153]

My kind of place to live. Nobody else is there

[@williebeamish5879]

Your videos are very well made. Love your camera work. Smooth! Great job and interesting places. I've lived in a poor rural area, so I can really relate to this dystopian landscape our country is turning it's back on, both rural and urban.

[@hoodsnhollers]

Thank you so much for watching Willie!

[@joewolfe2796]

I remember more people bucket out of West Virginia no work when they close the coal mines out

[@brooksamillion7969]

Many of these communities have been devastated by flood…some many years ago and some more recently. Most of these roads follow creeks and rivers along drop hollers. The roads become rivers in heavy rain and storm events. Over many years more and more homes and stores are abandoned and left behind. And many left homes behind when the coal mines closed. A double whammy. 😢

[@mr.gorbachev1985]

please do more of west Virginia its my second favorite state

[@blueamenaa749]

Its so sad. Its devastating to watch this😢 . I live in France, i really want to explore this part of the us. Thank you for sharing.

[@michaelwhite2823]

I hope you don't think the USA looks like this. Only the rust belt.

[@leeblankenship4838]

A lot of the U.S. in every state looks like this in parts.

[@bakednotfried1184]

I lived in Beckley for about 10 years. Mostly good people in WV.

[@virginiawilliams8648]

I grew up in Clay County WV and joined The Marine Corps in 1986 ..went to the MEPS in Beckly to do all the entrance testing and was sworn in there❤

[@alakablam7901]

Thankyou for all your hard work bringing this to us. I’ve always dreamed of doing a backwoods tour of America, but don’t know if I’ll ever get to do it. Happy trails from Australia🇦🇺

[@hoodsnhollers]

Thanks so much for watching

[@mikecopley424]

This is so cool thank you. I grew up in Delbarton WV I remember traveling them roads with my mom and visiting family and friends. So much has changed but yet looks the same it's wild. Thank you God bless.

[@hoodsnhollers]

thanks for watching mike!

[@wandajones5479]

The sky is so blue in part of this video.

[@sknowman1424]

Much of this looks just like the hollow where I grew up in Logan County WV. They are mirror images of each other.

[@zombieluka]

I would love to see you do a video on Wheeling, WV if you ever feel like it!

[@hoodsnhollers]

I did one I just need to get time to edit it but it’ll be up soon!

[@kathyscoppettuolo7168]

Most run down homes have vehicles parked outside that are worth nearly what the house is worth.

[@josephinemiller4780]

Have you been to Odd WV where the Whittakers live? But I moved out of West Virginia when I did. Although I lived in the panhandle and it wasn’t bad like this up there. It’s the winters I can’t deal with. I’m in central Texas now and I love it here.

[@lindapietrasz8070]

Thanks! Hope you have a good weekend!

[@hoodsnhollers]

Thanks so much Linda! Hope you have a better weekend!

[@lisabunnie22960]

My heart aches. 😢

[@darknessislight3689]

Happier times are now sad reality of things lost 💔

[@leeblankenship4838]

It’s looks better than downtown L.A.. or Seattle, at least these folks have running water.

[@JoseAlves-nv9fm]

It looks like a horror movie set. Here you don't live but vegetate. If during the day this is what you see at night, it is frightening. There is nothing here, i.e. shopping center, restaurants, bars, hotels and public transport. Not everything in the US is pure and dreamy and glamorous.

[@marylapoma9221]

❤️ your videos, I have a question.... how come some have expensive cars/ trucks and their homes are in shambles? Anyone?

[@johnmartin7182]

As always awesome content thanks for your time to do this video big fan of your channel wow what decaying area

[@whatta7793]

You should go ride around Pike Co KY and Mingo WV for a few days and see what you manage to find.

[@michaeljeffery7466]

That bad huh?

[@bookmagicroe9553]

So much poverty. Nice to see the newer duplexes, but even they are very stark and uninviting.

[@knifeswitch5973]

Pretty wild seeing that RC&CCo building. I live in an old mining town on the Iron Range. Not much holding them together anymore.

[@e.3251]

WV is so beautiful!!

[@1940limited]

These areas make Detroit look good.

[@danclark1348]

Only twice in west Virginia, 1978, and seen this traveling through. Still is by seeing this video.

[@larrytucker222]

I grew up near Huntington. Lived in Fairmont and Bluefield. Worked for both strip mine and underground equipment suppliers. WV is a state I love to visit.

[@gabe5946]

Hard to believe this is the U S!

[@TheBadasspony]

….no one outside😮

[@housemousell]

Love your videos!!!!

[@hoodsnhollers]

Thank you so much for watching!

[@gabrielpaulsmom]

Looks like a good opportunity to set up a homestead.

[@cathydwyer-hill603]

Hello from Halifax Canada

[@alloutoftime]

If I lived here, I'd go INSANE.

[@debbiephilbrick2628]

I lived in Jewell Valley back in the day when the house's were nice,clean,and Friends stopped by.So Sad it's a ghost town now. Wish it was built back up❤❤❤❤❤❤❤I ❤❤❤❤

[@mrsvickigriffin]

How many smurfs had to die to paint that house so blue???!!!

[@SpettroFamily]

so good !

[@sjrahal]

i would love to see one for Beckley, WV. if you already made one, please lmk. if not, if you would make one whenever you have time, that would be amazing!!!! absolutely no rush at all! take your time and be careful driving around these places. you never know what you’ll run into. love your videos!💗💗💗💗💗

[@hoodsnhollers]

A lot of this one here is actually in Beckley and surrounding. I will do a full Beckley one very soon on the channel!

[@sjrahal]

@@hoodsnhollers thank you so much!!!!

[@henrytroll3439]

OMG. How depressing

[@n7kme]

I would love to dive into the history of those areas. My great grandparents were scotch/Irish from the mountains of WV

[@dogbark8388]

Nice looking church van . Only God can fix this place . Snake handlers need not apply tho

[@thedragonchaser]

Some of these houses are only unlivable for me because I can't drive

[@iramaiasilva5668]

Credo! De dia já é um lugar horrível, imagina à noite?

[@JoaoBatista-fy1hm]

eu gosto muito desse tipo de paisagem desses lugares. min facina.EUA é um pais monstruoso em tudo. arquitetura e muito sobrio

[@angeladawson8424]

What a depressing looking towns.

[@doulasc]

so sad

[@genericeric0102]

Everybody moved from the rural areas to the cities and I've been Morgantown WV and it's much more convenient place to live.

[@zomalarchambault1429]

Not everybody left these areas. Just most of the younger generations for the last 30 to 40 years...

[@markstrouse3101]

Great great video as always

[@frankwoods4532]

This is so sad. Where are the people?

[@sandriagutierrez2605]

This is so sad to see. I was told the people are the friendliest, and warmest around.

[@ronniemccabe3165]

Them are The olde coalmine towns of West ✔️

[@floridaboy1131]

Wonder how much they pay a month. I pay $1925 for a 1bed/bath apartment 3rd floor in central Florida with no view before any utilities. Love the hills there

[@hoodsnhollers]

Ive seen rent as little as 350 a month in WV. 2 bed/1bath

[@leggiemeggie5837]

We’re were paying $3000+ for a small 3 bedroom in Ca. We bought 71 beautiful acres in Central West Virginia with 2 homes and numerous outbuildings and pay about 1400 a month for our mortgage…With free natural gas. Best decision we ever made.. the people out here are so generous and kind as well.

[@user-hx6ef9bt2m]

Could you tell me WHY are abandoned all these houses 😢😢😢

[@ClaraBBrown]

This is so sad to see that my home state have areas like this w0w,maybe along time ago was different wen the coal mining was thriving.

[@zuleikagomes5918]

🏠🏚️❤️👍👍🇧🇷🇧🇷

[@lestermcgee9538]

makes my heart hurt

[@mikeparsons8787]

Is this anywhere near New Martinsville?

[@patkcorcoran]

Where is everyone, or anyone?

[@charleshoang566]

Or stray dogs.

[@trackandtrail6874]

What a shame.What's the location of the coaling tower in the background at 0:20? Anyone have an idea?

[@rdbjrseattle]

Where is that Post Office at 7:25?

[@bretttalbott7892]

Don’t forget these pictures are from abandoned coal and timberlands. Mostly owned by out of staters. I know. I live in WV

[@victorialynough8863]

You never see anyone...so strange...not one soul. No social interaction at all.

[@largelarry2126]

Only town that I have ever seen the the apartments are nicer than the homes.

[@whome9111]

That's a nice well kept area... 🤔

[@hortenseplaceg9740]

I love it! I don’t like too many people.

[@tonirodriquez706]

You'd have a long ride to the store and what not

[@Blufferb00r]

Half of thesr houses looks like trailers the other half like a 19th cent. cottage house, are folks there dont get cold in winter? W Virginia is close to canadian border right?

[@jensen9196]

Forgotten town

[@laretdenton9768]

A big part of this I think is politics

[@sharonzulick5715]

Where at in WV. What town.

[@ericlancaster7975]

The hills have eyes

[@1940limited]

I wonder what kind of crimes are committed here? There's nothing to steal and hardly a soul around.

[@r.pres.4121]

At the rate West Virginia is going it could surpass Mississippi and become the poorest state in the country.

[@steveholmshaw8702]

Its like Belarus or moldova. Crazy that this is a town in the 1st or 2nd largest economies in the world.

[@davidjanson7982]

Where in WV ?

[@mk6022]

Cars more expensive than the house itself. Does it make sense to you?

[@sharonzulick5715]

Where are u filming ,where u. WV

[@Skateandcreate9]

That place is heaven compared to these inner cities areas

[@charleshoang566]

Like a scene in Stephen king movie.

[@ncavlleguy]

DEPRESSING

[@rickrose5377]

"A devastating tornado tore through the area and did nearly twelve dollars worth of damage."