Coalwood Rocket Memorial
Location: Frog Level Rd, Coalwood, WV
What enters your mind when you first hear the word Coalwood?
For many born and raised in McDowell County, Coalwood brings to mind the community situated between Welch and Caretta along Route 16. We picture the coal camp houses, the machine shop, the company apartments, and the Methodist church — not only in our mind’s eye, but still in existence today.
For those unfamiliar with McDowell County, but familiar with Coalwood, a different image often comes to mind. The film October Sky and the memoir Rocket Boys are usually the first associations.
Coalwood lies within the National Coal Heritage Area and, like many McDowell County communities, was shaped by coal mining through the Olga Coal Company. Coal mining has deep roots in McDowell County and in its people.
However, the Rocket Boys made a decision to travel a different road than the one that led deep into the earth. They chose a path less traveled — one that led to the stars.
In 1957, the Rocket Boys launched the first of many rockets from what is now known as Cape Coalwood. Although they experienced many failures, they also achieved success — launches that ultimately helped shape paths far beyond the coalfields.
After the publication of Rocket Boys and the release of the film October Sky, Coalwood became more than a coal mining community in McDowell County, West Virginia. It became a place where many realized that through hard work and innovation, reaching for the stars was possible — regardless of background, resources, or location.