Winona

West Virginia's ghost towns are coal company towns, owned outright by the mine and abandoned the same way.

Winona is an unincorporated community in Fayette County, West Virginia, United States. Winona is 6 miles (9.7 km) east of Fayetteville. Winona has a post office with ZIP code 25942. The community has the name of Winona Gwinn, the daughter of a settler. African-American historian Carter G. Woodson taught at a school in Winona founded by black miners for their children from 1898–1900.

The on-the-ground condition of Winona is unverified — it's listed here with unknown status. That could mean standing buildings, or an empty field. Go prepared for either, and consider sharing what you find so the record improves.

Nobody has confirmed the access situation, so treat any visit as reconnaissance: verify land ownership first, and be ready to admire from the road.

Here's the honest truth: access to Winona is unverified. We couldn't confirm whether the site sits on public land, private property, or something in between — so verify land ownership and local rules before visiting, and respect private property at all times. The mapped point for Winona is roughly 38.0464, -80.9922 — use it as a starting point and cross-reference a current topographic map before leaving pavement.

Ghost-town etiquette is simple: take only photographs. Removing artifacts is illegal on public lands and disrespectful everywhere else — and on federal land it can be a serious offense.