Small Town
Made Big History
This area is so famous they made Movies and Documentaries about it.
Take a step back in time and watch history unfold in these videos below about the infamous battles between Coal Miners and Coal Companies and the Legendary Hatfield & McCoy Family Feuds that achieved world-wide fame and made the border of Kentucky & West Virginia a place to remember.
BATTLE OF MATEWAN
Record West Virginia commemorates the 100 year Anniversary of the Battle of Matewan in this video, retelling the tale of a date that will live in infamy and how the town is still influenced 100 years later.
COAL MINERS VS COAL COMPANIES
Tired of working conditions, coal miners started joining unions, but the corporations fought their right to unionize and began evicting workers from the homes located in the coal camps they had built and owned.
These evictions and growing unrest over complete corporate control led to a confrontation between the Matewan Sheriff, Sid Hatfield, and the men who had been sent to evict mine workers.
No one knows, to this day, who fired the first shot, but the May 18, 1920 Matewan Massacre started a revolution that impacted the rights of American workers across the country.
Another Video Links You May Like:
BATTLE OF BLAIR MOUNTAIN
The Matewan Massacre was the spark that set fire in the hearts of coal miners against coal companies and led to the Battle of Blair Mountain, which was the largest uprising in the U.S. since the Civil War.
Coal miners were tired of the working conditions, corporate control and exploitation, so miners banded together and took a stand against the coal companies. Shots were fired, a battle ensued, Federal Troops were brought in and History was made.
Another Video Link You May Like:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olGJ_ef2J3E
HATFIELD & MCCOY FEUDS
There’s probably no two families more legendary for fighting than the Hatfield & McCoys and their Feuds made this area famous. Many businesses and trails carry their name, assuring their stories will always be told.
Here’s a short introduction to the Hatfield & McCoy Feuds and the back-story to how the feuds began.
Here are some more links to videos you may like:
PBS American Experience: The Feud
IMDB:History Channel Mini-Series: Hatfields & McCoys
PBS American Experience: The Feud
MATEWAN – THE MOVIE
An area so famous they made a movie about it.
Coal Miners struggle to form a union and the coal companies will have no part of it and send in their thugs from the Baldwin-Felts detective agency to evict mine workers from their homes without notice. Here’s Hollywood’s take on it.
There is some creative license taken with this movie, read the description on Youtube for more information.
Get your popcorn, it’s a good watch.
BATTLE OF MATEWAN
ANNUAL RE-ENACTMENTS
For 20 years enthusiasts have taken to the streets and performed
reenactments of this infamous event. Here is a excerpt from the 2018 performance.
The Massacre happened May 19, 1920 so the annual reenactment usually takes place in May, but was postponed last year due to covid and may be this year as well, as there’s no available information as of yet.
Keep an eye out for it, as many have really enjoyed this memorable, live production.
To learn more click the links below:
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The Pawpaw Tree House is a Vacation Rental Home 0.4 miles from the Matewan, WV Hatfield & McCoy Devil Anse Trail Head.