Matewan in Mingo County, West Virginia — The American South (Appalachia)

Matewan Massacre

By Mike McKeown

1. Matewan Massacre Marker

Inscription. Click to hear the inscription.

In 1920 area miners went on strike to gain recognition of UMWA. On May 19 of the same year, twelve Baldwin-Felts Agency guards came from Bluefield to evict the minsters from company houses. As guards left town, they argued with town police chief Sid Hatfield and Mayor Testerman. Shooting of undetermined origins resulted in the deaths of two coal miners, seven agents, and the mayor. None of the 19 men indicted were convicted.

Erected by West Virginia Department of Culture and History. (Marker Number MG 2.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Labor Unions • Law Enforcement. In addition, it is included in the West Virginia Archives and History series list.

Location. 37° 37.35′ N, 82° 10.17′ W. Marker is in Matewan, West Virginia, in Mingo County. Marker is on Mate Street (West Virginia Route 49) 0.1 miles west of Bridge Street (West Virginia Route 1056), on the left when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 306 Mate Street, Matewan WV 25678, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within

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walking distance of this marker. Matewan and the Railroad (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); Matewan Area History (about 400 feet away); Sid Hatfield (about 400 feet away); Mingo County / State of Kentucky (about 400 feet away); Hatfield-McCoy Feud (approx. 0.2 miles away); Divided Loyalties (approx. 0.2 miles away); M.E. South Church (approx. 0.3 miles away); Pawpaw Tree Incident (approx. 0.4 miles away in Kentucky). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Matewan.

More about this marker. not to be confused with https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=155925

Regarding Matewan Massacre. For more on the Massacre see: http://www.wvculture.org/history/timetrl/ttmay.html

Credits. This page was last revised on September 14, 2020. It was originally submitted on September 14, 2020, by Mike McKeown of Baltimore, Maryland. This page has been viewed 72 times since then and 12 times this year. Photo 1. submitted on September 14, 2020, by Mike McKeown of Baltimore, Maryland. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.

Editor’s want-list for this marker. A wide shot of the marker in context. • Can you help?