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, many area miners joined the UMWA. On May 19, 13 Baldwin-Felts agents evicted union miners from Stone Coal Company houses. As agents prepared to entrain, an argument between Police Chief Sid Hatfield, Mayor C.C. Testerman and the agents began. Shots rang out, killing the mayor, 2 miners, and 7 agents. The event began a period of WV coalfield violence.

Erected by West Virginia Archives & History.

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° 37.322′ N, 82° 9.77′ W. Marker is in Matewan, West Virginia, in Mingo County. Marker is on Main Street (Route 65) when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Matewan WV 25678, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 3 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Mingo County / State of Kentucky (approx. 0.3 miles away); Pawpaw Tree Incident (approx. 0.3 miles away in Kentucky); Matewan and the Railroad

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(approx. 0.3 miles away); Matewan Area History (approx. 0.3 miles away); a different marker also named Matewan Massacre (approx. 0.4 miles away); McCoy Cemetery (approx. 3 miles away in Kentucky); Hog Trial Site (approx. 3 miles away in Kentucky); Hog Trial / Election Fight (approx. 3 miles away in Kentucky). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Matewan.

More about this marker. One of the markers describing the deaths in 1920 of the mayor and the miners, located in the town.

Credits. This page was last revised on September 15, 2020. It was originally submitted on September 10, 2020, by Mike McKeown of Baltimore, Maryland. This page has been viewed 51 times since then. Last updated on September 14, 2020, by Bradley Owen of Morgantown, West Virginia. Photo 1. submitted on September 10, 2020, by Mike McKeown of Baltimore, Maryland. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.