Matewan Historic District facts for kids
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Matewan Historic District
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Matewan Historic District, June 2008
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 Location in West Virginia
Location in the United States
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| Location | Roughly bounded by McCoy Alley, Railroad Alley, Mate St. underpass and Warm Hollow to the head of the hollow, Matewan, West Virginia |
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| Area | 10 acres (4.0 ha) |
| Built | 1893 |
| Architect | Levi J. Dean |
| Architectural style | Early Commercial, Classical Revival, Bungalow/craftsman |
| NRHP reference No. | 93000303 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | April 27, 1993 |
| Designated NHLD | February 18, 1997 |
The Matewan Historic District is the heart of a small town called Matewan, West Virginia. This town was once a busy coal mining community. Matewan is famous because of an important event that happened there on May 19, 1920. This event, known as the Battle of Matewan, was part of a big strike by coal miners. It was a key moment that led to an even larger conflict called the Battle of Blair Mountain. These events were about workers fighting for better conditions. The story of Matewan was even made into a movie! Because of its history, the Matewan Historic District was named a National Historic Landmark in 1997.
What Matewan Looks Like
Matewan is located in the mountains of western West Virginia. It sits right next to the Tug Fork river. This river flows into the Big Sandy River. The hills around Matewan are very steep. The town center is built on a flat area near the river.
The historic district is bordered by a concrete bridge on one side and Mate Creek on the other. There are two main streets in town: Mate Street and Main Street. Mate Street is also known as West Virginia Highway 49. McCoy Alley runs next to Main Street, closer to the river.
A row of shops and buildings separates Main Street and Mate Street. The Norfolk Southern Railway also runs through this area. The basic layout of the town is still the same as it was in the 1920s. Most of the buildings are from the early 1900s. They show what a typical town looked like back then. Some important buildings from that time are no longer standing.
Matewan's Important History
In the early 1900s, Matewan was largely a "company town." This meant that the coal mine owners had a lot of control over the miners' lives. They owned the miners' homes and often the stores where they bought food.
Miners wanted to join a union called the United Mine Workers of America. This union would help them get better pay and safer working conditions. The mine owners did not want the miners to join the union. They hired detectives from the Baldwin-Felts Agency. These detectives were sent to evict, or kick out, striking miners and their families from their company-owned homes.
On May 19, 1920, a big confrontation happened in Matewan. The town's police chief, Sid Hatfield, stood up to the armed detectives. He did not want them in his town. A shootout began, and ten people died. Seven detectives, two miners, and Matewan's mayor were killed.
This event made tensions much worse. It also made many more miners decide to join the union. The miners' fight for their rights continued. It led to a huge conflict in September 1921 called the Battle of Blair Mountain. This was the largest labor uprising in U.S. history. Federal troops had to step in to stop the fighting.
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