Matewan, West Virginia
Town in the United States in Mingo County
About Matewan
Matewan () is a town in Mingo County, West Virginia, United States at the confluence of the Tug Fork River and Mate Creek. The population was 412 at the 2020 census, down from 499 in 2010. The Norfolk Southern Railway's Pocahontas District passes through the town. It was a key site of the Coal Wars and the location of the Battle of Matewan in 1920.
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How Matewan is governed
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Residents of Matewan
Registered voters elect the officials below.
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Mayor
Executive
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The city's chief elected official. Presides over the executive branch, proposes the budget and represents the city.
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City Manager / Administrator
Executive
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The professional administrator who runs day-to-day operations (in some cities appointed by the council instead of the mayor).
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Police Chief
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Leads the police department.
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Fire Chief
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Leads the fire and emergency services department.
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Public Works Director
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Streets, water, sewer, and city buildings.
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Finance Director
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The budget, taxes, and city accounts.
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Planning & Zoning Director
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Land use, zoning, building permits.
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Parks & Recreation Director
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Parks, programs, and public facilities.
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City Council
Legislative
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The elected body that passes ordinances, sets the tax rate and approves the budget.
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City Clerk
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Keeps the official records, runs meeting agendas and, often, local elections.
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City Attorney
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The city's lawyer; advises officials and prosecutes ordinance violations.
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Boards & Commissions
Legislative
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Citizen advisory bodies, such as planning, zoning appeals and library boards.
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Municipal Court
Judicial
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Hears traffic, ordinance and other minor cases.
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Municipal Judge
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Presides over the municipal court.
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Population over time
From 499 in 2010 to 412 in 2020 (−17.4%).
Show the numbers
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 412 |
| 2010 | 499 |
History
"Mate Creek Post Office" was established on February 18, 1875. Early postmasters included Joseph Murphy (February 18, 1875) and Elias Hatfield (January 13, 1882). The latter was a brother to William Anderson "Devil Anse" Hatfield, father to future West Virginia governor Henry Drury Hatfield, and participant in the Hatfield-McCoy Feud.
By 1885, Mate Creek PO was discontinued and replaced by "Sidney Post Office". Elliot Rutherford, a Logan County sheriff, was postmaster beginning on September 3, 1885.
In 1890, Erskine Hazard, a civil engineer from the Norfolk and Western Railway, laid out the town and drafted the first map of the community. The town was named after Matteawan (now called Beacon), a town in Dutchess County, Upstate New York. Local residents, however, changed the spelling and pronunciation. Early postmasters for Matewan included Elliot Rutherford (January 13, 1893), George R. Buskirk (May 1, 1894), George Bonzo (May 17, 1897), Mary White (December 23, 1904), A.L. Hatfield (January 26, 1915), Emma Chafin (August 2, 1921), Mary White (November 17, 1921), and Neville L. Chancey (June 20, 1930).
Attempts to unionize by coal miners in 1920 led to the Battle of Matewan between miners and Baldwin-Felts detectives, which was the inspiration for the 1987 movie Matewan. The town's history is on display at the Matewan Depot, which includes a small museum. The West Virginia Mine Wars Museum, housed in a building owned by the United Mine Workers of America, provides history for the mine wars.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.