History off the trail
Hatfield-McCoy feud sites near Williamson
The feud played out along the Tug Fork, the river between West Virginia and Kentucky at Williamson. WV Tourism puts the main sites within about 15 miles of town, and the Buffalo Mountain map marks the Hatfield cemeteries right on the trail.
Start with the feud history for the people and events behind these stops.
A driving tour
WV Tourism's feud tour, in order:
- The Coal House, Williamson. Pick up the free driving-tour brochure at the Tug Valley Chamber inside.
- The Hog Trial site, where Preacher Anse Hatfield's cabin stood.
- The Hatfield Family Cemetery. Park at the bottom and hike the rocky road to Devil Anse's marble statue and the family graves.
- The Pawpaw Tree Incident site on the Tug Fork (marker on KY Route 1056).
- Historic Matewan.
Hatfield Homeplace and Museum
Devil Anse's last home, now a museum run by the Hatfield McCoy Foundation, is at 12790 Jerry West Highway, Sarah Ann, WV (Logan County). It's about half a mile from the Hatfield Cemetery.
On the trail
The Buffalo Mountain and Devil Anse maps mark the Hatfield Cemetery, the Ellison Hatfield Cemetery and the Devil Anse Tunnel. Ride to them on the trail.
The Mine Wars
Matewan is also where the Matewan Massacre took place on May 19, 1920, when union miners and Baldwin-Felts detectives clashed downtown. The Matewan Depot museum and the West Virginia Mine Wars Museum tell the story.
Events
The Hatfield-McCoy Reunion Festival runs each June in the border area, and Matewan re-enacts the massacre on its Heritage Day each May.
Sources: WV Tourism feud tour · Hatfield McCoy Foundation museum · Clio driving tour