A year ago, community leaders, citizen archaeologists, historians, labor leaders and other volunteers who care about the history in our hills came together around an idea to open a museum that tells a people’s history of the West Virginia Mine Wars. With the help of interested citizens in and outside of West Virginia, this idea is becoming a reality. This coming May, the West Virginia Mines Museum will be opening in Matewan.
A museum like this cannot be successful without community input and support. We’d like to invite you to get a sneak preview of the effort and share any hopes or ideas you have for the Museum. This November 8th we’ll be hosting an Open House at the West Virginia Mine Wars Museum located at 336 Mate Street in downtown Matewan, right next to the Rotary Club,from noon to 4pm.
We are still gathering photographs and artifacts for the exhibits, and we will be sharing a series of the photographs that we currently have. We also have 3D drawings of what the museum space will look like as well as a rendering of what we hope the Battle of Matewan exhibit will look like when we are finished.
There will be plenty of opportunity to let us know what you think of the content of the exhibits we plan to build, what you think of the layout of the museum, and whether you have any artifacts or photographs that you think should be included in the museum. We will also have some activities, food, and refreshments.
Lastly, we could not have gotten this far without financial assistance from the West Virginia Humanities Council, the Coal Heritage Area Authority, Turn This Town Around, and Local 1440 of the United Mine Workers of America. We are very grateful for their support.
For more information, please contact Katey, 304-546-8473, or visit the West Virginia Mine Wars Museum Facebook Page.
Address:
336 Mate St
Matewan, West Virginia 25678
