General Info

In 1921, ten thousand armed miners marched 50 miles across Southern West Virginia to battle for their rights as working people. The West Virginia Mine Wars Museum tells the story of their fight, and the years of hardships, skirmishes and union organizing leading up to that remarkable moment. The West Virginia Mine Wars are a dramatic and often overlooked chapter of American history. In the early 1900’s in the coalfields of Southern WV, miners faced desperate circumstances. Below ground they withstood some of the worst working conditions in America. Above ground they faced brutal mine guards and an industry mine guard system that controlled the politics and economy of the region. Mountaineer families from the nearby hollows, African Americans from the South, and immigrants from places like Hungary and Italy all came together to fight for the right to unionize and for their basic constitutional rights. Step into the Mine Wars Era and experience the history through the eyes of the workers and their families. This unique museum takes visitors on a journey beginning at the Paint Creek-Cabin Creek strike of 1912-1913, winding through the 1920 Matewan Massacre, and culminating with the 1921 Miners’ March and Battle of Blair Mountain.In 1921, ten thousand armed miners marched 50 miles across Southern West Virginia to battle for their rights as working people. The West Virginia Mine Wars Museum tells the story of their fight, and the years of hardships, skirmishes and union organizing leading up to that remarkable moment. The West Virginia Mine Wars are a dramatic and often overlooked chapter of American history. In the early 1900’s in the coalfields of Southern WV, miners faced desperate circumstances. Below ground they withstood some of the worst working conditions in America. Above ground they faced brutal mine guards and an industry mine guard system that controlled the politics and economy of the region. Mountaineer families from the nearby hollows, African Americans from the South, and immigrants from places like Hungary and Italy all came together to fight for the right to unionize and for their basic constitutional rights. Step into the Mine Wars Era and experience the history through the eyes of the workers and their families. This unique museum takes visitors on a journey beginning at the Paint Creek-Cabin Creek strike of 1912-1913, winding through the 1920 Matewan Massacre, and culminating with the 1921 Miners’ March and Battle of Blair Mountain.