Matewan Depot Reconstruction

In the early 1900s the railroad depot became the center of community life. This was particularly true in Mingo County, WV and the Matewan Depot became one of the most historically significant stations along the 673-mile Norfolk and Western main line. The facility was a combined passenger and freight depot that served the population of nearly 7,000 in Matewan and the surrounding area.

Passengers boarded important trains like No. 15 and No. 16 (later named the Cavalier) in this depot and relied on the telegraph operator for communications with distant cities via Western Union messages for years. Inevitably, advancing technology and alternative modes of transportation and communication began to erode the importance of railroad passenger service and the railroad depots across the country began to lose their importance. Matewan was no exception, and, after service on The Cavalier was curtailed west of Bluefield in 1960, the downgraded Powhatan Arrow-once the pride of N&W-made its last stop in 1969. The once proud depot was closed and eventually fell into disrepair.

In 2000, Massey Energy provided the funding and initiative to rebuild the historic Matewan railroad depot. It now serves as a museum that includes information on the colorful history of the area including the Hatfield and McCoy feuds, the Matewan Massacre, and the development of the coal mining industry in the region. The 24 x 110 ft. reconstruction is an inch-for-inch, Smithsonian-quality representation of the steam era Matewan station. While west of and on the opposite side of the tracks from the original location, it was constructed from standard N&W plans and great pains have been taken after much research to present as much of a time-trapped representation as possible.

The reconstruction of the Matewan Depot is just one example of Massey’s commitment and involvement in the communities where we operate. We are proud of our heritage and, more importantly, we are committed to preserving the quality of life for our members and their families for generations to come.