West Virginia has a long and rich history, and southern West Virginia is no exception. Around here, you can find so much about key moments in West Virginia history. One of the most famous examples is the Hatfield-McCoy Feud. The feud is a rich piece of Appalachian and American history, and it happened in our very own backyards. The Historic Matewan House Bed and Breakfast in Matewan, West Virginia gives out-of-towners a great place to stay while being surrounded by feud history and more.
“Our bed and breakfast is located in a remodeled historic house,” says Ellen Hatfield, co-owner of the B&B. “It was originally built as a residence in 1908 by Ed Chambers. Through the years, it has been a personal residence, funeral home, duplex, parsonage, and finally a bed and breakfast.” It was opened as a bed and breakfast in 2003 by Pat and Sharon Garland. They ran it until 2015, when Ellen and her husband, Dave Hatfield, took over.
They’ve been dedicated to improving the business ever since, even increasing the number of rooms from 9 to 12. They also offer van tours around to historical sites associated with the Hatfield-McCoy Feud, to let visitors really see the history this area has to offer.
Ellen loves the chance to meet all of the different tourists coming to the area, and loves seeing how they help local tourism grow. Her favorite part, though, is getting to help her husband accomplish his dreams. When asked what her favorite part of running the B&B is, Ellen says, "Helping my husband reach for his dreams of creating a beautiful tourism destination, and helping our town get back to the way it was when it was thriving.”
Ellen loves contributing to a vital part of southern West Virginia’s economy by running a local business. “We offer a piece of the puzzle needed in the tourism economy that Matewan, Mingo County, and West Virginia can all utilize to grow,” she says. Want to take a closer look at that piece of the puzzle? Check out their Facebook page and their website for more info about what the Historic Matewan Bed and Breakfast.
All photos from The Historic Matewan House Bed and Breakfast