[2][3] Matewan is located on the banks of the Tug Fork, a tributary of the Big Sandy River in mountainous western West Virginia.

The hills rise steeply above the river, and the town center is located in a segment of flood plain on the north bank.

[3] In the early 20th century, Matewan was essentially a company town, in which the owners of the coal mines controlled many aspects of the lives of the miners they employed.

In Matewan, this effort was resisted by the chief of police, Sid Hatfield, who objected to the presence of armed detectives in the town.

In a standoff on May 19, 1920, shots were fired, and the ensuing shootout resulted in the deaths of 10 men: seven detectives, two miners, and Matewan's mayor.