->Overview: The 9 Regions of WEST VIRGINIA
Hatfield-McCoy Region, West Virginia
The Hatfield-McCoy Mountains raise their craggy backs in the deep southwestern corner of the state, where West Virginia’s mountaineer spirit, like the landscape, has never quite been tamed.
The terrain is rugged and the history tumultuous. The people are independent and deeply proud of their heritage. Something about these mountains fosters fearlessness. The region is the boyhood home of world heavyweight champion Jack Dempsey. The land of Logan, the Mingo chief who is credited with instigating the Battle of Point Pleasant to avenge the murders of his family.
And, of course, the neighborhood where the Hatfields and McCoys duked it out.
Visit the new Chief Logan Lodge, Hotel and Conference Center in Logan. Enjoy first-rate accommodations, delicious dining and easy access to the Hatfield-McCoy ATV trails (www.trailsheaven.com) and nearby National Coal Heritage Area. In summer, watch an outdoor drama. Try a challenging mountain golf course built on top of a former coal mine.
Visit the burial place of “Devil Anse” Hatfield. Go boating at R.D. Bailey Lake.
Discover the fascinating history of the coal mine wars at Matewan and visit the Coal House in Williamson.
Cool down at one of West Virginia’s most popular water parks.
Camp at the Ashland KOA ATV Resort (www.ashlandatvcenter.com), which offers free wireless Internet access.
Photograph or film trains at the beautifully restored Elkhorn Inn and Theatre (www.elkhorninnwv.com), which features vintage quilts, antiques and 1930s furnishings.
Or get a close-up experience of an early-20th-century miner’s life at Madison’s Coal Heritage Museum.
Fly high with a visit to the hometown of America’s Right Stuff hero, Chuck Yeager, the first person to break the sound barrier. It’s easy to reach coal country today, too, as most of these attractions are within easy access of four-lane Corridor G.
