The McCoy Well

The McCoy Well Today

Tucked away in a quiet hollow along Kentucky Route 319, the McCoy Well beckons visitors into a landscape as storied as it is serene. Framed by ancient trees and a chorus of wildflowers, the well’s cool spring water has offered solace for generations. It’s a simple place—no gift shops or glitzy tours—just a weathered wellhead and a chance to stand where history once unfolded in blood and fire.

A Landscape Steeped in Feud and Family

On a bitterly cold New Year’s Day in 1888, Hatfield raiders crossed the Tug Fork River to exact vengeance. Flames soon engulfed the McCoy cabin, and young Alifair McCoy ran to this very well, bucket in hand, trying to save her family’s home. Her brother Calvin followed, but neither returned alive. Their courage and heartbreak still echo in the gentle gurgle of the spring.

Today, the modest wooden body of the well has been carefully restored with stonework, along with a beautifully carved wooden well top, offering a place to pause and remember. Here, visitors can walk the ground where these stories took place, feeling the weight of history in every step.

In recent decades, the McCoy Well site has also become a quiet backdrop for reconciliation. Family members from both sides gather here for memorial services, sharing prayers, music, and words of forgiveness beneath the same pines, poplars, and oaks that once hid riflemen. These gatherings serve as living reminders that even the bitterest feuds can give way to understanding and peace.

Walking the Path of Preservation

Much work has been done on the McCoy Well property to make it ready for the visitor. Bob and Rita Scott, who acquired the property years ago, have worked tirelessly to preserve its authenticity. In the spring, the site comes alive with natural colors and thoughtful touches. Characterful decorations of pigs and wreathes bring with them a warm, welcoming atmosphere for all who come. Standing tall beside the well is a striking statue of Randolph McCoy, chainsaw-carved by Travis Williams of Trav Carves, a testament to the enduring story of this place. The statue was made not only as a counterpart to the stone statue that was placed over William Anderson "Devil Anse" Hatfield's grave but also as a memorial in and of itself, capturing the defiant spirit of Randolph McCoy.

Each Spring, Hatfield and McCoy descendants, along with local volunteers gather to clean and restore this somber historic site. They clear brush, plant flowers, and place wreathes in memory of the McCoys who lost their lives there. It’s preservation in its purest form: letting the land—and the well itself—tell the story.

Visiting the McCoy Well

Getting there: From Pikeville, head north on US 23, taking a right at the shopping area stop lights onto KY 119. After about 25 miles, you will see the first stop light that leads you right onto KY 319. The well is located a little way up 319 in Hardy, Kentucky. Parking is available on the left, you will park in a gravel parking lot, and cross the street over to the McCoy Well site. This site is a part of the larger, popular Hatfields and McCoys Historic Feud Driving Tour. It is suggested that you partake of the tour in its entirety, as there is much to see and enjoy in Hatfield and McCoy Feud Country.

Hours & access: The McCoy Well property is open from daylight till dark, seven days a week, all year-round.

What to bring: A sense of curiosity, a camera for photos with Ole Ranel, and maybe a friend to share the stories with. There are no restrooms, no cell reception—just the authentic land of the McCoys, and the well.

For printed directions: Stop by the Pikeville-Pike County Welcome Center (685 Hambley Blvd., Pikeville, KY 41501) or download the free guide at tourpikecounty.com.