Arthurdale Heritage Inc.

Arthurdale was the first of 99 communities built by the federal government during the Great Depression to help poor families. Eleanor Roosevelt was involved in planning it and often visited the homesteaders. She even passed out high school diplomas.

Arthurdale Heritage was formed in 1984 by local people to save the derelict central buildings, its important history, and that of its families. They took out mortgages on five buildings, fund raised to pay for them, worked for years to rehab them, eventually turning them into the New Deal Homestead Museum. Today AHI works to preserve this history, support the community, and teach visitors about the history of Arthurdale.

We are self funded by our membership, grants, and fundraising. We offer guided tours and events like the New Deal Festival and  Eleanor's Birthday Party. We sponsor free community events throughout the year including family movie nights, square dances, and heritage demonstrations.

We run a Craft Shop with items from more than 80 West Virginia artisans, plus we offer classes and programs related to heritage arts and crafts like leather working, weaving, and much more.

We continue to add to our archives and collections by collecting oral histories, photographs, ephemera, and craft items that were made here in the 1930s and 1940s.