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Arthurdale Heritage President Sarah Barnes (left) and AHI Executive Director Jeanne Goodman (right) display Governor Manchin's proclamation declaring July 'Arthurdale Heritage Month.'

Arthurdale Heritage (AHI) is celebrating its Silver Anniversary this July at its New Deal Festival. To kick off the celebration, West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin issued a proclamation declaring July ‘Arthurdale Heritage Month.’

“We are delighted that Governor Manchin has honored our beautiful community by declaring July ‘Arthurdale Heritage Month,’” said AHI President Sarah Barnes. “This recognition helps us spotlight the important role our state played during the New Deal era.  Eleanor Roosevelt would be proud to know that her ‘little village’ is doing so well and telling the story of what she set out to accomplish,” Barnes said.

The New Deal Festival is Saturday, July 10^th and features artisan demonstrators, a craft market, living history actors, an antique car, truck, and tractor show, quilt show, kids activities, live entertainment, barbecued chicken dinners, and more. More information about the New Deal Festival is online at: http://www.newdealfestival.org.

Throughout its 25 years, AHI has tirelessly worked to restore and preserve the New Deal Homestead Community of Arthurdale. The organization started as a grass-roots community group in 1985, raising money through donations from local residents and businesses. Today, AHI has successfully restored and preserved five buildings comprising the New Deal Homestead Museum. AHI also has three major capital projects underway to restore five additional structures.

“Arthurdale Heritage has truly been a grassroots organization.  Those of us involved in 2010 are so grateful to the determined group who started the organization 25 years ago and the community who supported it. They worked so hard to raise every penny to restore what is now the New Deal Homestead Museum today.  The community of Arthurdale is such a wonderful place to live – due, in no small part, to the efforts of this organization.  Without AHI, the community would be another town with abandoned buildings and struggling to survive.  The people of Arthurdale are to be commended for their efforts over the years by taking such pride in their community and seizing the opportunity to tell their story,” Barnes said.

West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin issued this proclamation declaring July 'Arthurdale Heritage Month.'

http://ndf-tea.eventbrite.com

Tickets can also be reserved by contacting Arthurdale Heritage by phone at 304-864-3959 or by email at ahi@arthurdaleheritage.org. Reservations are limited to 50 people.

This event, part of Arthurdale Heritage’s New Deal Festival, gives you the chance to chat with Mrs. Roosevelt, portrayed by living history actor Patty Cooper, in an intimate and historic setting. Your reservation also includes a variety of hors d’oeuvres and entertainment.

“This award is a huge honor for our group. Our project was selected over projects in larger counties in Monongalia and Kanawha Counties,” said award recipient Becky Friend.

AHI President Sarah Barnes said, “Arthurdale Heritage is very fortunate to have a dedicated group of volunteers like the master gardeners. Their dedication and vision has helped turn what was once an abandoned building foundation into a beautiful garden.”

The garden, built on the site of the former Finks Co-op General Store, was completed in the summer of 2009. The project was funded with a Green Thumbs/Healthy Joints Grant from the West Virginia University Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center, Center for Excellence in Disabilities and a donation from Arthurdale Heritage, Inc. It features raised flower beds, decorative metal benches, and inspiring quotes from Eleanor Roosevelt.

The garden features raised flower beds to help teach ergonomic gardening techniques.

The garden sits on the site of the original Arthurdale co-op general store.

Nathan Wilson of The Jenny & Nathan Wilson Jazz Duo

From bluegrass to jazz, from blues to Dixieland, an eclectic array of music is on tap at Arthurdale Heritage’s 2010 New Deal Festival. Performing on the main Center Hall stage are: the Falling Run Bluegrass Band, The Halftime String Band, The Dan Baker Trio, Born Old and The Jenny & Nathan Wilson Jazz Duo. The New Deal Festival opens at 9 a.m. on Saturday, July 10^th with performances beginning at 10:30 a.m.

Since they began performing in 2003, The Halftime String Band has continued to diversify their sound, developing original material and borrowing from a variety of musicians and styles. Working from a bluegrass/newgrass foundation, they also like to work the edges of rock and roll, jazz, and blues. Based in Morgantown, West Virginia, The Halftime String Band has shared the stage with some of bluegrass, country, and rock’s biggest stars including Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder, Keller Williams, and the Del McCoury Band. The band includes musicians: Jason Jaros, Bob Spangler, Fred Crozier, and Shane Schoenadel.

The Falling Run Bluegrass Band is no stranger to the regional music scene. The band has played events around the region for over 15 years, including festivals, events, and West Virginia University functions. The band focuses on traditional bluegrass and features accomplished musicians who have mastered numerous playing styles from Rock-a-billy bass “slapping” to Scruggs-style banjo playing. Members of the Falling Run Bluegrass Band have also performed with other notable bluegrass groups including the Songcatchers, Uncle Earl, and Wild Hog. Band members are Ray Hicks, Tiffany Underwood, Tim Selman, Aaron Holley, Rachel Eddy, Chris Haddox, and Zach Fanock.

Ray Hicks was born in Madisonville Tennessee in 1942. He began playing guitar in 1958 and immediately took an interest in traditional music, learned from local musicians, records and off the radio. Ray’s influences include Bill Monroe, Jimmy Rodgers, and The Carter Family. Ray joined the faculty of forestry at West Virginia University in 1978 and has played in numerous bluegrass and oldtime bands over the past 40 years.

Tiffany Underwood plays mandolin and sings with FRBB. She has one of the richest strongest voices anywhere. Tiffany also plays with the Songcatchers from her native Raleigh County.  Tiffany now makes her home in Morgantown.

Tim Selman, along wit Ray is an original member of the FRBB and a 3^rd generation banjo player hailing from Webster County. Tim now lives in the Morgantown area and is one of the best Scruggs-style players anywhere. Tim also builds and repairs banjos.

Aaron Holley is a great bass player from Cabell County who has mastered several styles, including the Rock-a-billy “slapping” style. He is currently a student in Mining Engineering at WVU.

Rachel Eddy is from Morgantown, but has traveled the world playing music. Fresh from a European stint, she returned to the states to play with the popular all-woman bluegrass/oldtime band Uncle Earl. Rachel plays fiddle, banjo , bass or guitar and is a great vocalist as well.

Chris Haddox, fiddle/mandolin/guitar/vocals, is originally from Logan County, but now resides in Morgantown and works in the Davis College, focusing on “green design” of buildings. Chris and Ray have played in several bands together, including “Wild Hog” with the late legendary fiddle player Craig Johnson.

Zach Fanock is another Morgantown product. Zach is a master fiddler, winning numerous contests, and an alumnus of the East Tennessee State University “Pride Band.” ETSU is the only university in America to offer a bluegrass program and boasts of alumni such as Adam Steffey, Tim Stafford and Barry Bailes who have played in bands with Alison Kraus. Zach is currently working toward another degree from Fairmont State University.

Members of the Dan Baker Trio have performed with some of music’s legends including Mel Torme and Rare Silk. Dan Baker is a graduate of New York’s New School and has been actively performing ever since. He is currently the guitar instructor at Waynesburg University and co-founder and board member of the Washington Jazz Society. Michael Berry is a two-time Grammy nominee for his work with Rare Silk. He attended Denver University School of Music and has opened for legends including Mel Torme and Jeff Lorber. Greg Thurman is a graduate of West Virginia University’s College of Creative Arts and Washington and Jefferson College. He has performed around the eastern United States at New York City’s Carnegie Hall, Pittsburgh’s Heinz Hall, and the West Virginia Wine and Jazz Festival. Thurman is a student of WVU faculty Dr. Andrew Kohn and Professor Paul Scea.

The Jenny & Nathan Wilson Jazz Duo is the husband and wife duo of Nathan and Jenny Wilson from Morgantown, West Virginia. They perform a variety of jazz styles in the classic piano duo setting. Their mix of vocal harmonies, acoustic guitar, and fretless bass provide an entertaining and rich musical experience. Influenced by artists such as Shirley Horn, Diana Krall, and Bill Evans, the duo combines standards, contemporary jazz, pop tunes, and originals into a set of creative and spontaneous arrangements. Nathan and Jenny perform regularly at clubs, festivals, and restaurants throughout West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Maryland.

Performance Information

What: Arthurdale Heritage’s New Deal Festival

Where: Historic Arthurdale Center Hall Complex, Arthurdale, West Virginia

When: Saturday, July 10, gates open at 9 a.m. and performances begin with the Dan Baker trio at 10:00 a.m., The Halftime String Band at 11:30, Born Old at 1:00, The Jenny & Nathan Wilson Jazz Duo takes the stage at 2:30 p.m., and the Falling Run Bluegrass Band closes the show at 4:00 p.m.

Tickets: Admission is $5.00 per person and tickets are available at the gates. Children age 5 and under are free.

The Halftime String Band performs at noon.

Tupelo Honey's Jenny Wilson. Tupelo Honey performs at 1:30 p.m.

Tupelo Honey's Nathan Wilson Tupelo Honey performs at 1:30 p.m.

The Falling Run Bluegrass Band takes the stage at 3 p.m.

Win two passes to all practice and competition rounds.

The bidding is now open for your chance to win 2 tickets to the Greenbrier Classic!

PLACE YOUR BID NOW: Greenbrier Classic Tickets Silent Auction

Bids for two passes to the inaugural Greenbrier Classic have reached over $270.00 as of Tuesday, June 8th. Bids will be accepted through the above link through 4:00pm on June 16th. You can rebid at anytime and the highest bid wins. The passes are valued at nearly $300.00.

The Greenbrier Classic has just announced a second concert featuring Reba McEntire and Rascal Flatts. Your passes include admission to this second concert as well as the one featuring Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood.

Tournament organizers say the event is nearing a sellout. The event features some of the world’s top golfers including Phil Mickelson, Sergio Garcia, Ernie Els, and more. Held at the world-famous Greenbrier, your passes include guaranteed admission to the entire week’s events, including practice rounds.

The Greenbrier Classic is a PGA Tour FedEx Cup event and runs from July 16th through August 1, 2010. The event features a six-million dollar purse and will be televised by CBS and The Golf Channel.

New Deal Homestead Museum Admission Prices

Adults $8.00
Seniors and AAA members (55+) $7.00
Youth (6-12) $3.00
Children 5 and under FREE
AHI Members FREE (Individual and household memberships only)

New Driving Tour

We also excited to be able to offer a new Driving Tour…With AUDIO.  We have a new brochure, but for the first time have audio to accompany it.   Each audio file topic also corresponds with buildings on the driving tour of Arthurdale’s historic district and can serve as a companion to the historic district driving tour brochure.