Marilee Hall, center, receives WV History Hero award for 2009

Arthurdale Heritage is pleased to announce that Marilee Hall has been chosen volunteer of the month for April.

Arthurdale resident, Marilee Hall, named WV History Hero for 2009

Former President of Arthurdale Heritage,  Marilee Hall, was recently selected as a WV History Hero for 2009.  History Heroes are individuals who go beyond the call of duty to ensure the success of local history, genealogy, preservation and museum organizations.

Marilee has given years of dedicated service to Arthurdale Heritage.  She has served as a member of the Board of Directors, secretary, second vice president, and president, as well as a member of several committees. She compiles the newsletter, helps plan the annual New Deal Festival, presents living history at society events and other gatherings such as the Preston County Buckwheat Festival, and has been interviewed by various media about Arthurdale’s history.   She was instrumental in acquiring the original Arthurdale schools for the society and spearheaded fundraising for and assembled the 75th Anniversary Arthurdale Calendar for 2009.

Arthurdale Heritage is pleased to announce David Huxtable as April’s Volunteer of the Month.

David is a native of London, England and moved to Arthurdale in 2004.    He has helped AHI with numerous projects including the annual community clean up,  community dinners, leading tours and now serves on the Board of Directors as an associate member.

Mr. Snyder and his wife Nancy, live in Morgantown but have roots in the Arthurdale community.  Nancy’s grandfather, Mr. Ambrose Brotherton, was an original homesteader and lived in A-3.

When Dale was a child, he remembers visiting his aunt, Bertie Cress, who also lived in Arthurdale.

Arthurdale Heritage would like to take this opportunity to thank Dale for his time and support.  It is volunteers like Dale that make AHI a success!

Amanda Griffith Penix presented the first lecture in May about the New Deal Homestead Community program.  Melissa May presented the second lecture in June about the Post Office Murals in West Virginia.

The July lecture will be given on July 28 by Larry Sypolt about the Legacy of the New Deal.  What is the continuing legacy of the New Deal? Learn more about the history of the New Deal agencies and how they have influenced the generations since the 1930s. Larry Sypolt will discuss the three phases of the New Deal and each phase’s specific goal. Sypolt will address the role the New Deal policies played in getting the country back on its feet in the 1930s and how these policies shaped safeguards and securities we have today. ** Please note that this lecture will be held on the fourth Tuesday of the month instead of the third.**

The August lecture will be given by Dr. Chris Wilkinson on August 18 and will address Big Band Jazz in Black West Virginia: 1930-1942.  Dr. Wilkinson will discuss the ways in which big-band jazz and dance music constituted an essential element of life in black West Virginia. Learn about the role of both radio and the press in connecting people of this region of rural America with a musical culture created primarily in the nation’s northern cities. Enjoy recorded examples of music by various national bands that probably figured in the program of one dance or another in the Mountain State and why this music was so important to African-American Mountaineers during the 1930s.

The lecture series will continue through October as follows:

• September 15 - Rob Whetsell, The Civilian Conservation Corps in West Virginia
• October 20 - Mark Crabtree, New Deal Photography

This project is being presented by Arthurdale Heritage, Inc. with financial assistance from the West Virginia Humanities Council, a state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in the lecture series do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

For additional information contact Arthurdale Heritage, Inc. at 304-864-3959 or email ahi@arthurdaleheritage.org.

This project is being presented by Arthurdale Heritage, Inc. with financial assistance from the West Virginia Humanities Council, a state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in the lecture series do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

AH would like to thank the following supporters for their donations to the auction:

Sonny’s Plants, Belldina’s Pharmacy, Calico Cat, New Day Bakery, Valley Pharmacy, AH Craft Shop, Mane Tamer, Brown’s Mill Grocery, Gas ‘N More, Dairy Queen, Preston Publications, Monroe’s Restaurant, Silver Scissors, McDonalds, Pizza Hut, Maitlin Cale, PC’s Pizza, Dickie Dixon, Challenge Academy, Sheltered Workshop, Ray Frankhouser, Jim Paugh, local families, and volunteers.

Busy Weekend in Arthurdale

The Arthurdale Heritage holds annual events.

Story by Macall Allen

ARTHURDALE — An auction was held at the Arthurdale Center Hall Sunday in Preston County as part of the annual community yard sale.

The auction was part of the 8th annual event which benefits schools in Arthurdale and the historic preservation operations of the New Deal community project.

The Arthurdale Heritage Craft Shop also reopened this weekend.

The Shop was closed for the winter and also to make some repairs to the shop windows.

The craft shop features the work of local artisans.

Related Link:

Busy Weekend in Arthurdale

If you get the Smithsonian magazine, then you probably already saw the “Heritage Culture” booklet that was glued into the May issue of the magazine.  I’ve scanned the cover, the page opposite the one with the Arthurdale information (on West Virginia in general), and the page with the 1/6 ad showing the Arthurdale banner (with the Greater Morgantown’s banner).  I thought everyone would enjoy seeing it.

Maps of all participants will be available at Arthurdale Center Hall beginning at 9 am on Saturday, May 2.

The Public Auction will begin at 2 pm on Sunday.

Registration for participants is $10 per home.  Register by April 29 to be included on the AHI Map.  Yard Signage will be provided to the registered homes.  Space is also available at Arthurdale Center Hall for $10.  Arthurdale Heritage does not provide tables or chairs.

Call (304) 864-3959 for more information.

Any support would be sincerely appreciated.   Contributions are tax deductible!   (please click here to see our needs list)

If you cannot afford to donate an item from our list,  would you please consider making a donation to our office equipment fund?   Thank you!    Note, AHI  now accepts PayPal.