Arthurdale Heritage, Inc.
Milestones Along the Way
1984
50th
Anniversary Celebration of the creation of Arthurdale spearheaded incorporation.
1985
Incorporated and Chartered as an IRS §501(c)(3) not-for-profit charitable corporation
1986
Property purchase agreements
Financial drive
Donor clubs established
1st annual AH celebration with speaker, Jennings Randolph
Published first quarterly newsletter, Restoring Yesterday For Tomorrow
1987
159 members of donor clubs raised over $30,000
1988
Mortgage burning, Brown property
Roof completed on Administration Building
Arthurdale:
A First Lady's Legacy film produced by Public Television Studio WNPB
1989
Arthurdale placed
on the National Register for Historic Places (District) with month-long
celebration in July
AHI receives the
Albert B. Corey Award for Volunteerism from the American Association of State
and Local History
Mortgage burning, Belmaggio property
1990
Forge building restored with a grant from the WV Dept of Culture and History
1991
Final mortgage burning, Blake property - AHI mortgage free
Eleanor
Roosevelt, portrayed by Anne Saville, visits the Ice Cream Social
Information/Visitors Center opened for weekends in July and August
1992
Right wing of the Center building restored with funds from the Benedum Foundation
1993
Historian Brian Ward and part-time Executive Director Deanna Hornyak hired with funding from the Benedum Foundation
1994
Arthurdale 60th Anniversary celebrated with monthly events
A New Deal for
America National Conference organized by staff and held at Arthurdale
Eleanor Roosevelt
biographer, Blanche Wiesen Cook, visits Arthurdale for her book, Eleanor
Roosevelt Volume 2 1933-1938.
Barbara J. Howe Award established by AHI to recognize excellence in scholarship relating to the New Deal communities. This is an honorary award.
1995
Phase I of HUD restoration completed
Service Station Museum opened with help from the Arthurdale Tire Kickers.
1996
Ed
Bucklew chosen as First Volunteer of the Year 1995-1996.
1997
Randy Weaver and
Danny Roscoe were chosen as Co-Volunteers of the Year 1996-1997
1998
Awarded $20,000 from the Governor's Civil Contingency Fund for operational expenses
Adult and children's reading group started. Meetings held and sponsored by Arthurdale Heritage, Inc.
Executive Director Deanna Hornyak and President Kathleen R “Billie” Lovett named as outstanding area women by The Dominion Post.
Nancy Lininger
chosen as Volunteer of the Year 1997-1998.
The Homer C.
Laughlin China Company of Newell, West Virginia, donated 180 5-piece place settings of
Fiesta Ware for use in the Center Hall. Fiesta Ware, Homer C. Laughlin's most famous and most
collected line, was created in 1936.
Arthurdale
Heritage, Inc. website went on-line, May 26, 1998. All website work has been donated by
Web Wizardry by JKL.
throught January 2007. As
of August 1, 2002, site has received over 11,500 hits.
Sign language classes offered in the Center Hall.
Bucklew property
acquired (A Wagner Homestead E-15) Majority of the selling price came from HUD
grant and the remainder, $15,000, was raised in less than 45 days by AHI through
a letter campaign.
IMLS grant received
1999
First E-15 Homestead Museum living history performers chosen. Singles or couples live year-round rent-free in this section of the museum. During off-season they are caretakers of the home, grounds, and farm animals. During tourist season they act as guides through the museum and grounds in 1930's character.
Grand opening of
the Craft Shop, located in the East Wing of the Center Hall, in the same
location the Craft Shop occupied in 1937.
E-15 Wagner Homestead Museum opens.
Nikki Montgomery,
13-year old, chosen as Volunteer of the Year 1998-1999.
Traditional Homestead Art Classes underwritten, in part, by a grant from the WV Humanities Council. Includes: Basket-making, dulcimer, herb gardening, and food preservation.
"The
Front Porch", an original play by Joann Dadisman, underwritten, in
part, by a grant from the WV Humanities Council, premieres at the Center Hall.
The story depicts homesteading life in Arthurdale during the 30s to
present day restoration efforts.
Nikki Jo
Montgomery, junior volunteer, wins fist place at the state 4-H competition for
her portrayal as a homesteader.
Limited edition Arthurdale Historic District afghan created.
Eleanor
Roosevelt Volume 2 1933-1938, by Blanche Weisen Cook, featuring Arthurdale is published.
2000
David Hall chosen
as Volunteer of the Year 1999-2000.
Arthurdale was
chosen as a Local Legacies Project for the Library of Congress' Bicentennial
Celebration. Participating sites were
selected by members of congress for their work in documenting America's
grassroots heritage. AHI material that became part of the permanent collection
included oral history tapes, newsletters, and administrative documents. AHI
President Rae Delgado (r) and Stephanie Savage (l) delivered the material to
the Library of Congress.
Arthurdale Heritage's first museum color rack card/brochure printed and distributed.
West Virginia Appalachian Blacksmith's Association holds their first hammer-in/conference in the Forge.
2001
Design studio held in the Center Hall for Carnegie Mellon University Architectural students. Ten fourth-year students designed a Residential Community for Seniors using the original Arthurdale school buildings.
Jeff Zinn chosen
as Volunteer of the Year 2000-2001.
Museum Information/Visitor Center moved to left wing of the Center Hall for better visibility.
German Public Broadcasting filmmakers tour Arthurdale and the museum for a documentary on Walker Evans.
AHI website wins Historical and Cultural Bronze Award from the Russian
Server "Historical and Cultural Heritage of Perm Region". The
purpose of their awards is to honor web sites whose content is concentrated
upon history or cultural heritage (i.e.; history, arts, heraldry, monuments,
archaeology, genealogical, literature, biography, and related subjects).
Executive
Director Jennifer Bonnette named as one of the Dominion Post's 100 Most
Influential.
Social Dance classes offered in the Center Hall by retired professional dancers, Al & Kitty Gouldin of Arthurdale.
Executive Director Jennifer Bonnette recipient of a Community Service award from the Preston County Chamber of Commerce for outstanding performance, productivity, and dedicated service to her community. Award presented by the honorable Congressman Alan Mollohan.
Showcase presenters at the 2001 WV State Conference on Volunteerism.
Article, "Arthurdale:
When the Roosevelts Helped Build West Virginia," appeared in Blue Ridge
Country Magazine.
Recipient of a Community Tourism Development Award from the West Virginia Division of Tourism for the "Frontiers to Mountaineers" Heritage Tourism Demonstration group of which AHI is on the steering committee and is the pilot site.
AHI is a presenter at the 1st annual Cheat Lake Elementary Appalachian History Day. Lectured to more than 300 students.
2002
Elderhostel
one-day programming established at AHI.
West Virginia
Department of Transportation erects state museum directional sign in Arthurdale.
Arthurdale descendant, Rita Crowley, wins Weekly Reader “Eyewitness to History” national essay contest for her article “The Promise of Arthurdale” about her great grandparents’ selection and subsequent move to Arthurdale. Rita is the
great granddaughter of homesteaders Clarence and Elnora DeGolyer.
WV Delegate Larry Williams secures state funding to assist in the purchase and beautification of “the stump garden”, a small piece of property that had all its trees removed, located directly across from the Arthurdale Post Office. With other donations, the purchase is made.
Blacksmithing classes offered in the Forge by Roger Greaser.
Preston County Board of Education deeds the original Arthurdale High School, Elementary School and Cafeteria buildings to Arthurdale Heritage, Inc. Vandalia Heritage Foundation is assisting in developing a plan for their future use after renovation. Vandalia Heritage Foundation provided funds to stabilize the properties.
Glenna Williams, daughter of an original homesteader, awarded Volunteer of the Year for her years of service and for her dedication to the establishment of the AHI Staff Salaries and Endowment Fund.
2003
Randy Weaver, grandson of an original homesteader, was chosen as Volunteer of the Year for his continuing efforts towards the growth of AHI.
2004
Amanda Griffith hired as Executive Director
