New Deal Festival
Thank you for Celebrating the 75th Anniversary of the homesteading of Arthurdale at the 2009 New Deal Festival!
The 2009 New Deal Festival was held on July 10-12, 2009 in Arthurdale WV. It will featured great food, new exhibits in the New Deal Homestead Museum, artisan demonstrations, local artisan craft market, the Arthurdale Heritage Craft Shop, local musician performances, a visit from Eleanor Roosevelt, haywagon rides, and much more!
FRIDAY, JULY 10, 2009
Tea with Eleanor Roosevelt **New Event**
Over 60 people enjoyed tea with former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, as portrayed by living history actor Patty Cooper, at the Arthurdale Inn.
Arthurdale High School Reunion & 75th Anniversary Dinner
A dinner was held on Friday at the Valley Elementary School Cafeteria for the Arthurdale High School reunion, but also to commemorate the 75th Anniversary of Arthurdale. 225 people enjoyed good food, fellowship, and entertainment by Fairmont Town and Gown.
Old-Time Square Dance & Oldies Sock Hop
A square dance and sock hop was held at the Arthurdale School gym on Friday night.
SATURDAY, JULY 11, 2009
Gates will open at 8:00 a.m.
$5 Admission, Parking Free!
Flag Ceremony **New Event**
The Masontown V.F.W. officially opened the festival with the raising of the American flag at 8:00 a.m.
Breakfast & Gospel Sing
Volunteers at the Arthurdale Presbyterian Church provided breakfast including biscuits and sausage gravy, juice, milk, coffee, fruit, sweet rolls. Breakfast goers also enjoyed the free gospel sing with the Gospel Bluebirds during breakfast.
5K Run and 2-Mile Walk
The 5th Annual Beth Bonner Memorial 5K Run and 2-mile walk was held at 8 a.m. Over 60 participants enjoyed the courses that took them on the community roads of historic Arthurdale. 2009 New Deal Festival Race Results
Crafts & Artisans
The festival craft market and the Arthurdale Heritage Craft Shop opened at 9:00 a.m. and featured local artisan selling and demonstrating their crafts. Festival goers also enjoyed demonstrations by the Appalachian Blacksmith Association in the Forge as well as potters and seat weavers all day Saturday.
New Deal Homestead Museum and Special Exhibits **New Event**
– New exhibits were on display in the New Deal Homestead Museum including the Annabelle Mayor Collection, which features items Mrs. Mayor made at the Arthurdale Cooperative Weaving Room; a Federal One Poster exhibit, featuring posters created during the 1930s to promote various New Deal programs across the nation; a New Deal Community exhibit, featuring information, artifacts, and photographs from other New Deal communities including Greenbelt, Tygarts Valley, and Penn-Craft. These exhibits will be on display in the New Deal Homestead Museum until October.
–The Homesteaders Wall of Families exhibit featured photographs of original homesteader families. AHI also published a book about the homesteader families in conjunction with this exhibit. The book features pictures and information about homestaders submitted by the families themselves. We need your help with this project. If you would like to submit information about your homestead family for a second volume, including photographs and a brief family history, please read the attached information about the Homestead Family Book and Exhibit.
–A student art exhibit was on display at the Arthurdale School gym and featured artwork completed by the students at Valley Elementary about the history of Arthurdale. 2009 List of Contest Winners.
–An exhibit of the Historic Textile Bag Collection from the Pierpont Community and Technical College at Fairmont State University was on display at the New Deal Homestead Museum during the New Deal Festival. The full collection is comprised of over 1,000 artifacts of various textile bags in their original state as well as the recycled fabrication of bags into a variety of apparel and household items. The American Textile bag has been recognized as an essential fabric that contributed to the needs of families of all economic levels during times of peace and was as well as in times of poverty and prosperity. This exhibit will be on display in Arthurdale throughout the month of July 2009.
–”Celebrating the 75th Anniversary of Arthurdale, West Virginia, Eleanor Roosevelt’s ‘Little Village’: Archival Collections at the WV & Regional History Collection” exhibit and WV History OnView database demonstration featuring WV & Regional History Collection historical manuscripts, newspaper articles, ephemera, and photographs which highlight conditions in the Scott’s Run mining community during the Great Depression, Eleanor Roosevelt’s visit to Scott’s Run, and her involvement in the homesteading of Arthurdale, America’s first New Deal resettlement community was on display at the Arthurdale Inn.
Living History Performances **New Event**
Living history performers from Fairmont Town and Gown provided living history actors to each museum building throughout the day on Saturday.
Homesteader Panel Discussion **New Event**
A panel discussion made up of residents from Arthurdale and the director of the Greenbelt Museum discussed the differences between these two communities built through FDR’s New Deal legislation.
Musical Entertainment
Festival goers enjoyed an old-time community music at the Center Hall including the Riggins Brothers at 11:00 a.m., Elmer Rich & Friends at 2:00 p.m., and the Falling Run Bluegrass Band at 3:30 p.m..
Antique Car, Truck, & Tractor Show
The antique car and tractor show started at 11:00 a.m. and featured seventy-five participants displaying their antique cars and tractors for festival visitors.
Marionette Performances **New Event**
Marionette performances were held throughout the day by Linda Zimmer. Zimmer is a puppeteer and play therapist whose fascination with Eleanor Roosevelt and her legacy inspired her to build marionettes of Eleanor Roosevelt and some of her contemporaries.
Tours of the Arthurdale Inn
Arthurdale Heritage would like to thank Hospice Care Corporation for opening up the Arthurdale Inn for tours, exhibits, and the homestead panel discussion.
Hands-On Workshops **New Event**
Festival goers enjoyed hands-on workshops to learn more about traditional music and dance including the fiddle, square dancing, and clogging.
Hay Wagon Rides
Children of all ages enjoyed hay wagon rides all day of the festival.
Butterfly Station and Hands-On Gardening
A butterfly station and gardening projects were presented by the Preston County Master Gardeners at the Eleanor Roosevelt Memorial Gardens.
Visit with Eleanor Roosevelt
Many festival attendees visited with the former First Lady, as portrayed by living history actor, Patty Cooper, including antique car rides with the First Lady.
Time Capsule **New Event**
Time Capsule Ceremony to celebrate Arthurdale’s 75th Anniversary closed the festival.
2009 New Deal Festival Sponsors
Arthurdale Heritage would like to thank the following businesses and individuals for supporting the 75th Anniversary of Arthurdale!
GOLD SPONSORS
Belldina’s Pharmacy
Hunter Truck Sales and Service
Mountaineer Family Care
SILVER SPONSORS
BRONZE SPONSORS
Hartley Insurance
Lumberport-Shinnston Gas Company
Peaslee’s Service Center
Preston Silver Eagle
Gerald Zinn & Sons
