Find your next cache in Eleanor's Little Village, also known as historic Arthurdale, WV, America's first New Deal Homestead Community. Bring your own pen/pencil.
Initially known as “The Reedsville Project”, Arthurdale was begun in 1934 as a homestead community under Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s first administration. Land was purchased, residents were selected, and homes were constructed until there were 165 homes and several community buildings.
Many of the residents selected to live in Arthurdale were displaced miners from the Scott’s Run area near Morgantown, WV. First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, who had visited with families in Scott’s Run prior to The Reedsville Project, was very passionate about the homestead community and made Arthurdale and its residents her lifelong project. She often visited Arthurdale and kept in communication with many of the homesteaders.
The Arthurdale homesteaders were responsible for paying rent and farming their allotted acreage. Some were employed to build new homes and other community buildings. Others worked in local co-ops or found work with the many business ventures which were enticed to the area.
In 1947, the federal government liquidated its holdings in Arthurdale; all homes and community buildings were sold to private ownership. Today, most of the community buildings still stand and most are part of the New Deal Homestead Museum, which highlights the history of the area and works to preserve it.