Arthurdale, West Virginia
Arthurdale is an unincorporated community in Preston County, West Virginia, United States. It was built in 1933 at the height of the Great Depression as a social experiment to provide opportunities for unemployed local miners and farmers. Arthurdale was undertaken by the short-lived Subsistence Homesteads Division and with the personal involvement of First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, who used her influence to win government approval for the scheme.
Arthurdale, West Virginia | |
|---|---|
Unincorporated community | |
Administration building | |
Arthurdale, West Virginia Location within the state of West Virginia | |
| Coordinates: 39°29′42″N 79°48′54″W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | West Virginia |
| County | Preston |
| Elevation | 1,775 ft (541 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| GNIS feature ID | 1553753 |
| Website | arthurdaleheritage |
Arthurdale Historic District | |
U.S. National Register of Historic Places | |
| Location | E and W of WV 92, Arthurdale, West Virginia |
| Area | 1,102 acres (446 ha) |
| Built | 1933 |
| Architect | Gugler, Eric; Wagner, Stewart |
| NRHP reference No. | 88001862 |
| Added to NRHP | February 1, 1989 |
The aim was to encourage self-sufficiency and reduce dependence on both market forces and welfare provision. The experiment failed through a clash of ideologies, between a strong emphasis on accommodating those most in need yet also having qualifications to ensure that the community would be self-governed in a professional manner. The entrepreneurial community spirit never took hold, and the project is generally remembered as a classic failure, though some of its original residents continued to defend its principles. Arthurdale is now classed as a historic district, with over 100 of the original buildings still standing in addition to a New Deal museum.