“On one of my recent trips through West Virginia, I was cruising along, completely lost in the backroads on Route 92, when I stumbled upon a little place really in the middle of nowhere—Arthurdale. Curious, I just had to stop. What I discovered was an amazing story, one that connects these quiet hills to Eleanor Roosevelt, the Great Depression, and even the White House itself.

The early 1930s hit Appalachia hard. Coal mines were closing, jobs were disappearing, and families were barely surviving in one-room shacks without plumbing or electricity. President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal programs sought to bring relief, but Arthurdale was different—it wasn’t just about handing out jobs, it was about re-imagining a better life.

In 1933, Arthurdale was chosen as the first of nearly 100 subsistence homestead communities. Families would move into modest but well-built homes with small farms, giving them land to grow food, modern amenities they’d never had, and a chance to work cooperatively toward a brighter future.

Eleanor Roosevelt quickly became the heart and soul of Arthurdale. She personally championed the project, visiting often, speaking with families, and ensuring the community received resources and attention from Washington.

Her vision was not just about houses, but about dignity. Families were offered electricity, running water, and schools for their children. She wanted them to have the opportunity to learn skills, raise healthy families, and grow beyond poverty.

One of my favorite little details about her involvement is the way she even simplified the street system. Rather than confusing names, she insisted on straightforward designations: Each street was given and letter  A, B, R C, D. It may not sound glamorous, but it reflected her belief in practicality and accessibility. Even something as simple as a street name was thought through with the families in mind.

Walking through Arthurdale today, I could almost picture what life must have felt like in the 1930s. Families were given homes painted white with green trim, each with a garden plot and space for chickens or a cow. The community was built to encourage both independence and cooperation.

The school was one of the brightest spots. It didn’t just focus on academics but also on crafts, trades, and skills like weaving, woodworking, and farming. I could imagine the sense of pride children must have felt showing Eleanor Roosevelt their projects when she visited.

Of course, not everyone admired Arthurdale. The costs ran higher than expected, and detractors mockingly called it “Eleanor’s Folly.” Some argued it was too idealistic, or that the families chosen to live there were too carefully selected.

Unfortunately, the larger vision behind Arthurdale—the idea of building nearly a hundred of these communities across the country—never really took hold. Arthurdale remained unique, and the other 99 homesteads that were planned were never built. What was supposed to be a national model became instead a single, extraordinary experiment here in West Virginia.”

While statistics and government reports can tell one part of the Arthurdale story, it’s the families themselves who truly bring this history to life. Each home held memories of new beginnings, struggles, and triumphs. Eleanor Roosevelt didn’t just visit a project—she visited people. These families remind us what her vision was all about.

On July 1, 1934, Bill and Chris McNelis moved with their children, James and Louise, from Cassville into house F-12. For the first time, they had running water and an indoor bathroom—a simple comfort that transformed daily life.

Bill, a former coal miner, first worked as a watchman on the construction project and later as a carpenter’s helper. His children thrived in Arthurdale. Louise graduated in 1938, the year President Franklin D. Roosevelt delivered the commencement address and personally handed her diploma to her.

Her brother Jim’s story became part of Arthurdale legend. That same year, he was photographed in Life Magazine dancing the Virginia Reel with Eleanor Roosevelt, her favorite dance. In 1939, when Jim graduated, he and his classmates were invited to the White House. Teachers had given lessons in table manners ahead of time, but nerves got the better of the students. A kind waiter quietly reassured them, helping them enjoy the moment.

The  family made Arthurdale their permanent home. Bill and Chris lived there the rest of their lives and are buried in the community cemetery.

Orval and Edythe (Watkins) Pugh moved into house U-15 in 1935, newly married and ready to start their family. Their story was unique because they were the only Arthurdale family where both sets of parents were also homesteaders. Orval’s parents, Otis and Blanche, lived in Q-19, while Edythe’s parents, Jasper and Zana, made their home in F-8.

Their first child, Robert (“Bobby”), was born the following year, and family photographs show him as a little boy with a special love for animals. Edythe worked in the Administration Building and later as secretary to school principal Grant Nine for 25 cents an hour.

She also had an unforgettable encounter with Eleanor Roosevelt. One day, Eleanor arrived without her secretary and asked Edythe to type her My Day newspaper column. “Naturally, I was scared to death,” Edythe admitted, but Eleanor’s patience turned the moment into a cherished memory.

Orval served in the U.S. Air Force beginning in 1945, and the couple raised three sons—Robert, Thomas, and Jerry—each of whom went on to serve their country or community in significant careers. After Orval’s 20 years of military service, most of the family returned to West Virginia, bringing their journey full circle.

Stories like those of the McNelis and the Pughs remind us that Arthurdale wasn’t just a government project—it was a living, breathing community. Generations grew up here, learned here, danced with Eleanor Roosevelt, and carried the lessons of Arthurdale with them into the wider world.

Today, when you walk through the Arthurdale Heritage Museum or stand on one of those quiet streets named simply A, or  B, it’s these families and their stories that give the place its soul.

Arthurdale wasn’t just a project Eleanor Roosevelt supported from afar—she carried its spirit with her, even into the White House. On Thanksgiving Day in 1937, the Roosevelt family dined on a turkey raised right in Arthurdale.

In her My Day column published on November 26, 1937, Eleanor wrote:

“This is the first time we have been in the White House for Thanksgiving so we felt it was rather an historical occasion for us, and we observed all the traditional customs and ate more turkey than one should eat with kindly thoughts of the Arthurdale Homesteaders who sent it to us.”

That single turkey was more than a meal—it was a symbol of how the homesteaders’ efforts connected the little town of Arthurdale to the very heart of the nation.

The Arthurdale Heritage Museum is the best place to explore this history. I spent time walking through the preserved buildings, learning about the industries once located here, and even standing inside some of the original homestead homes. It was like walking into the past.

The museum tells not just the story of bricks and mortar, but of human resilience and Eleanor Roosevelt’s unwavering belief in people. Seeing photos of her with families, smiling as she toured homes, was moving—it wasn’t just a project to her, it was personal.

For me, visiting Arthurdale was more than just a stop on a trip—it was a reminder of what leadership with compassion can do. Eleanor Roosevelt’s touch is everywhere here, from the design of the homes to the simplest of street names.

Arthurdale may not have been perfect, but it gave families dignity and hope at a time when both were in short supply. That’s what makes it such a powerful symbol today. If you ever find yourself in West Virginia, take the time to stop here. Walking down Road A or Road B, you’ll see not just a town, but a dream that was once alive with possibility, and a First Lady who believed in making it real.

I also want to give thanks to the countless volunteers who devote their time and energy to preserving this history. Without their dedication, the story of Arthurdale—and the people who lived it—might have been forgotten.”

 Until Next Time!

Susan