Arthurdale Heritage

Arthurdale Heritage will reimagine their current museum space and install a new permanent exhibition at the historic site of Arthurdale, West Virginia, the nation’s first New Deal community. The reimagined museum space will interpret the history of Arthurdale and, more broadly, the Great Depression in rural America. Arthurdale Heritage will hire a contractor to complete the exhibition fabrication work and purchase and install new exhibit interactives, interpretive panels, iPads for digital interactives, and museum furniture. This project will transform the museum into a self-guided experience, with updated displays, hands-on interactive elements, and immersive spaces. Project results include improved accessibility and engagement for visitors of all ages and abilities, fostering a new understanding of community, work, and reform in rural communities. This project will benefit approximately 7,000 visitors annually who are residents of Preston and Monongalia Counties, WV, as well as out-of-state visitors who come from all over the country.