The First Arthurdale House

Arthurdale's 165 houses were built in three phases beginning in 1933, and the first 50 homesteaders moved into prefabricated cottage-style Hodgson houses in 1934. These kit houses were intended as summer homes, so insulation and a heating system had to be added, causing major cost overruns. Eleanor Roosevelt helped design the interiors, and the houses came partially furnished. The Kees house, lot E-2, was the first house completed. Its original owner was Arnold Malone, a member of the National Youth Administration, which focused on providing jobs and training to young adults ages 16-25. The local chapter paid NYA workers $6-$40 a month, primarily for work in community projects and agriculture. In 1942 Malone sold the house to the Kees family, who donated it to Arthurdale Heritage, Inc. in 2011.

Arthurdale, West Virginia · United States