ARTHURDALE – If you would like to own a late 1950s vintage school desk or buy one as a Christmas gift, now is your chance. Arthurdale Heritage is selling about 50 of the desks for $15 apiece.
Darlene Bolyard, director of Arthurdale Heritage, Inc., (AHI) said the desks were used in the former Arthurdale School. “We own three of the school buildings,” she said. “The desks came from them.” She said the buildings housed the elementary school, middle school, high school and cafeteria.
Bolyard said the craft shop reopened in November. Everything other than the desks is made by a local resident or descendants of Arthurdale homesteaders, she said. “The items are donated.”
Bolyard said the tops of the desks could be painted with chalk board paint to entertain children or as a unique message board.
Other items in the craft shop include paintings by local artists, wooden items, handmade clocks, jewelry, jellies and jams, and a cutting board with a map of West Virginia on it.
The cutting board was crafted from wood from the center hall floor. “The floor Mrs. [Eleanor] Roosevelt danced on,” Bolyard said. Roosevelt served as the nation’s First Lady from March 1933 until April 1945. She was the longest serving First Lady of the United States. Her husband, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, served four terms in office.
There’s also plenty to look at in the Arthurale museums, while you stop to do some shopping.
Although it is not for sale, Bolyard said Arthurdale Heritage now owns a second Co-Op Tractor. The tractor was bought by supporters and given to the museum. Co-Op Tractors were manufactured by the Arthurdale Farm Equipment Corporation for four years. The company incorporated in West Virginia in June 1938.
“They made three different types of tractors. We now have two of them,” she said.
Bolyard said thanks to the generosity of donors, the Preston County Commission and volunteers, the gift shop was repainted. She said this year $110,000 was donated to Arthurdale Heritage. Two anonymous donors donated $25,000 and the commission gave $2,500.
“Along with painting the craft room, we were able to replace the windows in the main hall and the roof over the craft shop,” she said. “We were also able to replace two of the furnaces and restore the interior of one of our museum houses.”
Along with volunteers, the AmeriCorps Hands on Team (HOT) also worked on the projects.
“These are wonderful young people trained in restoration skills. They re-glazed the windows, painted, did stone masonry work, worked on the steps and did wood restoration,” Bolyard said.
Preston County Commissioner Dave Price said it is the volunteers and the historical societies that make things happen.
“Arthurdale Heritage is doing a good job. It’s their volunteer base that makes it work,” he said. Price said the historical societies located around the county work very hard. “There are a lot of people working to save our history, and it’s a good thing,” he said.
The craft shop is open 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
