By Kendyl Bostic, serving with Arthurdale Heritage Inc.
History is a living thing. Through our day-to-day actions, we are all engaged in the process of its creation, both as individuals and communities. At the same time, our understanding of the history that came before us is always evolving as it is interpreted by narratives of the present and future.
The new temporary exhibit at Arthurdale Heritage, Treasured: Contemporary Reflections of Arthurdale focuses on the threads which connect Arthurdale’s past to its present and future. Through rare and magnificent objects either on loan or in the archival collection, Arthurdale connects these pieces of historic significance to current and future projects. As the exhibit explains, these objects represent the stories of individuals and families who called this town home and they “now challenge us to press onward, imagining what we will achieve together.”
In the year and a half that I have been an AmeriCorps member at Arthurdale Heritage, I have had the opportunity to assist with numerous projects and am excited about what the next few years hold for this vibrant community and the people who call it home. From restoring ruins to supporting learners of all ages, there is so much in the works here. Treasured creates links between Arthurdale’s history and some of the specific goals that our team will be focused on in the near future. A miner’s helmet from the Arthurdale Mining Company serves as a symbol of our efforts to become energy independent by installing solar panels, while two dresses woven by Dorothy Mayor Thompson represent our heritage programs and the renovations that will start in the weaving room within the next month.
When it was established in 1934, the Arthurdale project was meant to establish an independent community. Today, Arthurdale Heritage endeavors to continue that legacy and to become sustainable and self-sufficient. This will be done not only through classes and projects designed to help our community learn and preserve heritage skills but also through construction and organizational efforts to better utilize our space and support local small businesses.
I’m sure many people would agree with me when I say that being an AmeriCorps member is not always easy. Often, AmeriCorps members serve at small sites, like Arthurdale Heritage, where they are not only essential to the day-to-day functioning of that organization but are also working on longer-term projects - both as individuals and as members of the team at their site. For small nonprofits, it can be difficult to focus on the future and make big plans when it is hard enough just to survive financially from year to year. I am excited that at Arthurdale, we have reached this transition point where we can begin to really break ground on our big goals that for so long have been mere dreams. Arthurdale is still very small, and even being here every day, I’m not always sure how we manage to do what we do. The place that Arthurdale has now reached is a testament to all those who came before, from the original homesteaders who created this community, to the women who founded Arthurdale Heritage, and especially to the volunteers who have kept it going through the years. We hope now to do justice to their dreams and to stay true to the original vision of this community - that it will be a model for rural America and will show what a small town can accomplish.
In our new exhibit, you can learn not only about Arthurdale’s history but also about our organizational efforts and plans for the future. Treasured will be on display until January 13 from Monday-Friday 10-3.
