Dancers’ Choice Square Dance Club teaches Mayor Cam Clendenin and anniversary volunteers how to dance.

The Town of Eleanor celebrated ninety years of community this past weekend, August 15 and 16.

The weekend kicked off with an evening swim party at the Eleanor Pool on Friday. The Eleanor Pool has been operating since 1970, providing locals with a place to cool off and have fun in the summer months. The facility features two diving boards, a slide, and a kiddie pool for small children.

Saturday was an action-packed day in Eleanor. The morning started with a History Alive! presentation about the history of music in Appalachian culture as told through the fictitious life of Minnie Reed (portrayed by actress and historian Mary Dailey). The presentation was held at the Eleanor Library.

Visitors took tours of the Eleanor Town Hall throughout the morning and afternoon and learn about the structure’s rich history. The Homestead Room was converted into an art gallery featuring the work of local artists and artisans. The theme of the art competition was the Town of Eleanor – participants had to create pieces inspired by the town. Both adults and children could compete in the art show, with divisions based on grade levels for the children, and preferred medium for adult amateur and professional entries.

Winners of the art show included: Mixed Media – Kirk Collins (1st and 2nd) and Berna Darby (3rd); Watercolor – Berna Darby (1st) and Lavania Harrison (2nd); Pastel – Kirk Collins (1st and 2nd); Acrylic – Lavania Harrison (1st and 2nd); Oil – Tammy Tucker (1st), Haley Nutter (2nd), and Tonya Dolin (3rd); Pencil – Kirk Collins (1st and 2nd) and Tonya Dolin (3rd). Student winners included Penelope May for Grades K-4, and Hadley Wiseman for Grades 5-8. Quilt block squares were created by Brody Hescht, Sutton Hescht, Hilda Blankenship, Jasmine Shae Jodon, Iris Criner, and Every Hill.

Three artists with strong ties to Eleanor had featured exhibits in the Homestead Room. These included paintings of outdoor life by Pat Cross; wood bowls crafted by John DesMeules from fallen trees in the Eleanor Park; and fine glass paperweights and figurines by Tamarack artist Keith McClanahan.

Cross, an award-winning painter, showcased a collection of her paintings which had been inspired by life in Eleanor. Her painting “Dairy Queen Sunday” depicted a family riding bicycles – with the littlest one riding a tricycle – to get treats at the popular restaurant. “Mountain Bikers Rock” depicted bikers riding on the trails located at the Eleanor Park and Fairgrounds, and “Stepping Stone” captured a magical scene of a woman wading in Buffalo Creek, a stream which runs through the park. “Our Bird Sanctuary” and “Blue Heron Pit Stop” both showed the natural wonders of the bird sanctuary located on the Eleanor side of the Winfield Locks and Dam.

In addition to learning about the history of the Eleanor Town Hall and viewing the work of local artists, those attending the celebration could play bingo at the Eleanor Fire Department, or support the George Washington Elementary School music program through the Third Annual School Music Vendor Fair.

The evening’s entertainment included a performance by the North Putnam Community Band, a demonstration by Dancers’ Choice Square Dance Club, and live music by Not Quite Paradise.

One of three homestead communities built in West Virginia by the Roosevelt administration, the Town of Eleanor was established in 1934, with the first families moving into the community the following year. These homestead communities were meant to provide farmers and industrial workers who had been affected by the Great Depression with jobs, low-cost homes, and plots of land for sustenance farming. A total of 150 dwellings were built in the community of Red House Farms – later renamed Eleanor in honor of Eleanor Roosevelt, who made five trips to visit the project – along with a factory, canning plant, greenhouse, workshops, school, and free medical clinic. For entertainment, there were clubs for men and women, 4-H for children, sports teams, a harmonica band, parties, and square dances.

The Red House, a large two and a half story brick structure which was built around 1840, became the Eleanor Town Hall in 2001. Prior to the Civil War, the Red House was the home of Joseph Ruffner, one of the area’s first settlers. During the Great Depression, the Red House served as the homestead administration building. Today, the structure houses the town government, police department, and the Homestead Room, which can be rented out for events.