History of Homestead

The Tygarts Valley Homesteads in West Virginia started in 1933, as part of the Division of Subsistance Homesteads, and Franklin D. Roosevelt's "New Deal". The Homestead project was developed to help farmers, miners, and lumber workers hit hard by the Great Deprssion, by establishing them in their own homes and then providing new ways of life.

For local planning of the project, the Tygarts Valley Association was organized in early 1934. Land was obtained in the Dailey and Valley Bend areas. By the end of March 1934, the first ten Homesteaders had been chosen and construction began. Each man was to work three days a week for cast (30 cents an hour) and three days for credit to be applied on the ultimate purchase of his home.

Cooperative work within the community included a lumber mill, stone quarry, community building, potatoe storage area, farm, cemetery, weaving shop, woodworking shop, grocery store, and service station. These jobs helped the Homesteaders earn an income and credits toward the purchase of their homes.

As more families populated the area, the need for a large school became evident. During the early years of the homestead Project, children attended one or two room schools located on or near the project. If children were of high school age,they went to Beverly High School or Tygarts Valley High School in Mill Creek. From the very beginning of the Homestead Project, it was the intention of all concerned, that a new community school be built. In 1939, the construnction of Homestead School fullfilled that intent.

Homestead school was a modern brick structure that was well planned and equipped and was the finest school in the county, at that time. It educated children in grades 1-9. The school replaced the small schools of Dailey, Steiner, West Side, East Side, Glade Run and Thomas. A nutritionist who came to assist with the Homestead Project in the summer of 1935, recommended that the following meals be served to the children at the school: one cottage cheese sandwich on whole wheat bread, one jelly sandwich on white bread, one apple and milk, or one ground carrot sandwich, one mashed bean sandwich on whole wheat bread, applesauce, and milk.

Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt showed a strong interest in the Homestead project from its inception. Congressman (later Senator) Jennings Randolph helped the Tygarts Valley Association get federal monies for the building of Homestead School. Both Mrs. Roosevelt and Mr. Randolph returned for the first commencement ceremony of Homestead School in 1940. Senator Randolph returned in 1989, 50 years later, for the 50th graduation service (Kgn. and 6th grade graduation) at Homestead School.

Today, in 2004, Homestead School is still an important part of the communities of Dailey, East Dailey and Valley Bend. The school provides an excellent education for the children of the area, many of whom are the descendants of the early Homesteaders. At any school function, one can see someone looking at the "old pictures lining the walls". It is a positive aspect of our school that we are proud of keeping in touch with the "old" and progressing into the future for the betterment of our children. We believe that philosophy is "The Right Mix".