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Stadium Terrace Housing Development

Introduction

Text-to-speech Audio

Constructed in 1939, West Virginia architect H. Rus Warne designed one of the first public housing facilities known in West Virginia. Featuring twenty-five identical double houses of wood frame construction.


Images

  • Image of Stadium Terrace Housing during building of U.S. Mine Safety and Health Administration building.
  • Image of Sugar Creek Coal Company housing. These houses would late be replaced during the "New Deal" by one of the first housing developments in U.S. history.

Backstory and Context

Text-to-speech Audio

During the depression, the town of Mount Hope would suffer more than any other town found in the heart of the coal fields. Elenor Roosevelt would tour the region viewing firsthand how the depression was affecting Appalachia.  Her travels would lead her appeals when approaching her husband to begin a project which would provide adequate housing for low-income families.  Three areas of West Virginia were chosen to build the first income-based housing development.  After successful completion of the Huntington, Charleston and Mount Hope developments, as well as some developments in Texas, the project was determined to be a success.  This would lead the government to create the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development.  The Stadium Terrace Apartments are last standing pilot project apartments in the country.