Welcome
We hope you will take the time to get to know the Contentment Historical Complex.  Our wish is that you will want to visit the Complex and get a first hand experience of the many things we have to offer here.

The House

The Fayette County Historical Society Museum, otherwise know as The Contentment Historical Complex, had its beginning in 1960 when the Society Acquired the house which was the home of former Confederate Colonel, George W. Imboden,  from 1874 until his death in 1922.  He was the Commander of the 18th Cavalry during the civil war.  Originally built in 1930, the earliest known owners of the property on which the Fayette County Historical Complex stands were Mr. and Mrs. Aaron and Mediana McVey who purchased approximately 135 acres in 1845. 

According the the History of Fayette County West Virginia 1993, the house was one of two houses left intact after the Civil War.  The other house spared was the famous Tyree Tavern, also know as the halfway house.  Both sides had used the tavern as a headquarters at one time or another during the Civil War.

William A. Tyree purchased the property for his daughter, Mary Tyree, who was the wife of Col. George W. Imboden.  In 1974 Col. Imboden and wife Mary moved from Virginia to live in the pre civil war home now know as "Contentment".  Col George W. Imboden has served under General Robert E. Lee in the Confederate Army.

In February 1889, Mary died, and in December 1889, Colonel Imboden married Angelina Mildred Dickinson and bought her to his home.  It was Angelina (Angia) who named their home "Contentment" to express her feelings of being content and happy in her new home.

Colonel Imboden died in 1922, but Angia continued to live at "Contentment" until 1926 when she married Andrew Taylor, a local merchant, and moved with him to his home in Ansted.  After Angia moved, "Contentment" was left empty and was vandalized.  The furnishings were taken by those who wished to do so.

The original house consisted of six rooms.  Soon after the Colonel and first wife Mary moved into their home, an extra room was added at the west end which is now the formal parlor.  On the front porch, the porch was extended the length of the addition making the front porch the full length of the house.

The Fayette County Historical Society purchased the house in 1960 for $3,500.  Around 1960, George W. Eads and wife Marion who had lived and worked in Tulsa, Oklahoma, returned to Fayette County.  They both became interested in the Fayette County Historical Society thus the dream of Contentment becoming a cherished tourist attraction became a reality. The Society began to restore the house and furnish it with objects that would have been appropriate for that period of time when the Imboden's lived there.  The purpose was to collect and display materials to provide an opportunity for visitors to see and become more aware of how people lived, and to aid in the interpretation of life at the time.  The Imboden house would represent a middle-class home of the period - late 18th Century and early 19th Century.

Both George and Marion visited many museums in several states to make sure the home and furnishings would reflect life in the area during the 1800's.  Many other Fayette County residents worked hard to provide assistance and gather furnishings to make Contentment what it is today.

It must be noted that the kitchen on the back burnt in the 1950"s but the home was saved.  The kitchen was never replaced, however, when Mr. Eads and his many helpers were preparing "Contentment" as a tourist attraction they decided to remove the partition between two small bedrooms beside the dining room, build a fireplace with a mantel and thus have a kitchen in which to display lamps and cooking pots and pans, plus churns and other such items. 

The house was accepted for the National Register of Historic Places on December 30, 1974.  It is also listed on the Fayette County register of Historic Landmarks.

T
The Museum

Mr. Eads wanted a museum to display all the artifacts, tools, implements, and memorabilia that reflect early life. Mr. Eads persuaded the Sun Oil Co. to provide funds to build the museum.  Later this museum was named The George W. Eads museum.

The Eads Museum  houses and displays historic artifacts of the area.  These include Indian and Civil War relics, and tools, pictures and objects common to the area which represent things used in the home, on the farm, and in coal mines.

The Fayette County Board of Education donated two of the last one-room schools of Fayette County to the Historical Society.  The Minter and Koontz schools were then moved and reconstructed into our one-room school house.  The school is now named the Ivan and Grace Steele One-Room School House.

The one-room school house duplicates the kind of school in which early education was provided.  Inside will be found a typical school room setting of years gone by - student desks, teacher's desk and chair, the "Pot-bellied" stove, pictures, books, blackboard, some slates and other items used in early education.  The school building, being from the Fayette County area, links the present to the past and makes it possible for future generations to enjoy and learn from the experience of visiting the museum.  One feature includes panels on the walls listing names of about 600 former or present teachers of Fayette County.

The complex is open June through August, Wednesday through Saturday from 10 AM until 4 PM.  Months, days and times are subject to change and will be posted here. 
Admission is
$6 per Adult
$3  6 - 11 
Under 6 Free with paying Adult

The Contentment Historical Complex is a non profit tourist attraction.  Money from Fundraisers, donations and admissions are used toward the upkeep, running and repairs of the complex.  We welcome and appreciate any donations and volunteer help we receive.




Fayette County Historical Society is a non-profit organization under the laws of the State of West Virginia.