Although coal companies consciously tried to hire married men to reduce turnover in their workforce, many unmarried men were also hired. Many of these men were required to live in the company's boarding houses, under the direct supervision of a boarding house boss.

The first such structure in Heilwood for this purpose was built in the fall and winter of 1905. The building would be a two-story, 24-room, wood-framed building, costing almost $2,000. This would be called Boarding House #1.

W. L. Johnson of Lycippus (Westmoreland County), Pennsylvania would be the builder. In addition to the boarding house, Johnson would construct (in early 1906) a detached wash house behind the main building (see top picture). This structure was 16' x 24' x 8' and cost an additional $227.

Following this, Johnson would add a front porch - 9' wide x 50' long - to the front of the building (see pictures) at a cost of $130.

Insurance on the completed building would be taken out with the agency of Forrest R. Miller and Harry W. Dumm from Barnesboro (Cambria County), Pa.

Boarding House #2 was built around 1909-1910, and was located adjacent to the original school building south of town. The exact size and builder of Boarding House #2 is not yet known.

Boarding House #3, located about a half mile south of town, was built around 1910-1911 and had 16 rooms. This location was near Mines #2 and #3 and Leone's Store - otherwise known as the "#2 Area".

Boarding House #1 was purchased in 1948 by the Rossi family.