Marvelous Maps of Wheeling Emma Wiley September 8, 2021 Can you find the coolest/weirdest/strangest detail on a map? Hint: You have to look closely...it’s all in the details. A map’s secrets depend on when the map was drawn, who made the map, and why the map was ...
The Many Lives of the 1400 Block of Market Street Emma Wiley September 6, 2021 The historic 1400 Block of Market Street has seen many businesses over the years, from restaurants and saloons to car companies and candy shops. Based on extant records and architectural styles, the current bui...
The Blacksmith Shop You’ve Missed While Sitting in Traffic on National Road Emma Wiley August 30, 2021 If you’ve driven down National Road recently, you may have noticed a bit of history suddenly uncovered. On the northern side of the road, across the street from Generations and Sibs Antique Store, a duplex hous...
Weelunk’s Top 10 Articles Written by Emma Wiley Weelunk Staff August 25, 2021 If you’re a local history buff, then you’ve probably enjoyed reading at least a few of the stories written by Emma Wiley in the last year. Emma is Wheeling Heritage’s AmeriCorp member through the Preservation A...
Help Us Solve History’s Mysteries: Landscape Edition Emma Wiley August 24, 2021 Do you recognize any of these people? These are all historic photos of Wheeling people, places, and things that need to be identified. Weelunk, Archiving Wheeling, and the Ohio County Public Library Archives ha...
The 13-Year-Old McLure Hotel Bellboy Who Became America’s “Hotel Man of the Half-Century” Emma Wiley August 18, 2021 Walking or driving down Market Street recently, you may have noticed some new activity at the McLure Hotel, including a new paint job, but the establishment has a much longer history. Originally named the McLur...
Henry Episode 6 Recap: The Schmulbach Legacy Katherine Leary August 17, 2021 What is the legacy of Henry Schmulbach? Over the course of the recaps for “Henry: The Life and Legacy of Wheeling’s Most Notorious Brewer,” many aspects of Henry Schmulbach’s effect on Wheeling have been explor...
Henry Episode 5 Recap: Prohibition in a “Rum Soaked City” Katherine Leary August 10, 2021 Today, the concept of prohibition seems almost ludicrous – making alcohol illegal sounds like an idea that was destined for the dustbin of history. But in episode five of “Henry: The Life and Legacy of Wheeling...
The Young Wheeling Doctor Who Captured WWI Through Photography Emma Wiley August 9, 2021 Dr. Raymond A. Tomassene was only 24 when he departed New York City on the ocean liner, La Touraine, bound for France. Fresh out of medical school, Tomassene was headed to the American Ambulance Hospital in Neu...
Henry Episode 4 Recap: Wide Open Wheeling Katherine Leary August 3, 2021 Throughout the episodes of “Henry: The Life and Legacy of Wheeling’s Most Notorious Brewer,” we’ve learned about the history of Henry Schmulbach and in doing so, gained a sense of who he was. Like most people, ...
Pre-Civil War Ledger Found in Downtown Wheeling Building…Here Are Some of the Names Inside Emma Wiley July 30, 2021 In April 2020, while many people were working from home and shutting down shops and businesses to ride out the global pandemic, April and Jay Arritt discovered an amazing historical gem while cleaning out their...
Help Us Solve History’s Mysteries: Patriotic WWII Workers Edition Emma Wiley July 28, 2021 Do you recognize any of these people? These are all historic photos of Wheeling people, places, and things that need to be identified. Weelunk, Archiving Wheeling, and the Ohio County Public Library Archives ha...
Henry Episode 3 Recap: The Mysterious Death of Hamilton Forsythe Katherine Leary July 27, 2021 True crime has never been a more popular genre. At-home sleuths love to travel back in time to investigate and ponder mysterious deaths. But for local true crime enthusiasts, did you know that we have an infamo...
Henry Episode 2 Recap: Saloons of Wheeling Katherine Leary July 20, 2021 Today, saloons are relics of the past, appearing in ghost towns and Western movies. But did you know that at one point in time there were 199 licensed saloons in Wheeling, with over 100 of those on Main S...
How a Wheeling Company Became One of the Country’s Largest Pharmaceutical Giants Emma Wiley July 19, 2021 Taking a first pass through Wheeling’s history, you would certainly notice the prevalence of industries such as glass, nails, stogies, and steel. Dozens of books have been written about the city’s factories and...
Henry Episode 1 Recap: Schmulbach’s Lasting Legacy Katherine Leary July 13, 2021 Many immigrant groups have made their mark on Wheeling and influence it to this day. But did you know that at one point Wheeling was known as a little German city? Episode 1 of “Henry: The Life and Legacy of...
How a Warwood Medical Couple Became Internationally Decorated Floriculturists Emma Wiley July 5, 2021 Over the years, Wheeling has been home to numerous award-winning people in various fields—from singers to actors to artists and more. However, not many Wheeling residents know that Warwood boasts two internatio...
Help Us Solve History’s Mysteries: Summer Edition Emma Wiley June 29, 2021 Do you recognize any of these people? These are all historic photos of Wheeling people, places, and things that need to be identified. Weelunk, Archiving Wheeling and the Ohio County Public Library Archives hav...
The Mysteries of Mabel: Journalist, Working Woman, and Mother Emma Wiley June 28, 2021 Mabel Hull first became a mystery due to a collection of her scrapbooks at the Ohio County Public Library. The scrapbooks primarily contain clippings of columns she wrote in the Wheeling News-Register and The P...
Three Random Patents and Inventions that Started in Wheeling Emma Wiley June 22, 2021 Ever have an idea for an invention? The first patent law in the US was the US Patent Act in 1790, right as Wheeling was growing as a young town.1 Check out some of these random patented innovations from Wheelin...
How Red Food and Drink Became a Staple of Juneteenth Betsy Sweeny June 19, 2021 From red meat to red velvet, red foods and drinks have been a staple since before the time of slavery. The Celebration On June 19, 2021, the Wheeling Community will gather to celebrate Wheeling’s third annual...
Wheeling, Westsylvania?: The Forgotten History of the “Almost” West Virginias Emma Wiley June 16, 2021 West Virginia Day is almost upon us and it is the 158th anniversary of West Virginia officially becoming a state. Approximately two years after deciding not to secede during the Civil War, West Virginia became ...
This Victorian Status Symbol is on Display at Oglebay Institute’s Glass Museum Betsy Sweeny June 9, 2021 Today the term status symbol evokes images of designer watches, an electric car, or even expensive sneakers. But in Victorian Wheeling, a vase for your celery was the way to let your dinner guests know you had ...
This Wheeling Bridge is the Oldest Surviving Bridge in West Virginia Emma Wiley June 2, 2021 The Elm Grove Stone Arch Bridge has become part of many Wheeling residents’ daily routines, connecting commuters to downtown and providing access to the main Elm Grove strip. Hundreds of cars pass over the Ston...
Solving History’s Mysteries: Nurses Edition Emma Wiley May 11, 2021 Do you recognize any of these people? These are all historic photos of Wheeling people, places, and things that need to be identified. Weelunk, Archiving Wheeling, and the Ohio County Public Library Archives ha...
The Day All of Wheeling’s Street Names Changed Emma Wiley May 10, 2021 Can you imagine the chaos if all of the street names and house numbers changed in Wheeling? The confusion, the misdirection, the lost residents? In July 1873, the Wheeling City Council passed an ordinance to do...
Help Us Solve History’s Mysteries!: Baseball Edition Emma Wiley April 28, 2021 A Partnership Between Weelunk, Archiving Wheeling, and the Ohio County Public Library Archives Do you recognize any of these people? These are all historic photos of Wheeling people, places, and things that ...
Three of the Funkiest Contests in Wheeling’s History Emma Wiley April 26, 2021 What is the weirdest contest that you’ve ever competed in? Throughout Wheeling’s history, there have been some funky contests—from twin-matching to babies and more! Some of the contests were just for fun, but s...
How an Ohio Valley Resident Became Black Baseball’s First Historian Emma Wiley April 23, 2021 Baseball is back in full swing for the season, and many of us are ready to take to the field or root for our favorite team as fans. While “America’s favorite pastime” has fostered interesting stories across the...
Spring Cleaning? How the Clean Blockers of the 1940s Can Inspire Today’s Volunteers Emma Wiley April 19, 2021 As flowers are blooming, seasonal allergies are flourishing, and warmer weather is in the air...so is spring cleaning. Today, members of Volunteer Wheeling can be seen cleaning the streets and organizing the co...
All Aboard!: The Streetcar Trolleys that Changed Wheeling Emma Wiley April 14, 2021 Seventy-one years ago, on April 14, 1948, the last streetcar of Wheeling made its final trip—its last day overshadowed by historic flooding on the Ohio River.1 Even though Wheeling’s streetcars may have ended q...
Remembering Reno: Wheeling Son Who Became a Military Leader Nathan Kosmicki April 9, 2021 Jesse L. Reno is most often remembered for his death at the battle of South Mountain. His death in service of the U.S. Army earned his namesake for Reno, Nevada, and several other western cities. But did you kn...
These Vintage Easter Ads Provide a Glimpse Into Wheeling’s Past Emma Wiley April 3, 2021 Easter dresses...Easter bonnets...For those who celebrate Easter, you know that your attire is important. Spring is in the air, a time of rebirth, out with the old, in with the new. Last year, when all of us we...
Wheeling’s Historic Female Doctors Emma Wiley April 1, 2021 “Doctress”...“Lady Doctor”...“Girl Doctor”...These are just a few of the peculiar titles that have been given to some of the historic Wheeling women who worked as physicians. Today, most of us don’t think twice...
Help Us Solve History’s Mysteries!: Women’s History Month Edition Emma Wiley March 26, 2021 A Partnership Between Weelunk, Archiving Wheeling, and the Ohio County Public Library Archives. Do you recognize any of these people? These are all historic photos of Wheeling people, places, and things that...
The Many Madonnas (of the Trail) Emma Wiley March 23, 2021 A Pioneer Woman The “Madonna of the Trail” statue on the edge of Wheeling Park along Route 40 is hard to miss. It has become an icon in Wheeling and has been featured prominently on everything from welcome sig...
COMIC: Rebecca Harding Davis – A True Pioneer Natalie Kovacs March 22, 2021 In honor of Women’s History Month, Weelunk is celebrating the contributions of author and journalist Rebecca Harding Davis. She is most known for writing Life in the Iron Mills, which was largely inspired by ex...
Adventures in the Archives: The YWCA Blue Triangle Collection Emma Wiley March 19, 2021 Wheeling and the greater Ohio County area has centuries of history...and therefore thousands of historical documents and other ephemera. So where does it all go? Short answer: the library. In addition to its...
Boiled Tongue and Pine Apple Cheese?: A 1852 McLure House Dinner Menu Emma Wiley March 8, 2021 Food is an integral part of human life. Not only is it what fuels and energizes our day, but food gathers people to share and connect in community. Everyone has a favorite dish and many of us still have fond me...
Mary B. Greene: The Ohio River’s Leading Lady (Part 2) Taylor Abbott March 4, 2021 By 1946, Mary was in her late 70s but still very much an active presence on the Gordon C. Greene. Only two years prior, her son Captain Chris Greene, who had taken the reigns of the Greene Line following the de...
Mary B. Greene: The Ohio River’s Leading Lady (Part 1) Taylor Abbott March 3, 2021 “When you marry a riverman, you marry the river too. That’s the code of steamboatin’.” -Mary B. Greene Owning steamboats and being a river captain in the late 1800s was not the most glamorous of lifestyle...
Lunch With Books Program Sheds New Light on Historic African American Leaders of Jim Crow Wheeling Seán Duffy and Erin Rothenbuehler February 27, 2021 As Black History Month 2021 draws to a close, we celebrate the fact that our history never ends – it marches on – and it is our duty to record it as accurately as we can. So when that record is incomplete, that...
Help Us Solve History’s Mysteries! Emma Wiley February 26, 2021 A Partnership Between Weelunk, Archiving Wheeling, and the Ohio County Public Library Archives Do you recognize any of these people? These are all historic photos of Wheeling people, places, and things that ...
The Blue Triangle Branch of the YWCA Emma Wiley February 25, 2021 The local Wheeling branch of the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) is well-known around the city for its services and impact on people’s lives. However, for over three decades between 1921 and 1956, Wh...
Wheeling’s Jazz Giant: Leon “Chu” Berry Reggie Watkins February 19, 2021 Wheeling has a reputation for being a country music hub. So much so that along the way the city earned the nickname “Little Nashville.” I grew up two doors down from Wheeling’s country music legends Doc and Chi...
The First Wheeling Wedding? Emma Wiley February 13, 2021 “I do hereby Certify that I have this day solemnized the Right of marriage between Mr. John McIngtur (McIntyre properly) and Miss Sarah Zane agreeable to an act of assembly in such case made and provided. Witne...
A Tennis Giant: Arthur Ashe at Oglebay Emma Wiley February 8, 2021 In July 1960, Wheeling had a 16-year-old visitor to the tennis courts of Oglebay. Few knew that this young African American boy would become one of the greatest American tennis players of all time. His name was...
Cumberland W. Posey: The Millionaire Industrialist You Probably Haven’t Heard Of Taylor Abbott February 2, 2021 Wheeling’s long association with the steel and coal industries is one of the defining parts of its storied history. The reasons for their early success can easily be attributed to its exceptional location along...
Uncovered in Photographs: The Children Who Worked Wheeling’s Factories Emma Wiley January 26, 2021 While Wheeling has a rich and proud history of organized labor, the issue and history of child labor is often overlooked. There are few records or histories examining or documenting child labor in Wheeling; the...
New Deal Projects at Oglebay Park Anna Cipoletti January 20, 2021 As a staple institution in the Wheeling community, Oglebay Park serves as a place for entertainment, recreation, history, and celebration. While many people are familiar with the history of Earl W. Oglebay and ...
