Are you ready for another episode of Wheeling Haunts? This week, Cassie and Alex stick around in East Wheeling to visit another home whose owner has a hair-raising story to tell. We also learn that this home was once the primary residence of Major Alonzo Loring: “one of Wheeling’s most prominent citizens.”
Is there a connection between these two tales? You’ll have to listen and decide for yourself!
About Major Alonzo Loring
One of the most profound owners of the house we’re visiting this week is Major Alonzo Loring. In the late 1830s, while traveling from his home state of New York to Chicago with his father, Alonzo stopped in Wheeling where he decided he wanted to remain; He was attracted to Wheeling’s industrial potential. Alonzo would go on to become “one of the best known, most generally esteemed, and most public-spirited citizens of Wheeling.”
In his younger years, he was interested in politics and served in the Mexican-American War. During his time in Wheeling, he also worked as a clerk at a dry goods store. He was elected as Clerk of Courts of the Circuit court and later elected Sheriff of Ohio County. In 1864, he became one of the co-owners of Benwood Iron Works which was later purchased by the Wheeling Iron and Steel Company.
Although he lived in East Wheeling, he eventually sold his home on 15th Street and moved to Monument Place in Elm Grove. Despite being a Confederate sympathizer in a region that was actively succeeding from Virginia to join the Union, he was somehow able to solidify his place in history and become known as having “integrity of purpose, unflinching determination, and untiring energy.”
An Eerie East Wheeling Haunting
So, is the ghost of Alonzo Loring haunting the halls of his former home in East Wheeling? In this week’s episode, Will Wallace, the current owner of this East Wheeling home shares a bone-chilling story that involves flashing lights, a chill in the air, and a tightening around his neck. You’ll have to listen to yourself and decide whether or not you think it was Alonzo.
Be sure to listen to the end of the episode for some fun side stories that Will shares from his time working underground as a coal miner.
Get Your Wheeling Haunts Merch
Get ready for Halloween with some fresh Wheeling Haunts merch! Whether you want to snuggle up in a cozy crewneck or rid your home of unwanted spirits with our energy-cleansing candle, we have a little something for everyone! All artwork for the podcast was designed by local artist Alex Wright.
Order your Wheeling Haunts merch by visiting artisancenter.com.
Share Your Haunted Stories!
Do you have chilling tales from your own home in Wheeling? We want to hear about it! Leave us a voicemail for your chance to be featured on an upcoming episode of the Wheeling Haunts podcast. Click here to leave us a voicemail. Our final episode of the podcast will be a special episode with listener stories, fun guest interviews, and more!
Wheeling Haunts is a new podcast produced by Wheeling Heritage Media. Each Monday in October, we release a new episode featuring a different Wheeling home that has some spooky history attached to it. You can listen right here on Weelunk, or wherever you get your podcasts.
• Wheeling Heritage Media creates a variety of multimedia experiences in order to tell Wheeling’s story, both past and present. Through videos, podcasts, photos, and more, they create content and provide digital access to help more people feel connected and engaged with this vibrant, growing community
