W.E. Stone Memorial Clubhouse and Pool

Introduction

Text-to-speech Audio

For well over a century, Wheeling Park’s pool has been one of its primary attractions. The pool constructed by the amusement park that once occupied the site continued to be used in the first decade of Wheeling’s ownership of the park. It was replaced between 1936 and 1937, thanks to funding from the Works Progress Administration and W.E. Stone. This pool was again replaced in the late 1960s with the W.E. Stone Memorial Clubhouse and Pool that continues to serve Wheeling Park today.

Images

Postcard image of the first pool, which was replaced in the late 1930s.

W.E. Stone, for whom the Stone Memorial Clubhouse and Pool is named.

The pool today.

Water, Swimming pool, Property, Building

Backstory and Context

Text-to-speech Audio

When Wheeling Park first opened under the city of Wheeling, it still utilized the pool constructed when the site was still an amusement park. However, the pool was replaced in 1936-1937 thanks to Works Progress Administration (WPA) funding and a generous gift of $52,000 from W.E. Stone. Once completed, the new pool was the largest and most modern for miles. The WPA and Stone funded pool served Wheeling Park for over thirty years. One park employee estimated that the pool attracted between 75,000 and 80,000 swimmers each season.

In the late 1960s, new features were planned for Wheeling Park to accommodate public interest in expanded and year-round recreational facilities. One of these was the W.E. Stone Memorial Clubhouse and Pool, which was completed in 1968. It was the park’s second year-round facility and completely renovated the pool. Due to the z-shape of the new aquatic feature, it was able to serve swimmers of all types through fifty-meter lanes, a diving well, and a special area for beginning and child swimmers. A waterslide was added in 1979 and later upgraded to a tube slide. The pool has been renovated and updated extensively since the 1960s, though its general layout remains almost identical. Visitors to Wheeling Park can still enjoy the pool during warmer months, and the park also offers swim lessons and other aquatic programming. The clubhouse is open year-round.

W.E. Stone was once hailed in an Oglebay Institute meeting as “Wheeling’s First Citizen.” Stone was instrumental in establishing Wheeling’s Board of Trade and Chamber of Commerce, and also led the Wheeling Improvement Association. When Charles Sonneborn and Louis Haller offered to sell the site of Wheeling Park to Wheeling in 1924, Stone immediately offered the first $100,000 of the total $275,000 needed. In recognition of this generosity and his contribution to the 1937 pool, the 1968 pool and clubhouse were named in Stone’s honor.

Sources

History of Wheeling Park, Wheeling Park. Accessed February 16th 2021. https://oglebay.com/wheeling-park/history/.

Novotney, Steve. Memories of Monkeys at Wheeling Park, Weelunk. March 10th 2017. Accessed February 16th 2021. https://weelunk.com/memories-monkeys-wheeling-park/.

Wheeling Hall of Fame: Wilbur E. Stone, Ohio County Public Library. Accessed February 17th 2021. https://www.ohiocountylibrary.org/history/4162.

Wheeling Park, City of Wheeling, WV. Accessed February 12th 2021. https://www.wheelingwv.gov/directory/Parks-Recreation/wheeling-park.

Woody, Falicia. Wheeling Park and Oglebay Park Upgrade Pools, WTRF. May 30th 2017. Accessed February 17th 2021. https://www.wtrf.com/archives/wheeling-park-and-oglebay-park-upgrade-pools/.

Image Sources(Click to expand)

Weelunk. Accessed February 17, 2021. https://weelunk.com/memories-monkeys-wheeling-park/.

Ohio County Public Library. Accessed February 17, 2021. https://www.ohiocountylibrary.org/history/4162.

Baker, Jaime. 2019. WTOV. Accessed February 17, 2021. https://wtov9.com/news/local/pool-at-wheeling-park-opens.