Classroom

The Victoria Theater opened in 1904. &nbsp;Originally built to host Vaudeville shows, the theater served as a stage for live performances&nbsp;and later showed films once they rose to popularity. &nbsp;With enough room to seat 700 the Victoria Theater was capable of drawing a crowd for any live event held there. &nbsp;During the golden age of radio the theater was home to the WWVA Jamboree radio show. Beginning in 1933, WWVA Jamboree first aired live performances of local country and bluegrass musicians. &nbsp;The Jamboree helped many musicians obtain fame and also spread the area's music across the country. &nbsp;In 1934 the Victoria Theater became host of&nbsp;the WWVA Jamboree following its initial success. &nbsp;With the Jamboree finding a new home the performances could be shown before an even larger live audience while also being played over the radio. &nbsp;In 1936 the WWVA Jamboree hosted a live outdoor show at what is today Wheeling Island Stadium which drew a crowd of five thousand country music fans. &nbsp;This live event is now considered&nbsp;the precursor to Jamboree in the Hills, a country music festival held in nearby Morristown, Ohio. &nbsp;WWVA Jamboree radio show is the second longest running country radio program behind only the Grand Ole Opry. Despite the massive success of the Jamboree it only called the Victoria Theater home for one year. &nbsp;Following the Jamboree's departure in 1934 the Victoria Theater returned to showing movies and other live performances, which continued for the next eighty years. &nbsp;Today, the Victoria Theater still exhibits local country and bluegrass artists by offering live shows to the public.

View from the upper balcony overlooking the stage

Part one of a two part PBS documentary on WWVA Jamboree

Video

Wheeling's Victoria Theater is the longest operating theater in the state.  In the past it served as home to the WWVA Jamboree.  While hosting the WWVA Jamboree radio shows it also served as the venue for many live shows by country and bluegrass musicians, some who quickly gained fame and others who never caught the pubic's eye.  Despite the WWVA shows coming to an end the Victoria Theater still manages to draw a crowd by hosting live music performances.

Victoria Theater

This walking tour travels down Main and Market Street and includes numerous historic buildings and landmarks before heading back towards the starting point. Wheeling has a rich history, serving as the location of the conventions that made West Virginia a new state, the two-time capital of West Virginia, and an industrial epicenter of West Virginia.

The Wheeling Baltimore &amp; Ohio Railroad Passenger Station was designed by M. A. Long, who worked for the B&amp;O Office of Engineering. The station originally had a two-story waiting area in the central location of the building. Although the station was completely&nbsp;remodeled in 1976, the outside&nbsp;architecture and style remain the same. Wheeling became a bustling industry town, with its population of 13,986 in 1860, to 30,737 in 1880; this rise in population and industry called for better facilities to accommodate the growing amount of people. In 1906, over 100 passenger trains left and entered Wheeling every day, and it was decided that a new passenger station would be built with an accommodating viaduct.&nbsp; The Wheeling&nbsp;Baltimore &amp; Ohio Railroad Passenger Station opened in September of 1908. The electricity for the station was generated using steam where the current library for WVNCC is&nbsp;located today. The inside of the building was described as very elegant with the two-story lobby having a colored glass dome ceiling, marble floors and wainscot, brass and wrought iron chandeliers and sconces, scarlet colored walls, oak trim, and cast iron stair wells. The train tracks were elevated because the area was prone to flooding. Therefore passengers would purchase their tickets in the first-floor lobby and board the train on the second. The railroad industry hit its peak in Wheeling during the 1920s, and gradually declined in the 1930s and 1940s.&nbsp;In 1962, passenger trains stopped running to and from&nbsp;Wheeling, WV. However, freight trains still use the viaduct today. The building was sold to a private owner who had a bar in the 4th floor, the Blue Caboose until the state bought the building in 1975. In 1976, the building was reopened as West Virginia Northern Community College. The exterior of the station was restored, and the inside of the building now contains offices, an auditorium, classrooms, and a student activities center.&nbsp; The Alumni Association for WVNCC has preserved the Wheeling B&amp;O Passenger Station by&nbsp;maintaining a large collection of B&amp;O memorabilia in their museum. The Alumni's museum belongs to the&nbsp;West Virginia Association of Museums and contains&nbsp;1,000 pieces of Hazel Atlas Glass and a small collection of Viking Glass manufactured in the New Martinsville area.&nbsp;

In 1853, the B&O Railroad arrived in Wheeling with the first passenger station located at the mouth of Big Wheeling Creek on the Ohio River. The rising number of train passengers called for a new passenger station, and construction on the new building began in 1906. However, the major flood of 1907 delayed the project until the doors opened on September 3, 1908. The station was very modern for its time and had an internal telephone system, steam heat, indoor plumbing, and electric elevators. In 1962, passenger trains stopped running to Wheeling, and the building was sold to a private owner who opened a bar on the 4th floor. The state of West Virginia purchased the station in 1975, and in 1976 the building was reopened as West Virginia Northern Community College. 

B&O Railroad Passenger Station

The building was constructed between&nbsp;1853 and 1854 and designed to serve as a&nbsp;warehouse for Crescent Manufacturing Company. This Wheeling-based company produced&nbsp;iron rails and other materials for&nbsp;the neighboring B &amp; O Railroad. The
company utilized&nbsp;the first and second stories of the building. They&nbsp;rented the
top floor out as a theater called&nbsp;the Athenaeum. The theater opened&nbsp;in
January 1855 and was quite&nbsp;popular throughout the&nbsp;Wheeling area, with residents traveling many miles to attend performances of&nbsp;“Uncle
Tom’s Cabin” and other traveling shows. The Athenaeum even included&nbsp;performances by Edwin Booth, brother of John Wilkes Booth. The Athenaeum's&nbsp;first performance&nbsp;was on Jan. 27, 1855, and was provided by a traveling show company. A heating system was installed for the customers' comfort as they watched the various shows provided by the theatre.&nbsp;According to one of the local Wheeling&nbsp;newspapers, the theater was one of the best between the Allegheny Mountains and Chicago. "In April 1856, the managers tried to attract a better class of audience and provided omnibuses to take the gentry home after the performance. Police were stationed in the theater to discourage the riff-raff, and the admission charge was 50 cents for the parquette and dress circle and 25 cents for the balcony."1&nbsp;

During the war, the Union used the building as a prison, referred to many as the&nbsp;Athenaeum&nbsp;prison or "Lincoln's Bastile."&nbsp;In the fall of 1861, 50 secessionist prisoners from Camp
Carlile, the Union training camp on Wheeling Island, took over the second floor
of the building. These first prisoners only stayed a few days until they were moved
to Camp Chase near Columbus, Ohio. By December of 1861, prisoners would number close
to a hundred some days, and this presence effectively closed the theater. It
was at this time that the name “Lincoln’s Bastille” began being used by rebel
prisoners. While the first prisoners housed here were mainly Confederates, by
1863 as more Union prisoners arrived, the United States military took over the
entire building for more space to keep the prisoners separated. The government
worked to make the prison self-sufficient, adding kitchens, barracks, and a
hospital to the property. The prison held captured Confederate prisoners, rebel
spies, court-martialed Union soldiers, civilians who refused to pledge their oath
of allegiance, and bushwhackers. Numbers of prisoners held at The Athenaeum would
range from 50-60 to well over a hundred at times.

Sick and wounded soldiers would be taken care of at the
prison by visiting Sisters of St. Joseph from nearby Wheeling Hospital. These
sisters played a large part in the history of nursing in West Virginia as they
performed the first nursing duties in the state in Wheeling. The sisters would
care for soldiers from both the North and the South at The Athenaeum. As the
war went on, the small hospital at the prison became overcrowded, and so on
March 31, 1864, 45 patients were moved to Wheeling Hospital, which had by this
time been taken over by the military as well. 

The Athenaeum prison closed in 1865. After the war, a malt
storage was housed in the basement and Mr. Fairfax, the architect of the city
of Wheeling, had a small office in an adjoining building. In October of 1868
The Athenaeum caught fire and burned to the ground. It was the largest fire in
Wheeling’s history at the time. &nbsp;The
inadequacy of the Wheeling fire department to save the building prompted them
to make improvements and purchase steam fire engines. While only surviving
fourteen short years, this building played a large part in the Civil War
history of West Virginia. It is now largely forgotten and a private park now
stands in its place today. &nbsp;

This site was home to a building that housed both a warehouse and theater known as the Athenaeum. During the Civil War, the Union converted the building into a prison that held Confederate prisoners as well as a few Union deserters. Known as “Lincoln’s Bastille” among local residents, the history of this building offers a window towards understanding the nature of the war in this divided but mostly pro-Union section of West Virginia. The building was used as a warehouse for three years after the war. When it was destroyed by fire in 1868, it was the largest fire in the city's history to that time. 

The Athenaeum - "Lincoln's Bastille"

The Battle of Philippi was little more than a skirmish between Union and Confederate partisans, but its occurrence on June 3, 1861 has led to its historic distinction as the "first land battle" of the American Civil War. At the time, Philippi held some measure of strategic importance to both Union and Confederate supporters due to its location on the Baltimore-Ohio Railroad. Just before dawn on the day of June 3, 1861, Union and Confederate forces clashed in Philippi. Outnumbered, Confederate forces began a quick and steadfast retreat from the area; so quickly was their retreat that it became known as the "Philippi Races." Following the Battle of Philippi on June 3rd 1861, General Garnett retreated south to Laurel Mountain. The retreat was due to a suprised artillery stike from the union, the retreat later became known as the "Philippi Races."&nbsp;General Garnett was able to make camp with his roughly 3500-4500 men, with the goal of stopping the advancement of Union troops. Under orders from General McClellan, General Thomas A. Morris began to march his 5000 troops from Philippi to Belington. The battle started on July 7th 1861, and ended with a Confederate retreat.1General Robert S. Garnett survived the Battle of Laurel Hill, but died of a gunshot wound at Corrick’s Ford on July 13th 1861. &nbsp;While retreating the Confederate troops were attempting to cross the Cheat river. General Garnett was shot while commanding the rear guard.&nbsp; General Garnett was the first general to die in the American Civil War. The remaining Confederate soldiers fled and abandoned large quantities of equipment.2&nbsp; Generals McClellan and Morris both survived the war. Garnett's death led to McClellan's rise to power, and ultimately the Union winning the war.&nbsp;The Battle of Rich Mountain&nbsp;was set when McClellan moved his forces from Clarksburg to meet John Pegram's Confederate troops, reaching Rich Mountain on July 9th. Meanwhile, Thomas&nbsp;Morris's union brigade marched from the town of Philipi to confront Garnett's Confederate brigade on Laurel Hill leaving two key roads blocked, which hampered McClellan's attempts to travel east.&nbsp;while Rosecrans led his newly reinforced Brigade down a rather dangerous mountain path in order to seize the&nbsp;Staunton-Parkersburg Turnpike on July 10th. This battle finally began on July 11th, with McClellan's forces fighting against both Pegrams and Garnett's while he made the risky move of sending Rosecran's soldiers on the mountain path in hopes of attacking the rebel soldiers at their flank, marching in the pouring rain, Rosecran was finally successful in attacking the Confederate's wing. This caused the southern forces to begin falling back, and McClellan began shelling their forces, though the expected assault by McClellan's forces never came to fruition.&nbsp; Rather short, the battle&nbsp;only lasted two hours, but it was still a large victory for the Union. The fighting split Confederate forces in two, with half succeeding in retreating to the town of Beverly. But some were not so lucky.&nbsp;&nbsp;With his own&nbsp;retreating path blocked off, Pegram and his remaining force of over 500 soldiers had no other choice than to surrender to northern troops on July 13th, while&nbsp;Garnett perished while fighting at Corrick's Ford on the same day. Casualties of the battle differ from source to source. With some saying both sides lost around 70 soldiers, others say that Confederate losses were up to 300, while the Union only lost 46 troops.&nbsp; On July 11,&nbsp;1861,&nbsp;&nbsp;General George B. McClellan's successful surprise attack on Rich Mountain and his army's ability to control&nbsp;the turnpike led to the withdrawal of Confederate troops from the area. Union troops dug trenches around Butcher Hill (Mt. Isner) and built numerous fortifications around the town. Troops also utilized&nbsp;homes and public buildings throughout the town, especially during the winter months of occupation. The Lemuel Chenoweth House was one of many used to house officers and care for the sick and wounded. This home is&nbsp;located next to the Beverly covered bridge and is open for tours. Despite the Southern sympathies of many residents throughout the area, Beverly and the surrounding area would be controlled by the Union for most of the war.&nbsp;However, Confederate raiders were able to persist throughout the area, making the Civil War in this section of West Virginia a local affair that divided residents during and after West Virginia secured statehood on June 20, 1863. The battle at Corricks Ford took place on July 13th, 1861 along the Cheat River as part of the western Virginia campaign. By later standards, the battle was a minor skirmish, and was thought to be the final part of the Battle of Rich Mountain. This was the end of a seriers of battles between the forces of Union General George B.&nbsp;McClellan and Confederate General Robert S. Garnett. McClellan had defeated part of Garnett's on July 11, 1861 during the Battle of Rich Mountain. On the hearing of the defeat, Garnett fell back toward Virginia with approximately 4,500 men around midnight that night. Garnett began to march towards Beverly, but had recieved false information implying that McClellan's men occupied the town. The Confederates then backtracked, and abandoned their efforts to secure the&nbsp;Staunton-Parkersburg Turnpike, and trekked over Cheat Mountain towards the Cheat River Valley. General Thomas A. Morris then pursued the Confederates&nbsp;with the&nbsp;14th Indiana Infantry on July 13th, 1861, and took over Garnett's forces that were located along the Cheat River. Garnett took it upon himself to guard the rear of the forces with means to delay the Union attacks as the Confederates were retreating. Garnett was shot off of his horse and became the first General to die in battle. Due to the Confederate's retreat and Garnett's death, the Union had sole control over the&nbsp;Staunton-Parkersburg Turnpike and ultimately western Virginia.

This historic marker commemorates the start of the Civil War in the future state of West Virginia and is part of the West Virginia Civil War Trails series of historic markers. The marker includes a brief history of the war and the creation of the state of West Virginia. In August of 1861, Confederate General Robert E. Lee tried but failed to occupy the western part of Virginia. Union and Confederate armies both campaigned throughout western Virginia in the next few years, guarding rail lines and mountain passes while also launching offensives aimed at controlling key areas and rallying the populace to their side. By June, 1863  the western counties under the control of the Union became the 35th state West Virginia.  

Civil War Historic Marker

<div>Pierpont was the third son of Francis Pierpont, being born at the family's plantation along the Cheat River on the Morgantown-Ices Ferry Road in Monongalia County (West) Virginia. Young Francis' middle name, "Harrison," was added later by the boy's father in honor of his former commanding officer, General William Henry Harrison. Pierpont, the original family name, was altered to Peirpoint in the land office at Richmond, VA in issuing patents for land deeded to his grandfather. The family was advised, by Virginia lawyers, that in order to hold their grandfather's land they must spell their last name as recorded in the patent. His father used the name Peirpoint throughout all of his life. Francis Harrison also utilized Peirpoint throughout most of his adult life including during his terms as the Civil War and Reconstruction Governor of Virginia. In 1880, when President Garfield appointed him Collector of Internal Revenue, Peirpont sent his name to the U.S. Senate as Francis H. Pierpont. Pierpont writes that "He consented to the change of his name because it was right.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Pierpont grew up in Fairmont, which is in Marion County, WV and graduated from Allegheny College. While studying to become a lawyer he was a teacher in Virginia. His first appointment as an attorney after passing the bar was for the B&amp;O Railroad. He eventually became more involved with politics around 1840 as a supporter of the Whig party. He was a heavy supporter of Abraham Lincoln, when Virginia seceded from the Union and entered the Confederacy. Working in support of Lincoln’s administration, he focused on raising support for the Union, promoted “free schools”, and focused on extending constitutional rights to the freed men which would come about with the abolition of slavery from the Emancipation Proclamation.</div><div>	 &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Pierpont and other politicians from the thirty-two northwest Virginia counties would met at the Wheeling Convention, in which he became the provisional governor, to discuss a repeal of Virginia’s secession from the United States. The first meeting in May of 1861 would establish a portion of northwest Virginia as the Restored government of Virginia and draft a new Virginia Constitution. When the Second Wheeling Convention came to order, Pierpont was unanimously elected governor on June 20, 1861. He would eventually be reelected for a second term on May 28, 1963. During his second term, the Wheeling government submitted by popular vote for the creation of a new and separate state. Pierpont was one who fought hard during this time for a separation of North and South.</div><div> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;West Virginia would be the name of the new state and became part of the Union on June 20, 1863.	With a new state created, Arthur Boreman would become the first governor. Pierpont became the governor of the Restored government of Virginia once again. He would eventually become the Governor of Virginia during the Reconstruction period after the Civil War. In 1868 was relieved by Henry H. Wells as governor and he returned back to his law practice in West Virginia. </div><div>	&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Not long after his return to West Virginia he was elected to the House of Delegates as a Republican member in 1870 where he served one term. He would eventually retire from politics and public office after a stint as a collector for the Internal Revenue under President James Garfield. After retiring he would go to help create the West Virginia Historical Society. Francis Harrison Pierpont died at his daughter’s home in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on March 24, 1899. To show recognition of his importance to state history, West Virginia donated a statue of Pierpont to the U.S. Capitol’s National Statuary Hall Collection. Also on June 20, 2015, West Virginia Day, he received another statue unveiled in his recognition at Independence Hall in Wheeling, WV.</div>

Francis H. Pierpont was an American lawyer who was born in Morgantown, WV. Pierpont gained recognition during the Civil War as an active supporter of Abraham Lincoln and the Union. He adamantly opposed Virginia’s secession from the Union, and would lead the effort of some Virginia counties to secede from Virginia and create their own pro-Union state. As a result, Pierpont is often referred to as the “Father of West Virginia.” 

Francis H. Pierpont Statue

The Wheeling Custom House opened in 1859, and is one of the oldest structures still standing with large rolled wrought iron sections in it's framing. The developers used an wrought iron frame as opposed to wood, because of the many devastating fires that had previously happened in larger cities. Supervising Architect of the U.S. Treasury from 1852 to 1865, Ammi B. Young, designed the Wheeling Custom House under Captain Alexander H. Bowman from the U.S. Department of Treasury. Young's design was so solid, that there have been no major changes, except for the roof, since 1861.  Wheeling was named as a port of entry in 1831, and became a bustling industry town. This resulted in the B&amp;O Railroad laying track through Wheeling in 1852 . The city became a critical transportation center with the National Road, and had the first bridge across the Ohio River, the Wheeling Suspension Bridge. These industries called for the need of federal buildings in the city of Wheeling, and the custom house doubled as a post office. However, the Wheeling Custom House became nationally significant during the Civil War era when it housed the the pro-Union state conventions of Virginia in the spring and summer of 1861, the capitol of loyal Virginia from June 1861 until June 1863, and the site of the first constitutional convention for West Virginia from November 1861 to February 1862, and the recalled session of the convention in February 1863. <blockquote>"Its completion, coinciding with the beginning of the Civil War, provided a facility for heated political discussions and constitutional conventions that led to eventual statehood for West Virginia in 1863. Here, issues dividing many Virginians - slavery being one of many - were debated, compromised and shaped into the skeleton of statehood."1</blockquote> Sectionalism between the eastern and western parts of Virginia started long before the Civil War era, and calls for secession started in the late 1820s at the constitutional convention of 1829-1830 in Richmond, VA due to white male suffrage and misrepresentation in the General Assembly. This issue of slavery became a prominent issue following Nat Turner's rebellion in 1831. Some abolitionists wanted to end slavery because of moral issues, but the majority of western Virginia abolitionists wanted to capitalize and profit by turning slaves' work into paying jobs for white males. During the constitutional convention of 1850 to 1851, held in Richmond, all white males over the age of twenty-one were given the right to vote regardless of whether they owned property, and approved the election of the governor and judges by the people. Delegates during this convention also agreed to a provision that allowed property to be taxed at its total value, except for slaves, who were to be valued at rates well below their actual worth. Abraham Lincoln won the presidential election of 1860 without support from the South, which kick-started the southern states seceding from the Union.  <blockquote>"It is our duty on an occasion like this to elevate ourselves into an atmosphere, in which party passion and prejudice cannot exist - to conduct all our deliberations with calmness and wisdom, and to maintain, with inflexible firmness, whatever position we may find it necessary to assume." - John Janney of Loudoun County at the Virginia General Assembly of 1861.2</blockquote>The majority of delegates representing the state of Virginia opposed secession until President Lincoln issued a call for 75,000 troops to put down the rebellion of Confederates following the surrender of Fort Sumter in 1861. In a vote of 88 to 55, Virginia left the Union with their Ordinance of Secession. Representative from the western part of Virginia immediately started their plan to seceded from Virginia.  On May 13, 1861, delegates representing twenty-seven western Virginia counties assembled here to plan their secession from Confederate Virginia at the First Wheeling Convention. <blockquote>"Let us act, let us repudiate these monstrous usurpations; let us show our loyalty to Virginia and the Union; and let us maintain ourselves in the Union at every hazard. It is useless to cry peace when there is no peace; and I for one will repeat what was said by one of Virginia's noblest sons and greatest statesmen, 'Give me liberty or give me death!'" - John Carlile at the First Wheeling Convention.3</blockquote>The delegates from the First Wheeling Convention successfully completed an Ordinance of Secession from Virginia in two days, and were ready to present to the public. This led to the Second Wheeling Convention, which began on June 11th, 1861. <blockquote>"In this Convention we have no ordinary political gathering. We have no ordinary task before us. We come here to carry out and execute, and it may be, to institute a government for ourselves. We are determined to live under a State Government in the United States of America and under the Constitution of the United States. It requires stout hearts to execute this purpose; it requires men of courage - of unfaltering determination; and I believe, in the gentlemen who compose this Convention, we have the stout hearts and the men who are determined in this purpose." - Arthur Boreman, President of the Second Wheeling Convention.4</blockquote>On June 20, the delegates selected officials to fill the offices of the Restored Government of Virginia. The first session of the Second Wheeling Convention ended on June 25th, and was to be adjourned on August 6th. However, the newly appointed governor, Francis Pierpont called for a meeting of the General Assembly of the Reorganized Government of Virginia on July 1st where he explained that President Lincoln pledged "full protection" to the people of western Virginia, and opposed any tax increases and requested that the Board of Public Works be abolished. The Reorganized Government of Virginia's legislature proposed, opposed, and approved various new legislatures and bills during this convention.  The second session of the Second Wheeling Convention began on August 6th, where legislatures finalized details of their Ordinance of Secession. The new state was to be named Kanawha, and would consist of 39 counties. On October 24, 1861, voters from the 39 counties of the proposed state of Kanawha voted to to determine the fate of the new state. This crucial event only churned out 34% of voters, with the results being 18,408 in favor of the new state, and 781 opposed. The West Virginia Constitutional Convention met on November 26, 1861 to determine a name for the proposed state, boundaries, the issue of being a free state, and the issue of a township system. The new constitution was approved in a unanimous vote by the delegates on February 18, 1862, and the citizens approved the constitution 18,862 to 514. Even though they had the votes, West Virginia statehood leaders had to obtain permission from Virginia in order to satisfy the constitutional restriction. The creation of the Reorganized Government of Virginia allowed them to seek consent from this pro-Union body instead of the Confederate Virginia government in Richmond, and was granted permission.  With the permission to continue the journey to statehood, Senator Waitman T. Willey presented a formal petition to the United States Senate for the admission of West Virginia to the Union on May 29, 1862. The issue of slavery was the only thing separating West Virginia from officially becoming a state. A compromise was made with the Willey Amendment, which called for the gradual emancipation of slavery. On July 14, 1862, both the Willey Amendment and the West Virginia statehood bill passed by a vote of 23 to 17. There were heated debates in the House of Representatives, but on December 10, 1862, the House passed the statehood bill by a vote of 96 to 55. Now the only missing link was the approval from President Lincoln. After much debate between Lincoln and his advisers, he approved the new state of West Virginia because he could not afford to lose the Union support.  <blockquote>"Doubtless those in remaining Virginia would return to the Union, so to speak, less reluctantly without the division of the old state than with it; but I think we could not save as much in this quarter by rejecting the new state, as we should lose by it in West Virginia. We can scarcely dispense with the aid of West Virginia in this struggle; much less can we afford to have her against us, in Congress and in the field. Her brave and good men regard her admission into the Union as a matter of life and death. They have been true to the Union under very severe trials. We have so acted as to justify their hopes; and we can not fully retain their confidence, and co-operation, if we seem to break faith with them." - Abraham Lincoln.5</blockquote> On June 20, 1863, West Virginia became the thirty-fifth state in the Union with Arthur Boreman as it's first governor.

West Virginia Independence Hall is the building where the majority of the legislature took place in West Virginia's journey to statehood, housing the first and second Wheeling Conventions. These conventions dealt with rallying support for secession from the communities, then placing political seats once the Virginia Ordinance of Secession was ratified, and also setting boundaries for the new state. The West Virginia Constitutional Convention was held here as well, and dealt with the formation and naming of the new state. Today the West Virginia Independence Hall is a museum and holds numerous events year round. 

Wheeling Custom House/West Virginia Independence Hall

Wheeling was founded in 1769 by Colonel Ebenezer Zane, and the town flourished around the establishment of Fort Henry. Captain Crawford and a company of men from Fort Dunmore, Virginia, built Fort Henry in 1774. Trade along the Ohio River flourished in the early 1800s, making Wheeling a popular frontier town. National Road, the nation’s first roadway, was created by an act of Congress and reached Wheeling in 1818 from Cumberland, Maryland. The town of Wheeling remained loyal to the Union during the Civil War and is home to West Virginia Independence Hall, where the state of West Virginia was born in 1863. Due to its important role in statehood, Wheeling became the first capital of West Virginia from 1863 to 1870 when it was moved to Charleston. However the capital was moved back to Wheeling in 1875, but once again moved back to Charleston in 1885. Iron and steel mills thrived along the banks of the Ohio River surrounding Wheeling. Through the industrial economy and large working population, Wheeling became the richest city per capita in America at the end of the 19th century; This shows through Wheeling's unique architecture that still stands today. The preservation of the living history of Wheeling is what the Wheeling National Heritage area is trying to promote and protect.2 The Wheeling National Heritage Area works with local city officials to help citizens understand the importance of learning and preserving Wheeling's history. Not only do they promote local history, but they also help people understand the importance of Wheeling's impact and role in transportation, commerce, and conflict on a national scale. Some of WHNAC's projects include the Artisan Center, Heritage Port, Intermodal Transportation Center, and Wheeling Stamping. They encourage citizens to participate in activities in these locations and learn about their significance in the development, and now the stabilization of Wheeling's economy. A National Heritage Area is a place designated by Congress where there are natural, cultural, and historic resources available to combine and form a nationally important landscape. National Heritage Areas tell nationally significant stories and commemorate our nation's history through the area's available resources. NHA's are responsible for working with local establishments and entities to make local communities understand their heritage and want to participate in preserving and honoring its history. NHA's are ultimately a grassroots, community-driven approach to heritage conservation and economic development that also promote heritage tourism.

Located in a historic building constructed by Henry Kilborne Wise shortly after the Civil War, the Wheeling Artisan Center features locally-made products and food from area farmers and artisans. The renovated building offers exhibition space and a three-story atrium. The Artisan Center is a project of Wheeling Heritage, an organization that supports historic preservation, education, and economic development through community involvement.

Wheeling Artisan Center and Wheeling Heritage

Walter Reuther was born in Wheeling, West Virginia September 1, 1907. His father, Valentine Reuther, was a strong politically-minded man who began teaching his children about socialism, activism, women's suffrage, segregation laws, and civil rights. His efforts to teach his children about these political issues helped the children develop political mindsets used to form their futures. Walter Reuther worked all his life, whether it was a paper route or a local store, he loved to work. This love of labor caused him to drop out of high school at the age of 16. He began to work locally in Wheeling, WV as a Tool and Die maker, but was fired shortly after for trying to organize a union.  Lacking a formal education didn’t mean much in the early 1900’s because many men were forced to work labor jobs in order to provide for their family. In 1927, Reuther moved to Detroit, Michigan, due to Ford Motor Company’s promises of high wages and shorter work week. He was quickly recognized as one of the best mechanics at Ford's Rover Rogue plant. While working the night shift at Ford, he finally got his high school diploma at the age of 22. He then proceeded to take classes at Detroit City College, now present-day Wayne State University. While attending Detroit City College he organized a Social Problems Club on campus that was affiliated with the Socialist League of Industrial Democracy. This group led protests against the campus ROTC and protests against the local swimming pool's segregation policies. These actions are just some of Walter Reuther’s early steps into being an activist within America.    After forming organizations and protests, Reuther wanted to learn about other nations economic, political, and social policies. He took a nine-nation tour of Europe in 1932 and decided to stay 2 years in the Soviet Union, where he worked at a massive automobile factory. He returned to Detroit in 1935 and married May Wolf in early 1936. They later moved into a townhouse and had two daughters. This same year Reuther joined the United Automobile Workers (UAW) at the local 86 chapter, even though he didn’t work for GM. He was elected as a delegate the same year at the UAW National convention. His strong admiration and determination quickly earned him a position within the organization, and was elected to UAW Executive Board.  When returned to Detroit after the convention, Reuther set out to organize another UAW on the West Side of the city. Within eight months of forming the UAW Local 174, as president he represented 30,000 workers and 76 shops within Detroit. In 1937, he formed a sit-down strike against GM in Flint, Michigan. After this strike he wanted to reach out to Ford’s workers, but was beaten up by Ford’s security guards while passing out leaflets. This scene grabbed national attention because newspaper photographers captured the incident.  By 1939, Reuther was director of UAW’s General Motor department, and by 1942 he was elected the Union's First Vice President. During this time, he worked for better labor wages and better work conditions. After World War II, in 1946, he led a 116-day strike against GM. His demands were a 30% wage increase without the increase of retail price on cars, but his demands were not met; instead GM offered them an 18% wage increase, which was accepted to end the strike. This strike led to his presidency of the UAW in 1946, which is where he pressed his political agenda of national health care, economic redistribution, and job security. He fought for the American people who worked in labor industries and factories. He remained president of the UAW until his death in a plane crash in 1970.  To many people, Walter Reuther is a well-respected activist in American History.  His memorial, located in Heritage Port- Wheeling, West Virginia, was established to honor his strong impact on American labor policies. The memorial is a seven-foot bronze statue of Reuther created by Alan Cottrill of Zanesville, Ohio. The statue stands on a granite pedestal where his famous quote is engraved. The quote reads: “There is no greater calling than to serve your fellow man. There is no greater contribution than to help the weak. There is no greater satisfaction than to have done it well”. Walter Reuther's influence continues to flourish in American politics today, and he will forever be remembered as the man who fought for the American people in a time of need.

This historical site is in remembrance of Walter Reuther and is located at Heritage Port in Wheeling, WV. The memorial signifies his strong efforts for the United Automobile Workers (UAW).  The memorial is a seven-foot bronze statue of Reuther created by Alan Cottrill of Zanesville, Ohio. The statue stands on a granite pedestal where his famous quote is engraved. This man fought for men and women who worked labor jobs within large automobile factories such GM and Ford. The memorial was dedicated October 12, 2006 and is publicly accessible at any time of the day at the Heritage Port in Wheeling, WV. 

Walter Reuther : Serving His Fellow Man Memorial

The Revolutionary War in the West looked very different from the way it did in the East. In the East, the war was fought in occupied cities who struggled to keep supplies, while the West was fought between the settlers and the Native Americans who were trying to prevent any movement beyond what had already been settled. The French and the British were trying to keep control of land and goods for economic reasons, while the Native Americans would raid the settlers to ensure their rightful territories stayed in their possession.  Lord Dunmore's War began in 1774, after the land of the Shawnee was slowly being taken away from them. The massacre of the Logan family, a Mingo group living and trading with settlers at the mouth of Yellow Creek near Steubenville, Ohio, was the tipping point for the Shawnee. The issues at stake in the conflict on the frontier from 1774 to 1795 were ones of land ownership and control of trade routes. Lord Dunmore's War worried the settlers, and they built Fort Henry for protection.  The first attack on Fort Henry started on September 1st, 1777, and lasted for three days and three nights. Fort Henry was defended by 60 men, and almost half of them were lured out of the fort and killed by the 200 Wyandots and Mingos. The Native Americans burned nearby cabins and buildings, and eventually retreated across the Ohio.  The most famous attack on Fort Henry occurred on September 10th, 1782. Once again, 200 Wyandots and Mingos attacked the fort, but this time they were accompanied by British troops. Supplies quickly dwindled and the settlers were losing hope. Betty Zane, the sister of Fort Henry founder, Ebenezer Zane, volunteered to leave the fort to retrieve more supplies. Betty volunteered herself because she believed the Native Americans would not shoot her because she was a woman, and she was right. On her way to retreive supplies, the Native Americans held their fire. However, when Betty was returned to the fort, and the Native Americans saw that she had gunpowder stuffed in her dress, they were not so kind. Betty made it back to Fort Henry unharmed and with gunpowder; her heroism is known for the survival of Fort Henry during this attack. Following this courageous feat, Betty Zane came to be called the Heroine of Fort Henry. She went on to marry twice and give birth to nine children. She died on August 23, 1823 and is buried in Martins Ferry, Ohio.There are no photographs or sketches of Fort Henry, and it is no longer standing. No one knows exactly what the fort may have looked like, and there have been historical disputes on it's appearance and even location. Several forts that were also built in the same time frame, have been excavated and all of them have been made of upright logs, sometimes with brush, planks, or other objects filling the spaces to stop bullets. All of the forts had lean-to sheds, log blockhouses, and stores and residences for the officers. With first hand accounts, it is believed that the fort sat on a one-half to three-quarter acre lot and sitting on a bluff. The fort itself would have been around 85' by 50' and since the fort was only used in times of attacks, it could have easily supported the early settlers.  The fort was very active for about nine years, seeing four notable attacks: February 1777, September 1777, September 1781, and September 1782. After the last attack, the fort was abandoned. Some sections of it still remained standing until 1808.

Fort Henry, first named Fort Fincastle, was built out of necessity; it was not built with specific plans or designs, but was built like one of the many forts in the area to protect settlers in the 1770s.  In the Spring of 1774, military authorities at Fort Pitt (now Pittsburgh, PA) wrote residents telling them they needed to build a fort to protect themselves. Settlers Ebenezer Zane and John Caldwell began the fort and completed it with the help of Captain William Crawford, Colonel Angus McDonald, and 400 militia and regulars from Fort Pitt. The fort was finished in the summer of 1774, in time for the beginning of Dunmore's War.

Fort Henry

Designed in the Beaux-Arts styles, the&nbsp;Capitol Theater in Wheeling&nbsp;is one of&nbsp;the oldest and largest performance venues in West Virginia. It hosted the "Wheeling Jamboree" which was the second longest-running national radio program, airing for more than 35 years.&nbsp; The building's original plans called for an eight-story hotel above the theater. However, the decision not to build the hotel was made after the theater was completed.&nbsp; The Capitol Theater was the idea of John Papulias. He served as President of Tri-State&nbsp;amusements and after&nbsp;building a theatre in nearby Steubenville, he felt Wheeling needed a place to have shows and&nbsp;performances. The Capitol Theatre Company was&nbsp;introduced. Lee C Paull served as president and with&nbsp;help from&nbsp;architecture master Charles W Bates made the Capitol Theatre possible. The name&nbsp;“The Capitol”&nbsp;could’ve been brought about&nbsp;two different ways. One, Wheeling was&nbsp;temporally the capital of West Virginia. Also,&nbsp;theaters&nbsp;around the nation were also famously being named&nbsp;“the Capitol.” On March 28, 1927, the land for the capitol theatre was sold and work begun. The products used to build the theatre steel etc were supplied by local&nbsp;Wheeling suppliers. The&nbsp;architect had also&nbsp;previously&nbsp;created other&nbsp;Wheeling landmarks. Two men were badly injured during the construction of the theatre. On November 29, 1928, the capitol opened letting the first customers in. 15,000 people&nbsp;attended the show that day. The Capitol theatre brought great joy.&nbsp;The lobby, along with its two box offices, was to be on the second floor and the entrance on the north side of the building.&nbsp;The theater was equipped&nbsp;with projectors designed for silent films as well as "talkies" and seats for the four shows cost a total of $0.60 in the early years of the Capitol. On October 6, 1929, the Wheeling Symphony Society played their first performance at the Capitol. On April 1, 1933, the first Jamboree was held and at the theater and broadcast live by WWVA radio. Theater also had a ballroom and hosted many weddings, dances, and other social events. After the theater reopened in October 2009 after being closed for two years and still provides nationally touring acts and local performances, like the Wheeling Symphony Orchestra. &nbsp; The Capitol&nbsp;Theatre continues to bring great joy and has been&nbsp;up-kept by historians, conservationists, and Wheeling’s own.&nbsp;Performances continue to happen at the Capitol Theatre and it is still in great shape today.&nbsp;<div></div><div> </div>

One of the premiere performance venues in West Virginia, Wheeling's Capitol Theater awed thousands who were fortunate enough to attend the grand opening of the million-dollar theater on Thanksgiving Day, 1928. Like many of the leading theaters and hotels constructed in the early 20th century, this venue was designed to be "fireproof" using modern building techniques, durable fire-resistant materials, and numerous safety measures. The auditorium had 3,000 seats and two balconies. The theater saw decreasing attendance in the later 20th century and closed for several years. Local citizens, together with government leaders and tourism and preservation groups, came together to prevent the building from suffering the same fate of many other historic downtown theaters. After several years of raising funds and performing the work of restoration, the Capitol Theater reopened in 2009.

Capitol Theatre, Wheeling

After a rivalry between Pittsburgh and Wheeling to become the city to bridge the Ohio River, a charter was granted to the Wheeling and Belmont Bridge Company in 1816. This charter was to construct a bridge to extend the Cumberland Pike, which was to be completed in 1818, to Ohio. After some delays and opposition, a new bridge charter was obtained in 1847. Charles Ellet and John A. Roebling were invited to submit designs and estimates for a bridge over the east channel of the river to Wheeling Island. In doing so, the design was set as a suspension bridge, as Ellet and Roebling were the foremost authorities on the topic. Ellet received the contract award in 1847 and began the same year. The bridge was completed in 1849.<blockquote>"The firing of cannon continued for a great portion of the day, and the crowds along the Bridge sensibly increased until 3 o'clock, when the ladies assembled, and with their escorts passed over to the Island and returned. With them the hour seemed given up to enjoyment, friend met friend, and gaiety and good feeling reigned supreme. We had there the pleasure of meeting more lovely and happy faces than we have seen before for months. A continuous train of human beings moved along the work from 3 o'clock until dark.</blockquote><blockquote>At 6 o'clock, the thousand lamps, hung up on the wires, were lighted almost simultaneously and presented an elegant and graceful curve of fire, high above the river, that was never excelled in beauty. It forcibly reminded one of Mr. Clay's remarks, a few days since, when looking at the work from a distance, while his face glowed with pride and exultation — "Take that down! you might as well try to take down the rainbow."2 - The Daily Wheeling Gazette, Nov. 17, 1849</blockquote>The span of the bridge is 1010 feet, measured from the center of the two supporting towers – the longest clear-span bridge in the world at the time. All materials for the bridge, including the drawn iron wire used to create the cables, were produced locally. The main cables rest upon iron rollers at the summits of each tower. The rollers relieve the strain on the cables caused by expansion and contraction with changes in temperature. In 1854, high winds set up an oscillation in the deck structure that resulted in severe damage to the bridge. Once again, Pittsburgh rivaled Wheeling for the reconstruction of the bridge. The Wheeling Bridge Case went to the Supreme Court and lasted from 1854 to 1856 with a judgment in favor of Wheeling.  Under the supervision of Ellet, reconstruction work began almost immediately and the bridge was reopened in just three months. In 1867, the Citizen Railway Company was granted permission to lay tracks on the bridge to accommodate horse-drawn streetcars; a possibility indicated earlier by Ellet. In 1872, Washington Roebling, son of John Roebling, was commissioned to provide upgrades to the bridge which included the installation of the diagonal cable stays. The bridge remained essentially unchanged until 1956 when a new steel deck system was installed. The most recent work on the bridge was completed in 1999 with repairs to the stiffening truss and wire rope stays, complete inspection and re-wrapping of the cables, and the installation of new illumination. Today, the bridge stands as one of the finest examples of pre-Civil War engineering and is considered as one of the world’s most significant and historic bridges. Wheeling and the Suspension Bridge is home to one of the greatest engineering achievements in American History. The nearly 170-year-old Wheeling Suspension Bridge is the oldest operating suspension bridge in the world. The bridge was the first to span a main channel of the Ohio River. In 1836, a two-span covered bridge opened over the back channel of the Ohio in Wheeling. This bridge crossed at the site of an 1893 truss and modern day bridge that carries Route 40 over the back channel to this day.

One of the last construction projects associated with the National Road, Wheeling Suspension Bridge opened on November 15th, 1849. At that time, this was the only bridge across the Ohio River and the largest suspension bridge in the world. The bridge was designed by Charles Ellet Jr. and covers 1,010 feet from tower to tower. The east tower rests on the Wheeling shore, while the west tower is on Wheeling Island. The bridge provided a link between two sections of the National Road before the Civil War and while it only retained the title of the world's largest suspension bridge for two years, today it is the oldest suspension bridge approved for vehicular traffic. Given its importance to transportation, and its significance as a mid-19th-century engineering marvel, the bridge was designated a National Historic Landmark on May 15, 1975.

Wheeling Suspension Bridge

This two and a half story&nbsp;Greek Revival home was built between 1839 and 1845,&nbsp;and is located in Wheeling, West Virginia. This home was built by&nbsp;prominent businessman, Robert C. Woods, and represents the success of local merchants early in Wheeling's industrial&nbsp;history.&nbsp;In his father's will, Robert C. Woods was left the property that the house currently sits on, and after receiving the deed to the lot Woods began building his home along the National Road. Robert C. Woods is most well known for&nbsp;establishing the Marshall and Ohio county lines in 1835.1 It is said that Robert C. Woods never actually occupied this house, and the first occupant was prominent businessman John S. Rhodes in 1848 who purchased the house for $3,000. Woods invested in real estate, like his father before him, and saw the both the property and house as an investment.&nbsp;Rhodes had a dry-goods business in Wheeling, J.S. Rhodes &amp; Co., which was one of the largest businesses in the area.1 &nbsp;In 1865,&nbsp;another prominent businessman by the name of Morgan Ott purchased the home for $6,000. Ott owned a successful hardware store in Wheeling and is the last historically significant person to have occupied the house.

Home of notable businessman Robert C. Woods, this Greek Revival house was built in the 1800s prior to the construction of the Wheeling Suspension Bridge. At various times, this building was owned by three prominent businessmen in Wheeling, West Virginia. The Robert C. Woods House is one of the only standing buildings in the city that was constructed prior to the 1849 suspension bridge, and although the exterior and interior have been altered, many of the original details can still be seen. Today the house is a private drinking club, the West Virginia Snakes Club Inc.

Robert C. Woods House

The stogie first became popular when George W. Black started selling them to travelers of the National Road in 1827. Stogies are a type of cigar that are longer and thinner than the traditional cigar, and were named after Conestoga wagons that many of the wagoneers drove and traveled in. Stogies were traditionally hand rolled, and were less expensive than traditional cigars. In 1840, Mifflin Marsh, at the age of 22, began making and selling stogies to steamboat crews and passengers and Conestoga wagon drivers at the price of four for a penny. Marsh made these stogies in his home and sold them in a basket that he constantly carried with him. Since Black and Marsh sold their stogies to travelers of the National Road, they quickly became nationally known and had a high demand, especially during the Civil War era. In 1869, Marsh went into business with his son, William, and formed M. Marsh and Son. Mifflin. The stogie makers were one of the first trades to unionize in Wheeling in 1869. Marsh remained the company president until his death in 1901, and then his son took over until 1920. A good stogie roller could roll about 1,000 stogies a day, but with the mechanization of rolling cigars, the hand rolling soon became obsolete. In 1931, M. Marsh and Sons rented more than 40 machines, each producing more than 5,000 stogies a day. Women were hired, especially during World War II, as the operators of these machines. At the company's peak, the factory employed 600 workers. After the war, Marsh became the only large stogie manufacturer still in business. In 2001, National Cigar Corporation bought all of the brands owned by Marsh and the plant in Wheeling was closed as production was moved to Frankfort, Indiana.The brand of Marsh Wheeling Stogies became a popular face of the tobacco industry. The Marsh Wheeling box has showed up in television shows and movies such as The Green Mile, Jaws, and Mad Men.  Mifflin Marsh's tobacco empire was detrimental to the industrical success of Wheeling, and was elected to the Wheeling Hall of Fame in 1990.

Marsh Wheeling Stogies opened for business in 1840, making it the oldest cigar manufacturer in the United States. The company was founded by Mifflin Marsh, who at the age of 22 would sell stogies to steamboat crews and passengers, as well as Conestoga drivers, at the price of four for a penny. The Marsh Wheeling Stogies factory opened in this location in 1908, but has since closed after being bought out by National Cigar. Marsh Wheeling Stogies can still be purchased today, and are manufactured out of Indiana.

Marsh Wheeling Stogies

Lincoln High School was founded in 1866, and was one of the first publicly funded schools for African Americans in the United States. When the school opened, it was home to twenty colored students from the surrounding area who were taught in the two room facility. The most notable principal of Lincoln's history was&nbsp;James McHenry Jones, who&nbsp;was one of West Virginia’s most prominent African-American educators and community leaders during the half century after the Civil War.&nbsp;Jones' administration raised the school to a higher standard as he&nbsp;doubled the number of teachers and students, broadened the curriculum, and rebuilt the school after a fire in 1892. He later went on to be the president of the West Virginia Colored Institute after resigning from Lincoln in 1900. The school was moved to it's permanent location in 1875, which was formerly a&nbsp;white school for the children living&nbsp;on the Wheeling&nbsp;Island and between&nbsp;Ninth and Twelfth Streets. This school was known as Second Ward School, and the name was changed to Lincoln School after the shift in students. This building was completely destroyed by a fire in 1892, and a new school was immediately&nbsp;constructed&nbsp;in the same location, and opened in 1893. James Jones' brother, Flem, became Lincoln's principal in 1900, and the High School Department,&nbsp;Manual Training, and Domestic Science Departments were established under his&nbsp;administration. In 1914, Lincoln saw many improvements as the programs were expanded and improved so that more full time faculty could be hired, therefore more students enrolled. In 1943, Lincoln High School was once again revamped.&nbsp; <blockquote>"There are now&nbsp;<a target="_blank" rel="nofollow" href="http://www.ohiocountylibrary.org/wheeling-history/4073">14 classrooms</a>, including a model apartment with dining room, living room, kitchen and laundry; two large rooms rooms for industrial arts courses; a well-equipped library and science rooms. The large assembly room, where the opening exercises will be held, will seat 200 people. Plans call for the post-war addition of an auditorium and gymnasium. When the third floor and auditorium have been added, the old red building will be entirely eliminated, as space will be inadequate to take care of the entire colored school population." -&nbsp;Souvenir Program, Dedication of the New Lincoln High School, Wheeling, W. Va 19431</blockquote> The school closed after desegregation, as the African American students were able to attend schools that were closer to their homes.&nbsp;The Lincoln High School building still remains today, and is home to the&nbsp;Ronald C. Mulholland Juvenile Center. This center is dedicated to&nbsp;serving youth who have been&nbsp;charged with law violations and also provides&nbsp;treatment and rehabilitation.&nbsp;

Founded in 1866 by Dr. Hupp and John Jackson, Lincoln School was one of the first schools in the United States to be established for African American children.  Located in Wheeling, West Virginia, it was first housed in a two room building on Twelfth Street in Ohio County.  In 1875 the school moved to Tenth and Chapline Street. A fire destroyed the building in 1892, and a new school was constructed in 1893 that housed first through sixth grades. The building for Lincoln High School was completed in 1943, and closed after desegregation. The building that housed Lincoln High School now serves as the Ronald C Mulholland Juvenile Center.

Lincoln High School

This location/address (1035 Chapline Street) is listed in the Negro Motorist Green Book (1954 edition) as a restaurant and was called the Blue Goose.

The Blue Goose

The Second Ward Market House was building to accommodate the growing commercial economy in Wheeling which was quickly outgrowing the city’s original market, located at the east end of the Wheeling suspension bridge. Local landowner and entrepreneur Noah Zane donated the land to the city for the purpose of building a larger public market. Vendors rented the eight stalls on the first floor while the second floor served as the first home of Wheeling's City Hall. Prior to the Civil War, hundreds of enslaved persons were sold outside of the market on the corner of 10th Street.In 1911, the original building was torn down and replaced with the much larger Market Auditorium building in 1912. This new building was significantly larger and housed both market space and an auditorium. The building was designed to hold around 3,500 people with 64 indoor stalls and 23 outdoor spaces for venders. The market was expanded several times in the 19th century, growing to a total of 76 stalls. Like the original Second War Market House, this building had a second story with office space.In 1913, Wheeling suffragists Annie Caldwell Boyd, Dr. Harriet B. Jones, and Ellen Douglas Hoge marched in the suffrage parade in Washington, D.C. After their experiences at the capitol the three women spoke at a meeting in the Market Auditorium in Wheeling that revitalized the suffrage momentum in the city and led to the reformation of the suffrage old club as the Ohio County Equal Suffrage League.The West Virginia Republican Party held its state delegate convention on May 4, 1916 at the Market Auditorium to select delegates to attend the Republican National Convention in Chicago, IL. During the convention, women’s suffrage advocate Antoinette Funk of Illinois addressed the crowd in support of women’s rights and the Republican Party. In 1914 Funk was chair of the National American Woman Suffrage Association and in 1916 she was a member of the Associate Progressive Campaign Committee. She was a well-traveled speaker, and by 1925 she had traveled to every state to speak on women’s rights, politics, and the war effort. The Market Auditorium was demolished in 1964.

Wheeling’s first market was built at this location in 1822 and consisted of a town hall on the second floor and a market that operated twice a week on the first floor. For many years prior to the Civil War, hundreds of enslaved persons were sold at the market. The market was demolished in 1911 and was replaced by the Market Auditorium shortly after. The Market Auditorium was in use from 1913 until it was demolished in 1964.

Second Ward Market House (1822-1911) & New Market Auditorium (1913-1964)

Addressing the Ohio County Republican Women's Club Lincoln Day Dinner on February 9, 1950, U.S. Senator Joseph McCarthy claimed to the audience of 275 in attendance that he&nbsp;possessed a list of 205 U.S. State Department employees "that were known to the Secretary of State (Dean Acheson)&nbsp;as being members of the Communist Party." While there was no immediate reaction amongst the Wheeling crowd, the&nbsp;allegations created national headlines for the Wisconsin Republican. Today, the term "McCarthyism" refers to a time period when accusation replaced evidence-a dark period in American politics known as the Second Red Scare. Although his tactics were eventually debunked, for several years, McCarthy and other Republican leaders harassed political opponents by accusing them of being Communists. McCarthy's tactics also led to the Federal Bureau of Investigation under J. Edgar Hoover using numerous illegal tactics to intimidate civil rights activists and others who criticized the government. As it became clear that McCarthy had no such list or evidence, the Senator eventually&nbsp;faced his own&nbsp;Congressional inquiry over the charges. He never produced a list of names but continued his vague and sweeping tactics of accusation without evidence, using the power of the Senate to hold a number of highly publicized&nbsp;congressional hearings between 1950 and 1954. While investigating the US Army for potential members of the Communist Party, McCarthy's tactics were exposed. The Senator later succumbed to alcoholism. The anti-Communist paranoia that characterized the&nbsp;Second Red Scare declined during the 1960s, leading some Americans to challenge the idea that people should face trial simply because their political ideas were unpopular at the time. -------------------------------------------------- The original McLure Hotel was constructed at Market and Monroe (now 12th) Streets in downtown Wheeling in 1851, and opened on March 4, 1852. During the Civil War, the McLure hosted several generals including Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, and served as a headquarters for Union General Willam Rosecrans. The McLure Hotel originally had&nbsp;315 rooms, 65 bathrooms and 50 showers, with a&nbsp;watering trough and hitching posts for horses and carriages. Since there were no paved roads at the time of McLure's opening, the first floor was always covered in mud from the coming and going of customers, and because of this the lobby was located on the second floor. The McLure accommodated many generals of the Civil War, and there is a rumor that&nbsp;West Virginia's founding fathers ventured to the McLure for refreshment when they needed a break from dealing with the issues of statehood. Hotel proprietor and Wheeling native&nbsp;E.M. Statler, who founded&nbsp;the Statler chain of hotels, started his career as a bellboy at the McClure. As Statler worked his way up to manager, he allowed the hotel to become more accommodating to politicians and celebrities.&nbsp;At least 11 Presidents have been guests at the McLure, including Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, Harry S. Truman, Dwight D. Eisenhower and&nbsp;John F. Kennedy. In the late 1970s, the original McLure Hotel structure&nbsp;was completely renovated to make way for&nbsp;a multi-million dollar project that gave the McLure its modern look.

Established in 1852, the McLure Hotel has been one of the cornerstones of the Wheeling community and has provided accommodations for visiting dignitaries, politicians, celebrities and entertainers. During the Civil War, General William Rosecrans maintained his headquarters here. Presidents from John F. Kennedy to Truman and Woodrow Wilson have stayed here, as has celebrities such as Marilyn Monroe.  

The hotel may be most famous for a political speech delivered during the early period of the Cold War. On February 9, 1950, in the McLure's Colonnade Room, United States Senator Joseph McCarthy delivered what would become his most famous speech. After claiming to have the names of numerous Communists inside the State Department, McCarthy became one of the leaders of a movement many today compare to a modern day witch hunt. 

McLure Hotel

The Linsly School in Wheeling was established in 1814 and is the oldest private school west of the Allegheny Mountains. The school was named after Wheeling lawyer Noah Linsly who designated funds to be used for a Lancastrian academy in his will. In the Lancastrian style, older students are trained to serve as tutors to younger students.When the school opened, it admitted both boys and girls. However, the school soon restricted admission to boys within a few years. By 1859, the school had outgrown its original location on Chapline Street which led to the construction of this three-story building. The Linsly Institute building also served as the first capitol building for the new state of West Virginia from 1863 to 1870 and once again for a brief period from 1875 to 1876 when Wheeling once again served as the state capital. Arthur I Boreman gave his inaugural address as the first Governor of West Virginia in front of the Linsly Institute building on June 20, 1863. That same day, the West Virginia Legislature met for the first time in the building. As the school expanded, a second building was constructed at Thedah Place in 1925 to accommodate the growing student population. The school remained at these two buildings until relocating to Banes Hall in 1968.The Wheeling school struggled financially during and after the Civil War, but the Linsly School recovered under the leadership of principal John Birch when he took control of the institution in 1874. In 1877, Birch established a cadet battalion at the school and the program flourished. The success of the cadet and other military programs led the school to change its name to the Linsly Military Institute in 1942. The school moved from this building to new structure dubbed "Old Main" in 1925. In 1979 the school ended its military programs and by 1988 young women were once again allowed to attend at Linsly School.

Constructed in 1859 to house the Linsly Institute, this stately structure also served as the first capitol building of West Virginia from the state's formation in 1863 until 1870. The building was the site of the first inaugural address of a West Virginia Governor and the convening of the first state Legislature. The Linsly Institute was established in 1814 and this building was constructed to house the boarding school which now operates on Knox Lane and is known as the Linsly School. The school had a military program for many years and during that time was only open to male students. In 1979 the military programs were ended and women have been able to attend the school since 1988. 

Linsly Institute and the First West Virginia State Capitol

The Cathedral Parish School in Wheeling, West Virginia opened in 1896 to educate the local St. Joseph Cathedral Parish community in the area. The building has the same look and features today as it did when the school was built in the late 19th century. In the 1800s, the Catholic school system started opening schools in Wheeling to better serve the growing German community. The new Catholic schools were built with the goal for students to maintain the German language in their everyday lives.1&nbsp; In 1856, the Cathedral Parish opened its doors as an elementary school. When the school opened, it was primarily an all boys school, and they were taught in the basement of the church. However, when the high school opened in 1897 in the same building, the elementary school was moved to the first floor of the new high school. The school became co-ed in 1923 and the high school changed its name to the Central Catholic High School.&nbsp;In 1960, the Central Catholic High School relocated to the building next door, leaving the elementary school the only occupants in the building.1 The elementary school was then&nbsp;renamed to the Wheeling Catholic Elementary School. Wheeling Catholic Elementary School&nbsp;closed in 2011 with only 13 enrolled. The reason for its closure is reduction in enrollment due to "demographic changes to the community."&nbsp;The remaining 13 students were transferred to other Catholic elementary schools&nbsp;in the area where the students would have a better&nbsp;quality education. The building remains vacant and there is no word yet on what the future holds for the building.

The Cathedral Parish School was built in the late 19th century in Wheeling, West Virginia, and is commonly known today as the Wheeling Catholic Elementary School.  The school was constructed to meet the needs of the fast growing population due to the growth of industry in Wheeling in the 1800s. The building is a Gothic Revival mixed with a late Victorian architectural style and still retains some original features. The school was closed permanently in 2011 due to low enrollment, with no plans for the fate of the building.  

Cathedral Parish School

The Mother Jones House, a partnership between Wheeling Jesuit and Laughlin Memorial Chapel, was an intentional Christian service community of WJU students. With the help and guidance of a house mentor, Mother Jones House students worked and served in the neighborhood of East Wheeling while enrolled at Wheeling Jesuit University. Each student devoted ten hours each week to service within the Wheeling community.  Students at the Mother Jones House lived by six core values. They are: simplicity, faith, community, social justice, learning, and service.The Mother Jones House was moved onto campus in academic year 2017-2018 to become the Mother Jones Community, a living-learning residential community, maintaining the 6 cores values, with a community service component in East Wheeling. The plaques are still on the former house in East Wheeling. The Laughlin Memorial Chapel, who was WJU's partner and owner of the building, put the house up for sale, as of summer 2019. Mary Harris "Mother" Jones was born in Cork, Ireland, in 1837. Mary Harris and her family were victims of the Great Famine, as were many other Irish families. The famine drove more than a million families, includes Harrises, to emigrate to North America. Mary was a teenager when her family emigrated to Canada, and was 23 when she moved to the United States and began working as a teacher in a convent in Michigan. She faced persecution due to her ethnicity and Catholic faith. After tiring of her profession, she moved to Chicago and then to Memphis, where in 1861 she married George E. Jones. She opened a dress shop in Memphis on the eve of the Civil War.Two important turning points in her life were the loss of her husband and their four children (all under the age of five) in 1867, during a yellow fever epidemic in Memphis. She then returned to Chicago and opened another dressmaking business, which was destroyed along with her home in 1871. She worked alongside the people of Chicago to rebuilt the city. According to her autobiography, these two formative events led to her joining the Knights of Labor and start organizing strikes on their behalf. Mary Jones, active as an organizer and educator in strikes throughout the country and, once the Knights ceased to exist, was involved mainly with the United Mine Workers (UMW) and the Socialist Party of America. As an organizer, she gained prominence for organizing wives and children of striking workers in demonstration on their behalf. While Jones worked through the United States, her work in the state of West Virginia is significant. During the Paint Creek-Cabin Creek strike in 1912, she arrived in June, speaking and organizing despite a shooting war between UMW members and the private army of the mine owners. Jones was arrested, brought before a military court, and sentenced to twenty years in the state penitentiary. She was released after 85 days. In late 1921, along with other UMWA officials, Jones attempted to stop the miners’ army from marching into Mingo County. Although Jones had organized for decades on the behalf of the UMWA in West Virginia, she denounced the state as “medieval” in a chapter of her autobiography. Denounced on the floor of the U.S. Senate as the “grandmother of agitators” and dubbed the “most dangerous woman in America” by a West Virginia district attorney, Marry Harris “Mother”Jones died on November 30, 1930, in Silver Spring, Maryland. Her legacy is continued by the service of the students of the Mother Jones House in Wheeling, West Virginia.

The Mother Jones House, a partnership between Wheeling Jesuit University and Laughlin Memorial Chapel, was an intentional Christian service community of Wheeling Jesuit students. It is named after well-known labor leader Mary Harris Jones. 

Tour of Historic Wheeling, West Virginia

Victoria Theater

Introduction

Images

Backstory and Context

Sources

Additional Information