The Mid-Ohio Valley of West Virginia Driving Tour

Entries on This Tour

Opening in 1889 during the "Gaslight Era," this hotel became the center of Parkersburg society during and after the region's oil and gas boom. The hotel, nearby island, and several other places in the city were named in honor of the famous Blennerhassett family. The family were local power brokers who captured the nation's attention after their association with then Vice President Aaron Burr and his attempt to capture the American West. The building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982 and a full restoration took place in 1986.

2. Parkersburg Oil and Gas Museum

This museum in downtown Parkersburg offers a collection of artifacts, exhibits, and documents related to the history of the oil and gas industry in the region and beyond. The museum also includes a replica of an old oilfield office. It is a blast from the past when walking inside this old building, which dates back to 1900 after the original building was destroyed by fire. The grounds of the museum include a collection of different engines and machinery dating back to West Virginia's first oil boom.

3. Campus Martius Museum of the Northwest Territory

Campus Martius, a civilian fortification, was built in 1788 by the Ohio Company of Associates. When the fort was disassembled, General Rufus Putnam left his blockhouse on the original fort site. In 1931, the Campus Martius Museum was erected over the Rufus Putnam House. Today, the museum preserves the history of America's migration west, its earliest native inhabitants, and Marietta's pioneers. Visitors can also tour the Rufus Putnam House and the Ohio Company Land Office.

4. The Castle, Marietta Ohio

Built in 1855 by Melvin C. Clarke, a prominent attorney and abolitionist, the Castle is a focal point in Marietta. Sitting atop the hill on Fourth Street, it has been home to some of the most influential citizens of Marietta. Today, the home is operated as a local history museum.

5. The Peoples Bank Theatre

The Peoples Bank Theatre was built in 1919 as the Hippodrome Theatre. The theater was primarily a cinema as opposed to its predecessor, also called the Hippodrome, which was a vaudeville house that showed some movies. The first Hippodrome burnt down in 1917, leading to the construction of this more elaborate theater. Over the years, the theater has changed owners, appearances, and names. It was known as the Colony Cinema for much of the late twentieth century. The Colony Cinema closed in 1985 and was restored in the 2000s and 2010s, reopening in 2016 as the Peoples Bank Theatre.

6. Willow Island Disaster Memorial

This memorial monument commemorates the lives of the fifty-one laborers who perished in a construction accident that occurred when the scaffolding around the cooling tower at the nearby Pleasants Power Station collapsed on April 27, 1978. The accident is one of the deadliest construction accidents in US history and one of the worst non-mining industrial disasters in West Virginia history.

7. The Wells Inn , Sistersville

In 1895, Ephraim Wells opened this historic hotel, which is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The decision to create the hotel was fueled by the oil boom of the late 1800s, which brought travelers, investors, and laborers to the city who needed lodging. The history of the hotel mirrors the periods of economic growth and stagnation that have affected the region over the past century-and-a-half, and for many years, the hotel was either in disrepair or not open to the public. Thanks to recent renovations, this historic West Virginia hotel and restaurant is once again welcoming travelers with meals and overnight accommodations.

8. Fly Landing of the Sistersville Ferry

Established in 1815, the Sistersville Ferry Company has been in operation for around 200 years and is now one of only four remaining ferry services in operation along the Ohio River. The location was the site of George Washington’s encampment on his October 1770 journey along the Kanawha and Ohio Rivers, and has a history of several different types ferries used throughout the company’s history, except for a push-pull barge, due to the water’s depth. A historical marker was erected in the location in 2003, and ferry rides can still be taken today.

9. Wetzel County Museum

The building that houses the museum began as the Wells Hardware Company, which was owned and operated by Friend Cox Wells (1848-1939). Wells’ daughter, Sara Wells Eakin (1882-1961) and her husband, J.O. Eakins (1883-1958) joined the store as partners and transformed the shop into the Wells Hardware and Furniture Company. Wells Hardware remained in operation until Friend’s grandson, J. Wells Eakin, retired in 1997. The building then housed the newly formed Wetzel County Historical Society which was spearheaded by Jim Fitzsimmons (1924-2009). The Historical Society operated with the purpose of displaying historical objects, old photographs, and telling stories of Wetzel County’s fascinating past.

10. Lincoln Theater

Standing in New Martinsville, WV since it's opening day in 1920, the Lincoln Theater is a cultural landmark and popular tourist attraction in the local community. Housing a variety of events and shows, including performances by local theater groups, the Lincoln Theater should be a stop for any arts enthusiasts coming to West Virginia, and was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

11. Wetzel/Marshall County Line Monument

The monument located at the Wetzel and Marshall county line in West Virginia is commonly, but falsely, believed to be marking the Mason-Dixon line that divided the North from the South during the United States Civil War. While many believe it to be a Mason-Dixon line marker, it is not. Although a sign near the Wetzel/Marshall County line tells the story of the Mason-Dixon line, the Mason-Dixon line borders Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Maryland. The Wetzel/Marshall County line’s limestone fixture is, in fact, a monument signifying the transition between the WV counties.

12. Marshall County Historical Society

Since 1989, this former West Virginia church mission has been operated as a local history museum by the Marshall County Historical Society. The museum includes exhibits drawn from their collection of local photographs, military artifacts and uniforms, antiques, and other items related to the history of the community that have been donated by local residents. Past Marshall County businesses are also represented with items from Marx Toys, the Moundsville Stamping Plant, and Fostoria, among others. The organization also operates a small local history and genealogy room that includes a collection of books on regional and West Virginia history, local newspapers and manuscripts, and Moundsville High School Yearbooks. The museum is staffed with volunteers, and while the organization has limited regular hours, these local residents are happy to accommodate requests for tours with advance notice.

13. Grave Creek Mound Archaelogical Complex

The Grave Creek Mound in Moundsville, WV is the largest Adena conical burial mound in North America. The major West Virginia landmark is currently 62 feet high and 240 feet in diameter and is estimated to contain 57,000 tons of earth. Archaeologists believe that the mound was constructed sometime during the Early Woodland period in successive stages during 250-150 B.C. The mound once had a three-story observatory and Civil War artillery on its summit. Horse races were often run around the base. Today the Grave Creek mound is owned and operated by the West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture and History as part of the Grave Creek Mound Archaeological Complex. The Complex includes the Delf Norona Museum and the state's repository for West Virginia's archaeological collections.

14. West Virginia State Penitentiary

After West Virginia seceded from Virginia during the Civil War in 1863, the state began searching for a location for a state penitentiary. Leaders in Moundsville lobbied on behalf of their city as the site of the penitentiary and the prison operated in this city from 1876 to 1995. The city chose the prison over other options, including the possibility of a university, because city leaders felt the prison would be more profitable for the city. The prison is a leading tourist destination today as it offers a magnificent example of Gothic architecture complete with turrets and battlements. This former prison is popular with those who are fascinated with rumors of paranormal activity. While some travelers value the prison for its architecture and window into understanding 19th and 20th century prisons, others visit this location for the popular ghost tours that are offered throughout the year.

15. Fostoria Glass Museum

This museum offers exhibits of the glassware produced by the Fostoria Glass Company during the factory's nearly 100 years of operation in Moundsville. The company began operations in Fostoria, Ohio, on December 15, 1887. In 1891, it moved its operations to Moundsville due to the abundance of natural gas and coal and the centrality of these resources to the production of glassware. The company first created a line of fine quality hand-blown stemware and later produced their first complete crystal dinner service. Fostoria remained one of the key businesses in Moundsville until the factory closed in 1986. At its height of production (late 1940s), Fostoria employed 1000 workers, mostly from Moundsville and nearby Glen Dale, and became the largest manufacturer of handmade glass in the United States.

16. Palace of Gold, New Vrindaban

Though it was initially designed as a simple home, where the founder of the religious movement the International Society of Krishna Consciousness A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Pranhupada planned to retire and write his commentaries on Vedic scripture, following his death the movement's followers built upon the original design creating the Palace of Gold. Located in New Vrindaban, West Virginia, the community was created to serve as a place of pilgrimage for ISKCON followers across North America. Planning to recreate the town of Vrindaban, like it is in India, the community was founded by one of Pranhupada's early disciples Kirtanada Swami. Despite not being builders by profession the people of New Vrindaban completed the Palace of Gold in 1979, three years after Pranhupada's death. Today the sight still holds religious significance to the movement's followers welcoming thousands of pilgrims and hundreds of thousands of tourists each year.

17. Shepherd Hall/Monument Place

Shepherd Hall was built in 1798 by Moses Shepherd as a home for himself and his wife, Lydia Shepherd (née Boggs). The house has played host to numerous famous guests during their lifetimes, such as the Marquis de Lafayette, James Polk, and Andrew Jackson. However, much of the house's fame comes from the long life of Lydia Shepherd, who lived to see both the American Revolution and the Civil War. After changing hands following her death, it came into the care of the Osiris Shrine Temple in 1926, where it has remained since. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970.

18. Madonna of the Trail (Wheeling, WV)

Standing ten feet tall, clutching a baby to her breast, and holding a rifle in the opposite hand, Madonna of the Trail is a strikingly resolute monument. A bonnet rests atop the figure’s head and hiking boots cover her feet. A young boy tugs at her skirts. One of twelve Madonna of the Trail statues erected along U.S. Route 40, these monuments are a celebration of and pay tribute to the tenacity of pioneer women and their contribution to American colonialism. The National Society of the Daughters of the Revolution commissioned sculptor August Leimbach to design the statues. This statue located at the edge of Wheeling Park was the second of the twelve created. It was dedicated on July 7, 1928.

19. B&O Railroad Passenger Station

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.

20. Wheeling Custom House/West Virginia Independence Hall

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.

21. Victoria Theater

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.

22. Capitol Theatre, Wheeling

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.

This Tour is a Driving or Biking Tour.

The Mid-Ohio Valley of West Virginia Driving Tour

Created by HST 231 (Marshall University) on May 3rd 2017, 2:55:47 pm.

Get a QR Code for this tour

Description

This driving tour begins and ends at historic hotels and includes stops along the Ohio River between the cities of Parkersburg and Wheeling, West Virginia. Spanning over six counties in West Virginia, this tour takes you to two dozen museums and landmarks all within a two-hour drive. The tour begins at Parkersburg's Blennerhassett Hotel and concludes at the historic Oglebay Resort which includes two museums and a zoo within the resort complex.

Entries on This Tour

The Mid-Ohio Valley of West Virginia Driving Tour

Description

Share