<div>The Willow Island&nbsp;cooling tower that partially collapsed on April 27, 1978&nbsp;was one of two under construction for a larger power plant being constructed by Allegheny Power System (now First Energy) adjacent to the utility's Willow Island Power Station in Pleasant County, West Virginia.&nbsp; </div><div> </div><div>Concrete work on Tower Number Two had reached a height of 166 feet on the day of the accident. As workers were preparing to pour a new layer of concrete just after 10 a.m., concrete from the previous day's pours started to unwrap from the tower. As a result, concrete, wooden forms and metal scaffold supporting the 51 workers began to collapse inward toward the hollow center of the tower. All of the workers - many of whom were area residents working on the job - fell to their deaths. One family experienced the loss of 10 family members in the accident: four of five sons, a brother, two brothers-in-law, and three nephews.</div><div> </div><div>Federal reviews and investigations of the accident by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and National Bureau of Standards determined the most probable cause of the collapse was due to construction loads being imposed upon the shell before prior concrete pours had gained adequate strength to support these loads.&nbsp;</div><div> </div><div>Three construction companies involved in the project faced significant federal fines and possible criminal charges following the accident. However, a federal grand jury returned no criminal indictments after hearing evidence in the case.&nbsp;</div>

This memorial bears the names of each of the fifty-one victims of the accident. 

Initial news reports of the accident from a local paper

Video

More Info

West Virginia Archives and History: Willow Island Disaster

Shauna Johnson article on commemoration of the 40th anniversary of the disaster 

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. 

Willow Island Disaster Memorial

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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. 

Money from the oil and natural gas industry led to an economic boom in Parkersburg and surrounding areas in the late 1800s. Responding to the demand for a luxury hotel, the Blennerhassett Hotel was designed and built by a local businessman named William Chancellor. It took six years to construct, and it was originally leased to George Campbell and opened on May 6th, 1889. The hotel was quickly became a local landmark. It had about 50 guest rooms stationed around a central staircase. There were restrooms on each of the four guest floors and the kitchen was located on the fifth floor. It had two parlors and a restaurant which could seat up to 80 guests at a time. Plumbing, gas, electric, windows, and even furniture were locally sourced. The hotel's current game room once housed the First National Bank of Parkersburg, one of the first businesses in the area equipped with electricity. The hotel was built to captivate the gaslight era. The builders brought together different architectural styles by combining Victorian, Queen Anne and some Romanesque Revival design elements. A Parkersburg businessman named Johan Kaltenecker, built the Kaltenecker building next door. The outside of the building was designed to match the hotel. In 1985-1986, a renovation brought both buildings together, and the Kaltenecker building is now the hotel dining area.  While the hotel was originally going to be called "The Argyle," the hotel ended up being named after Harman and Margaret Blennerhassett. In 1789, this couple settled on an island in the Ohio River and constructed a mansion. The island, now called Blennerhassett Island, became well known because of Mr. Blennerhassett's association with Vice President Aaron Burr. Because of their involvement with Burr's attempt to gain control of the region Southwest of the area, the Blennerhassett’s fled the island and traveled down the Ohio River to escape possible conspiracy charges.  The hotel has been updated at various points throughout the 20th century and remains a popular place for accommodating guests to the area. From 1944 to 1945, William Chancellor's grandson, Nelson C. Burwell, operated the hotel. Three major renovations happened during the his time. In 1979, there were around 30 elderly residents living at the hotel. On May 9th, 1979, their was a fire that badly damaged the building. It was extinguished right before it hit the 5th floor. In the 1980s, a group of Pennsylvania-based investors decided to pay for renovations to the building. The hotel underwent a complete restoration in 1986. In November of 2002 the hotel underwent another renovation costing over 10 million dollars. The hotel now has 89 guest rooms and a patio outside. The building is currently listed on the National register of Historic Places and is still operating as a hotel.

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.

The Blennerhassett Hotel

In the mid-eighteenth century, surveyors determined western Virginia was rich in oil and natural gas. Native Americans already utilized oil seeping from the ground for a variety of purposes, but it was not a major source of fuel until it was drilled in large quantities. In 1842, oil was accidentally discovered in Wirt County, WV. While drilling for salt on their property, the Rathbone family found that oil was getting in the way. One year after Edwin Drake successfully established the nation's first oil well in Pennsylvania, the Rathbones drilled West Virginia's first oil well in Burning Springs, Wirt County, in July 1860. Johnson Newlon Camden, later a state senator, established an oil refinery in Parkersburg where much of this oil was prepared for use. The oil rush quickly expanded throughout Wirt, Wood, and Ritchie County. With huge quantities of oil being produced, money was quickly coming to this area, which was a huge influence in the Civil War and was one of the reasons West Virginia became a state. With all this money, the owners did not want it to go to the Confederates. Oil was selling for about $30 a barrel, and with oil only a hundred feet under the ground, it created quick millionaires. Some of Parkersburg's mansions are the result of oil fortunes.Natural gas, a byproduct of the creation of petroleum in the earth, also had use in nineteenth century western Virginia. As early as 1831, the Kanawha salt manufacturers were producing heat by using wooden pipes to move natural gas from wells. As oil production declined in the twentieth century, natural gas gained popularity as a more efficient and cost-effective option. The Parkersburg Oil and Gas Museum explores the history and technologies of these fossil fuels in West Virginia, along with some history of the Civil War in this area. The Museum is located in the historic W.H. Smith Hardware Company building, completed around 1900 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It retains unique, original features such as a historic Romanesque facade with the hand-painted sign, hardwood floors, light fixtures, hardware store shelving, and heating units. The Hardware Company was established in 1874 on this site and produced items for agriculture and industry; home items ranging from doors to stoves to roofing; and tools for Blacksmiths, wagonmakers, and saddlers. The original building burned in August 1899 and the current structure built on the former's original foundations. The Hardware Company kept shop at this site until the 1980s when they moved out of downtown; they remain in business today.

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.

Parkersburg Oil and Gas Museum

Beginning in 1788, Rufus Putnam, superintendent of the Ohio Company, began building his home in Campus Martius. His home was one of the original row houses comprising Campus Martius. The fort was dismantled after the Treaty of Greeneville hurt peaceful relations on the frontier. However, Putnam and his family remained in their home.

By adding four new rooms to his home, Putnam more than doubled its size. Putnam continued to live in his Campus Martius home until his death in 1824. After his death, the executors of his estate sold the home to Judge Arius Nye.

When Judge Arius Nye passed away, the house was transferred over to his daughter, Miss Minerva Tupper Nye. The home was rented out to tenants until 1900. The Daughters of the American Revolution leased the home from 1905-1907. The Marietta Chapter of DAR used the home to display pioneer relics.

From 1907 to 1917 the home was locked and boarded up. Miss Nye rejected offers to purchase the home hoping that an organization would come along that would preserve the home as a relic of the illustrious pioneers.

The efforts of Miss Nye and the Marietta Chapter of DAR played a large role in the preservation of the Rufus Putnam Home. Their influence led the State Society of the DAR to appeal to the General Assembly in 1916. Thousands signed their petition for the purchasing of the Putnam House. In 1917, Honor G.F. Reed and Senator Crawford introduced a bill into the Legislature for the purchase of the home. The Ohio Archaeological and Historical Society became the custodians of the Rufus Putnam House.

Several restorations and renovations have taken place at the Rufus Putnam House.

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.

Campus Martius Museum of the Northwest Territory

The Castle is an example of the Gothic Revival style. Special features of the house are the octagonal tower, a trefoil attic window, and stone capped spires. The front of the property is lined by a cut stone wall and a Victorian cast iron fence revealing a brick and stone sidewalk on an elevated terrace. The interior features a scagliola fireplace mantle, coodge paper-mache moldings, and floor to ceiling, self-storing shutters on the front bay window.&nbsp;The house was designed by John Slocomb, the architect of the Anchorage in Harmar Village and Henderson Hall in nearby West Virginia. Both the Anchorage and Henderson Hall are Italianate villas. Slocomb showcased his versatility and great range with the design of the Castle.&nbsp;The oldest part of the Castle is the summer kitchen, which was built in 1830. The main house and the detached carriage house were built in 1855. The rooster weather vane on top of the carriage house is an original. The iron fence on the Fourth Street sidewalk also was installed to keep cows from wandering into the front yard.Several citizens have called the Castle home. Melvin Clarke, a local attorney and abolitionist, began construction in 1855. It continued until 1858 when he sold the property for $2000. Later, he lost his life in the Civil War at Antietam. John Newton, agent for the Marietta Bucket Factory, purchased the home. He and his family enjoyed entertaining there for over twenty-five years. He later died in 1886, and the Castle was sold to Edward W. Nye. He was the publisher of The Marietta Gazette&nbsp;and only lived there a year before his death.&nbsp;The house then passed on to his daughter, Lucy Nye Davis, who was married to Theodore Davis. He was elected to the 68th General Assembly as a State Senator. Her eldest daughter and heir, Jessie, was fourteen when her mother inherited the home. Jessie lived in the Castle until her death, five days before her 100th birthday in 1974. Because she never wanted to leave the house, her funeral was also at the Castle.&nbsp;The Castle was then purchased by L. Stewart Bosley and his sister Dr. Bertlyn Bosley. They began a renovation project that lasted nearly two decades. The house was deeded to the Betsey Mills Corporation in 1992, "as an historical asset for the City of Marietta with such asset to be used for educational and public purposes." This was done after Stewart and Bertlyn Bosley died.&nbsp;The Castle opened to the public in 1994. It is furnished with Victorian-era furniture and art. The Castle hosts musical events, workshops, lectures, and special programs for children and is open for tours. Also, several photos of the Castle before the renovations began are on display in the carriage house, which serves as a visitors' center and gift shop. Hours vary by season.

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. 

The Castle, Marietta Ohio

The Peoples Bank Theatre was built in 1919 as the Hippodrome Theater. The Hippodrome had previously been a vaudeville house located on Second and Union Streets completed on May 18, 1911. However, a fire destroyed the theater in November 1917, prompting the C &amp; M Amusement Company to construct a new Hippodrome on Putnam and Third Streets (the theater’s present location). The theater showed Daddy Long Legs starring Mary Pickford for its May 9th, 1919 reopening.

The second Hippodrome was more elaborate than its predecessor. The theater featured large stages (appropriate for Broadway plays), plush carpeting, impressive acoustics, an orchestra pit, and two moving picture projectors. There was also about twice as much seating as in the old theater. To accompany silent films, there was a Möller&nbsp;theatre pipe organ with pipes located in&nbsp;the false opera boxes at stage right. But, in 1929, the C&amp;M Amusement Company installed Vitaphone technology, making it the first theater in Marietta to show “talking pictures.”

After being taken over by the Shea Theatre company of New York, the Hippodrome was remodeled in 1949. Outside, the stone archway was removed and replaced with a two-story Southern-Colonial brick façade, and the box office moved to the side of the entrance. Inside, new carpeting, stage drapes, and other minor updates rounded out the transformation. A contest was held to rename the theater, and so the Hippodrome became the Colony Cinema on June 25th, 1949.

On February 12th, 1957, the Colony Cinema hosted the world premiere of Battle Hymn starring Rock Hudson as Marietta native Colonel Dean Hess. The town was abuzz during the week of the premiere with visiting celebrities and record-breaking attendance for the small-town theater. But, many movie theaters experienced a downturn in the 1950s and 1960s as more and more people chose to stay home and watch television rather than drive to a theater in town. To woo audiences back, many theaters tried to improve themselves; the Colony was no different. In 1969, the theater was renovated again, removing a staircase to make room for more concessions and taking out seats to add legroom.

During the late 1970s, the Colony Cinema was sold and resold to a number of out-of-town companies until it was purchased by Marietta local Marjorie Bee. Bee had previously worked at the theater, and she was determined to keep it running. Unfortunately, the theater had to be closed in December 1985 due to low attendance and high bills. Local businessman Dan Stephan Sr. then bought the Colony in 1989, hoping that it could be restored and preserved.

Starting in 2001, the Hippodrome/Colony Historical Theatre Association raised funds necessary for such an undertaking. The theater reopened in 2016 as the Peoples Bank Theatre and continues to exhibit movies and live performances as well as hosting events such as graduations.&nbsp;

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.

The Peoples Bank Theatre

The Wells Inn was established by Ephraim Wells, grandson of Sistersville founder Charles Wells, in 1895. The hotel was built to offer meals and lodging for travelers to the city and workers during the oil boom at the turn-of-the-century. In addition to modest rooms for laborers, the inn offered accommodations for entrepreneurs and travelers of relative wealth and was considered one of the finest establishments between Wheeling and Parkersburg, West Virginia. The inn has a two-story verandah, and the interior of the two-story inn features 1890s decor, mosaic tile flooring, tiled fireplace, and oak wood furnishing. The hotel's fortunes have reflected the overall business cycle, with periods of closure and on many occasions, the property has changed hands. In 1994, the hotel sustained major damage from a winter storm, and many feared that the building would be closed for good. However, the Boyd family who was previous owners decided to purchase the inn and renovated it completely by adding modern features and new amenities such as an indoor swimming pool and exercise room. The inn was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. The current owners, Charles and Kim Winslow, are continuing the work of restoring this historic small-town hotel. The inn is now open and provides travelers with food and lodging.

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.

The Wells Inn , Sistersville

The Sistersville Ferry at Fly Landing was the longest continuously working mode of transportation in Monroe County, Ohio during its time of operation. On January 28, 1818, the General Assembly of Virginia passed an act that granted a ferry service crossing of the Ohio River from Fly, Ohio to Sistersville, Virginia (now West Virginia) to John McCoy. The state of Virginia set the fares to six pence for man or horse to cross the river using the ferry service, a considerably small fee for the length of travel. The section of river is referred to as “Long Reach,” because its 20-mile length is the longest straight stretch of the Ohio River. From Fly Landing, both Beavertown and Sardis could be seen. The type of ferry used at the time was likely a two-horse powered treadmill ferry because the river was too deep for a man to operate a push-pull barge. Although steam-powered ferryboats were available in the 1840s, the Sistersville Ferry used horsepower until the 1880s. It was not until 1886 that the 1884-built steam-powered Orion was purchased, followed by the W.C. Pusey in 1889. In 1894, Frank D., A.S. McCoy, and Elizabeth W. Talbott, descendants of John McCoy, bought the ferry company from the other remaining McCoy family members, establishing the Sistersville Ferry Company. In 1907, Orion was converted into the Daniel, but was sold 10 years later in 1917 to make room for a new type of ferry. Built in Clarington, Ohio, their gasoline-powered ferryboats soon became popularized. The stern-wheel Dora T. worked from 1917-1925, and the Kiwanis followed until 1956. In 1920, the company began issuing shares. Stockholder Everett Tuel bought shares owned by Elizabeth Talbott's descendants, enabling him to gain control of the company, in 1937, while a balance of the shares remained within the McCoy family. Tuel went on to operate the Sistersville Ferry Company as the Tuel Fleet. The following year, he purchased the company’s first diesel-powered ferries, Elinor D. and then in 1939 John F. III, which worked until 1955. At that point, he sold his part of the company to Joe Witten, who had Yates Marine Construction Co. in Wheeling, West Virginia build the diesel-powered ferry-towboat Rides and bought the Sham ferryboat three years later. He then went on to purchase the rest of the Sistersville Ferry business from the McCoys in 1960. Up until 1960, the McCoys had owned or been involved with the Sistersville Ferry for over 140 years. After Captain Gilbert B. “Dib” Harmon owned the business from 1964-1977, he closed services down, with Rides being used up to that point. In 1980, the city of Sistersville, West Virginia purchased the ferry service and opened it for business once again. The city bought the 1952-built Judge Hickman ferry-towboat and renamed it the City of Sistersville in 1991. The city purchased a new towboat in 1999 named the City of Sistersville II, which replaced the City of Sistersville, and still operated with the Captain G.B. Harmon barge, which held a maximum of eight cars. There are now only four operating ferries along the Ohio River, with the Sistersville Ferry being the only service along the stretch that shares its border with West Virginia. The site at Fly Landing is also the location of George Washington’s encampment on October 25, 1770, when he journeyed west to locate bounty lands on the Kanawha and Ohio Rivers for soldiers of the Virginia Regiment. In 2003, a historical marker was erected by the Ohio Bicentennial Commission, Tall Stacks, Inc., and the Ohio Historical Society. A nearby marker can also be found regarding Washington’s journey at the location.

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.

Fly Landing of the Sistersville Ferry

<div>The Wetzel County Historical Society ceased operations in 2009 with the passing of Fitzsimmons. The building and its collections were acquired by the Wetzel County Conventions and Visitors Bureau. The local CVB worked to create exhibits and a local history museum with these items that would serve as a place where the history of the area could be safely stored and appreciated. Thanks to the hard work of the CVB these goals have been realized. Extensive renovations were made to the building and many of its original features were restored including its hardwood floor and tin ceiling. The building is dedicated to Jim Fitzsimmons.&nbsp; </div>

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. 

Wetzel County Museum

The Lincoln Theater
opened in downtown New Martinsville in 1920. Since that time, the theater has
played host to numerous films, plays, and community events. Prominent actress,
Gloria Swanson, gave a speech to a packed house in 1925 prior to the screening
of her film, "Manhandled." A comedy film starring Swanson and
directed by Allan Dawn, "Stage Struck," which was filmed on location
in New Martinsville, had its world premiere at the Lincoln Theater in 1925. The
silent film has since been archived and restored by the George Eastman House
and the British Film Institute. In 1927 new sound equipment was added to the
theater and it fully transitioned from silent pictures to “talkies."After closing in 1967, a group of prominent New
Martinsville residents purchased the building and leased it back to the city.
It is now owned by the New Martinsville Parks and Recreation Department and
continues to entertain Wetzel County and its guests and travelers. It is listed
on the National Register of Historic Places.

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. 

Lincoln Theater

Discovered sometime in July of 1929,&nbsp;this monument is
located right along the Wetzel/Marshall County border. &nbsp;The monument was
uncovered by Clarence Snow and his crewmen from the C&amp;P Telephone Company.
&nbsp;When it was discovered, only the top of the monument was visible. The
workmen dug about two or three feet to uncover the wording at the bottom of the
limestone fixture.&nbsp;&nbsp;
The lettering on the western side of the stone read: "County Line - 17
Miles &amp; 50 poles - surface measure - from Penna. Corner - Joseph Mccoy -
and - John Gilchrist - Commissioners - May 27, 1833."&nbsp;
The south&nbsp;side read: "Tyler county - Now - Wetzel - Co. April 6th -
1846 --." &nbsp;It appeared that the "Now Wetzel County,” was written
after Tyler County&nbsp;had already been inscribed into the stone.&nbsp;The north side of the stone reads: "Ohio County - Erected
by - C. P. Wells - And - J. Gilchrist - Now - Marshall - County - May 1st A. D.
1835." &nbsp;Like Wetzel County, the "Now Marshall County" was
written in after Ohio County was already carved into the stone.
Marshall and Wetzel Counties were both created after Ohio and Tyler. &nbsp;Ohio
County was formed in 1776 and Tyler County was formed in 1814. &nbsp;Marshall County
broke off from Ohio County in 1835, and Wetzel formed from Tyler County in
1846. 










The monument is often mistaken as a marker for the Mason-Dixon line,&nbsp;but
the Mason-Dixon ends in Board Tree, in the southwest corner of Pennsylvania,
which is relatively far from the site.&nbsp;The sign to the side of the
monument tells about the Mason-Dixon line, which likely leads to the
misconceptions regarding this historic 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.

Wetzel/Marshall County Line Monument

The building that houses the historical museum was built in the 1920s as a church mission. The decade of the 20s was part of the largest immigration period in the United States, and Moundsville had a growing immigrant population at that time as well. In response,&nbsp;the First Methodist Episcopal&nbsp;Church of Moundsville (now Simpson United Methodist Church) decided to build a mission church in the heart of Moundsville's immigrant population which was along the Ohio River in an area known as Spanish Row. The church served as a location for working-class immigrant families to worship as well as to connect them with available help in the area. It also served as a school for children who were struggling in public school due to their insufficient English language skills. As fewer immigrants arrived in the area and future generations assimilated and intermarried, the need for the mission declined and many of the old family homes were torn down to make room for a widening of West Virginia Route.&nbsp;The former mission church&nbsp;was sold in the early 1970s to Bethel Christian Fellowship and served the community once again as a church for nearly two more decades.&nbsp;In 1989, the Moundsville Historical Society purchased the property and established the museum.

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. 

Marshall County Historical Society

The first European colonist to "discover" Grave Creek Mound was Joseph Tomlinson who noticed it while hunting in 1772. Jesse Tomlinson and Thomas Biggs, who were not archaeologists, tunneled into the mound in 1838 in search of buried treasures. When Tomlinson and Biggs dug two tunnels and a vertical shaft into the mound they uncovered two burial chambers. The men enlarged the lower burial chamber and opened it as a museum charging .25 cents admission. In 1909, West Virginia purchased the mound and wardens of the West Virginia Penitentiary used inmates to maintain the mound until the State Parks took over operation of the site in 1967. The first scientific excavation of the area was conducted by Dr. E. Thomas Hemmings of the West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey in 1975; Hemmings found evidence of a ditch encircling the mound.  The city of Moundsville derives its name from the Adena burial mounds once located on Grave Creek Flats. Grave Creek Mound was the largest and is over 2,000 years old. Approximately 57,000 tons of earth had to be transported by baskets manually to construct it. Core samples taken during Hemmings' 1976 excavation provided evidence the mound was created between 250-150 B.C. Early estimates often place the height of the mound at about 70 feet before the 1838 tunneling. The mound was originally encircled by a 40-foot wide ditch. It was approximately 5-feet wide and did not hold water. Instead, it set the mound apart from the surrounding landscape. Access across the ditch as possible by an earthen causeway that interrupted the enclosure. The ditch slowly silted in and was finally completely filled in 1838 by dumping soil excavated from the tunnels and shaft into it. .  The 1838 excavation discovered two human skeletons in the lower burial chamber and a third individual in the upper chamber. Artifacts included mica, gorgets, copper bracelets and a large number of shell beads. In addition to the Adena ornaments and remains purportedly found in the inside of the mound, the upper vault contained a small flat sandstone engraved with alphabetical characters. Authenticity of the stone and the meaning of its inscription became a topic of controversy. The stone has never been authenticated and has been disputed by most professional archaeologists and linguists. Around 100 B.C. some Adena populations began to transform and probably became the Hopewell Culture, Other mounds that existed in the area either no longer exist (flattened in the nineteenth century during urban development, looting, and plowing). Many that survive exist on private property. One smaller Adena mound available for public access is located in Glen Dale at the Cockayne Farmstead. The Delf Norona Museum, adjacent to the Grave Creek Mound, is named for Delf Norona, an amateur archaeologist who immigrated to the United States and had an passionate interest in the Grave Creek Mound. He opened a museum at south base of the mound and was the museum's curator. . The Delf Norona Museum was established in December of 1978 opening up the world of the Adena for all to see. The upper level of the museum is dedicated to the findings concerning the life and culture of the Adena people as well as the construction of the Grave Creek Mound. The Adena did not have written records, so it is important to study what was left by them in order to learn more about their cultures and beliefs. The strategies of how the Adena built burial mounds is not well known, but visiting the Grave Creek Mound Archaeological Complex will provide insight to decipher the Adena culture.  The West Virginia Collections Management and Research Facility includes a viewing window where visitors can watch artifact curation in progress and on the first Saturday of October, Archaeology Day is celebrated with a behind the scenes tour of the Research Center where the state archaeological is housed.

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.

Grave Creek Mound Archaelogical Complex

The prison was known for overcrowding and inhumane conditions for the inmates. In the 1950s, guards would put three men in a cell that was only 5 feet by 7 feet which was later ruled as unacceptable by the courts. Nearly 1,000 inmates died within the walls of the prison. Some people thought that brutal deaths, such as the ones that the inmates faced explain some of the paranormal activity that is described by visitors of the prison. There were numerous ways that people died within the prison. Some died at the violent hands of other inmates. Others were put to death by hanging or electrocution. Between 1899 and 1949, 85 men were hung at the penitentiary. Locals would even come to watch the death of the inmates. After hangings were ruled to be cruel and inhumane in 1951, inmate Paul Glenn was asked to build an electric chair to carry out the executions. This electric chair was dubbed "Old Sparky" and is still on display. Nine inmates had been executed by Old Sparky before 1965, when the state of West Virginia outlawed capital punishment. The part of the prison known as the Wagon Gate (north gate) was the original section of the prison opened in 1866 with only 7 prisoners in custody. Thirty additional prisoners were added soon thereafter, and the prisoners were responsible for much of the labor in building the penitentiary. By 1876, much of the stone structure was in place. The earliest hangings were also performed in the wagon gate. The first execution by hanging (1899) was of a man convicted of murder from McDowell County. Bud Peterson was the last person that was hung by the prison. He died on February 25, 1949. Like many inmates nobody claimed Peterson's body, so he was buried in the prison cemetery. There were some who committed suicide to escape the prison. Prison personnel claimed they have heard and seen things that they could not explain.  After its closure in 1995 the stories of ghostly inmates roaming the building made it a prominent spot for paranormal enthusiasts. Another reason that this area is believed to have so much ghost activity is due to the fact that there are so many burial mounds that were created by Native Americans known as the Adena over a millennia ago. One such mound is adjacent to the prison. During much of the prison's 129 years of service, the institution was self-sufficient. Industries within the prison included a Blacksmith shop, a wagon shop, a carpentry shop, a brickyard, a stone yard, a paint shop, a bakery, prison farm, coal mine and a hospital. In the years since its closure, the prison has also drawn people from around the country as a training site for riot control.

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. 

West Virginia State Penitentiary

The house where the museum is located was a private residence from 1903 to 1942. Between 1942 and 1988 when it was purchased by Fostoria Glass Society of America, Inc. for a museum, it was used for offices, and the Masonic Lodge. The old Fostoria manufacturing site sat idle for decades and was finally demolished in 2010. The site took in several blocks, centered on the intersection of Grant Avenue and First Street in Moundsville. Today it serves as a parking lot for heavy equipment associated with the natural gas industry. Fostoria was known for its hand-blown glass and fine crystal, and created glassware for Presidents Eisenhower, Kennedy, Nixon, Ford, and Reagan, as well as other world leaders.&nbsp;The growth of the company from regional production to a national reputation dates back to the decision of company leaders to market their products beyond the region.&nbsp;In 1924, the company became one of the first in the industry to dedicate resources to&nbsp;national advertising. At that time, the&nbsp;company made primarily colored glass dinner services. In the 1930s, the company produced crystal dinnerware to match changing consumer tastes. During the&nbsp;post-WWII era, "milk glass" was most popular. Peak production for the company came during this post-war boom, with the company producing more than eight million pieces of glassware in 1950 alone.&nbsp;The most popular pattern was the American pattern. Lancaster Colony, the company that bought Fostoria, still produces the American pattern today although it is machine-made rather than handmade.

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.

Fostoria Glass Museum

In 1968 Pranhupada’s disciple, Kirtanada Swami created the community of New Vrindaban, and by the 1980’s the community comprised over 3,000 acres. The creation of a New Vrindaban was one of the goals that Pranhupada wanted to achieve through his movement and he spoke of it often. Pranhupada planned to retire to New Vrindaban to write his commentaries on the Vedic scripture. Members of the ISKCON increasingly moved to New Vrindaban to either aid in the construction of what became the Palace of Gold, the personal charisma of Kirtanananda, or because the community would take in the “problem devotees”, those who were not accepted by other sects of the movement. From 1975 to the mid-1980’s the community would continue to grow from a population of 120 to 500.Plans to construct Pranhupada's home began in 1973 which was originally designed to be a small house. Pranhupada last visited New Vrindaban in 1976 before his death the following year and on September 2, 1979, two years after his death, the Palace of Gold was dedicated in his memory. As construction continued the design of the home grew and the Palace of Gold took shape turning the home into a memorial. The Palace of Gold welcomed tens of thousands of visitors when its doors first opened, rising to 100,000 in 1982, and nearly half a million the following year. Media outlets praised the Palace, CNN naming it one of the 8 religious wonders in the country, The New York Times called it “America’s Taj Mahal”, and was described as “Almost Heaven” by The Washington Post. For the movement's followers, it became a place of pilgrimage, welcoming thousands of faithful each year.New Vrindaban employes one of the largest workforces in Marshall County, West Virginia, with a staff of 187 people outside their faith and community. This was accomplished through the wealth brought in by tourism to the Palace of Gold and was used in the plans to create the world’s largest Radha-Krishna temple. The mid-1980’s brought incidents of violence to the community as Kirtanananda was attacked in the fall of 1985, suffering a major head injury, and a former residence, and critic, was murdered in 1986. These incidents and the subsequent investigation by state and federal authorities undermined the authority of Kirtanananda and began the decline of the community. New Vrindaban declined in population after 1986, falling from the 377 adults down to 131 by 1991, with many leaving to join other ISKCON temples. In 2009, of the 125 followers of ISKCON living in the region 50 lived in the temple community, but of the other 75, few maintained regular, if any, contact with the community.

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.

Palace of Gold, New Vrindaban

Shepherd Hall, also known as Stone Mansion and Monument Place, was built in 1798 by Moses Shepherd as a home for himself and his wife, Lydia Shepherd (née Boggs) in 1798. Shepherd’s father, David, originally owned the land and built a fort on the site. This fort served as a refuge to families living around the Wheeling Creeks; however, the Shepherd’s Fort was caught fire and burnt down by Native Americans. Following David Shepherd’s death in 1795 Moses inherited the land. At the time of construction, the house was a part of a large plantation. The Shepherds, especially Lydia, were prolific socialites and played host to several prominent guests during their lifetimes. The Shepherds often visited Washington DC and soon became friends with many politicians, such as Henry Clay, James Polk, and Andrew Jackson. While some of these politicians, especially Clay, passed through Wheeling they would often stay with the Shepherds at Monument Place; it is rumored that Marquis de Lafayette even stayed there while traveling through Wheeling. Due to the Shepherd’s great relationship with Henry Clay they managed to convince him to have National Road pass directly past Monument Place, which benefited a nearby general store that the Shepherds owned. Moses Shepherd became very wealthy by building two bridges that span over Wheeling Creek to allow the National Road to pass their estate. Monument Place gets its nickname due to Lydia Shepherd Cruger erecting a statue honoring Henry Clay for bringing the National Road to the area (the monument no longer stands). Despite the fame of their guests, the house acquired most of its renown from the long life of Lydia Boggs Shepherd Cruger. Born in 1766, Lydia lived long enough to see both the American Revolution and the Civil War. When her first husband died of cholera in 1832, she remarried to Daniel Cruger one year later, though he died of apoplexy in 1843. Though she later became a recluse, Lydia would entertain the occasional guest that wished to pick her brain about something she had experienced in her long life. She remained in the house for the rest of her life, passing away in 1867 at the age of 101. As Lydia died without issue, the land around the house was sold off in lots and would eventually become Elm Grove. The mansion itself was sold to the Loring family in 1870 and would stay in the family until 1926. The Osiris Shrine Temple would purchase the house from the estate of Lucy Loring Milton, where it has been since. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970. Shepherd Hall estate, as it stands today, occupies five acres of land. Until 1926, only a few changes were made to the land and structure. The central building is 2 1/2 stories, with a stone exterior. A small cottage stands to the left of the main building and was constructed by the Loring family. However, the Osiris Temple has made the most changes to the house itself, extending the back of the building to accommodate large rooms for banquets and meetings. At 215 years old, Shepherd Hall stands as the oldest house in Wheeling, West Virginia.

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.

Shepherd Hall/Monument Place

With more and more Model T's rolling off the assembly line, people began to fear that society may forget about the old trails that so many people traveled. In the 1920s, a band of women petitioned their state representative, William P. Borland, to pass a bill that designated all historic trails as the National Old Trails Road.  The Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), a separate entity from the group in Missouri, wanted the current National Road that only covered the length of Cumberland, Maryland to Vandalia, Illinois to expand westward to San Francisco California. The members of the DAR set out with red, white, and blue paint with which they began to designate historical trails by painting telephone poles and fence posts. The newly established National Old Trail Road Association assisted them with this task. The bylaws of this organization stated: "the object of the Association shall be to assist the Daughters of the American Revolution in marking Old Trails and to promote the construction of an Ocean-to-Ocean Highway of modern type worthy of its memorial character." At the 1914 Annual American Road Congress, the DAR made the pioneer woman gazing over yonder to the National Road  their symbol and resolved to begin the process of erecting an appropriate memorial. However,  World War I (WWI) halted their progress for nine years. After WWI ended, future president of the United States, Harry S. Truman, was actually President of the National Old Trail Road Association. Truman had an intense interest in cars and road systems; in fact, while serving in France in WWI, he was fascinated by their infrastructure for the automobile and sold memberships to Kansas City Automobile, until he was appointed a sit on the bench as a Missouri judge for Jackson County in 1926.  Partnered with DAR chair Arlene Moss, Truman and Moss decided to forgo the idea of planting iron markers along the National Trail in 1924. Three years later, the DAR made a decision they would have a statue: Madonna of the Trail.  Moss was inspired by a Sacajawea statue that she had seen while traveling in Portland, Oregon. Moss picked twelve spots along the National Road to plant statues over the next two years, 1928-1929. The locations of the statues are: Springfield, Ohio; Wheeling, West Virginia; Council Grove, Kansas; Lexington, Missouri; Lamar, Colorado; Albuquerque, New Mexico; Springerville, Arizona; Vandalia, Illinois; Richmond, Indiana; Washington County, Pennsylvania; Upland, California; and finally, Bethesda, Maryland.Otto Schneck, the chairman of the Wheeling Park Commission, accepted the statue on behalf of the city, and according to the minutes from the Commission's February 10, 1928 meeting, the Commission signed a contract with the National Old Trails Association and authorized a payment of $500 for the statue. Apparently, the commission faced a dilemma in choosing the inscriptions for the base of the statue, because member George W. Lutz suggested a contest for students at Wheeling Park High School to pick two inscriptions for the base of the monument. Two winners would each be awarded $15 in gold donated by Lutz, but nothing of this came to fruition. Eventually, the inscriptions for all sides of the base were decided upon. The East Face reads: "THE NATIONAL OLD TRAILS ROAD" and the West face reads: "MADONNA OF THE TRAIL N.S.D.A.R.MEMORIAL TO THE PIONEER MOTHERS OF THE COVERED WAGON DAYS.” The North Face's inscription is: "BY THE AUTHORITY OF THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT AND CHIEFLY THROUGH THE STATESMANSHIP OF HENRY CLAY. THIS ROAD WAS MADE POSSIBLE IN 1806” The South Face reads: "TO THE PIONEER MOTHERS OF OUR MOUNTAIN STATE WHOSE COURAGE, OPTIMISM, LOVE AND SACRIFICE MADE POSSIBLE THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY THAT UNITED THE EAST AND WEST.” The statue was constructed from a Missouri granite, called an algonite stone that contains a mixture of granite, lead, marble, stone, and cement. The statue weighs around twelve tons. Since the Madonna of the Trail Statue was dedicated, the DAR has ensured that a spotlight shines upon her at all times. In 2013, the statue went through a $30,000 repair and restoration with funds raised by the Wheeling Chapter of the DAR. Moss had begun to grow on the statue, there were cracks from weathering, and missing corners. Madonna of the Trail was repaired and rededicated in August 2013.

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.

Madonna of the Trail (Wheeling, WV)

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 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

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.

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

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.

The Mid-Ohio Valley of West Virginia Driving Tour

Willow Island Disaster Memorial

Introduction

Images

Backstory and Context

Sources

Additional Information