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Warwood: a Walking Tour of its History and Architecture
Item 12 of 23
Built in the Gothic Revival style, the Richland District High School opened its doors in 1918. The name changed to Warwood High School in 1920. In 1975, Wheeling consolidated the city’s high schools which led to the closure of Warwood High School. The building is now used for office and retail space.

Facing NE, taken December 2016, photo courtesy of Christina Rieth

Facing NE, taken December 2016, photo courtesy of Christina Rieth

Facing E, taken March 2017, photo courtesy of Christina Rieth

Facing E, taken March 2017, photo courtesy of Christina Rieth

Facing SE, taken March 2017, photo courtesy of Christina Rieth

Facing SE, taken March 2017, photo courtesy of Christina Rieth

Photograph from the Warwood High Warrior, taken in 1947, courtesy of the Ohio County Public Library

Photograph from the Warwood High Warrior, taken in 1947, courtesy of the Ohio County Public Library

The school is located in Warwood, Wheeling's northern most neighborhood. the neighborhood is named after Henry Warwood, who founded the Warwood Tool Company in 1854 in Martins Ferry. The company was relocated to Warwood in 1907.

As early as 1795, Thomas Glenn is the first known owner of the land; he bequeathed the land to his son, William, sometime before 1795. Farmers initially settled in the region north of Wheeling for its rich, fertile soil.

Farmland in Warwood made way to industrial and residential development at the turn of the century. Foreseeing the potential of Warwood’s future, R. J. McCullagh founded the Warwood Land Company in 1903. The company sold the lots at a very low price at the time, starting at $300 each. The land was far less susceptible to floods than other parts of Wheeling, and streetcars ran between Warwood and Wheeling every 15 minutes, which became excellent selling points for prospective residents. Working-class families who came to the area sought employment at the industrial plants and built their residences, businesses, and churches nearby. Coal mines were abundant in Warwood, and an oil boom hit Warwood in 1911.

Warwood became an incorporated community on May 26, 1911, and as part of the “Wheeling Greater Movement”, Wheeling annexed the Warwood neighborhood in 1919.

Hinrichs Bissett, Mabel, & Bertha Cupp Jones. "Warwood: a History, 1669-1975." Ernest St. C. Benfield, 1993.
Rieth, Christina. "Warwood: a Walking Tour of its History and Architecture". Wheeling Heritage, 2017.