Pat Quinlan shot by Melissa Robinson (1875).

Change of site for new Post Office recommended (1903).

​The Act of 1816 that established the Wheeling and Belmont Bridge Co. was amended by the General Assembly of Virginia on March 19, 1847. The amendment allowed for the sale of capital stock up to $135,000 and incorporated the Back Channel Bridge and easement across the Wheeling Island into the new company. In May of the same year, the Board of the bridge company invited Ellet and Roebling to submit their designs and cost estimates. However, the bridge company did not provide sufficient details for the bridge design, resulting in both men bidding on different structures. This was not unexpected, given the era's lack of a modern system for producing detailed contract documents. The Board asked Ellet and Roebling to revise their proposals for a direct comparison, and Ellet was ultimately appointed. Recently discovered sketches of their Wheeling bridge proposals showed a clear contrast between Ellet's bold 1000 foot span bridge and Roebling's more conservative design, which included river piers that would have been challenging to construct and posed obstacles to navigation and floodwater passage on the Ohio River. In all aspects, Ellet's design was superior, and the Board made a wise decision in choosing it.

Marshall County was created from part of Ohio County on March 12, 1835. The Virginia General Assembly enacted "That all that part of the county of Ohio, lying south of a line beginning on the Ohio river at a stone to be fixed on the bank of the said river one half mile above the mouth of Bogg's run, thence a direct line to the northern boundary of the town of West Union, and thence continuing the same course to the Pennsylvania line, shall form one distinct and new county, and be called and known by the name of Marshall county." The county was named in honor of John Marshall, Chief Justice of the United States. Marshall County has an area of 240 square miles (​https://rb.gy/jcw4nt). ​The Wheeling neighborhoods of Benwood and Mount Olivet lie mostly in Marshall County. Mozart partially lies in Marshall County. Sherrard lies fully in Marshall County (https://rb.gy/xng3ol).

The Three Mile Island nuclear power plant in Pennsylvania experienced a partial meltdown, causing concern for nearby residents in Wheeling and the surrounding areas about potential radiation exposure (1979).

187 years ago, on March 11, 1836, the General Virginia Assembly passed an Act of Incorporation that made the town of Wheeling, Virginia a city. The Governor of Virginia at the time, Littleton Waller Tazewell, signed the law into effect. (​https://rb.gy/epmtql)

Shortly before 10:30 a.m. on January 17, 1964, Mrs. George Thomas was walking down the stairs of her home located at 339 Richland Avenue in the Warwood section of Wheeling. Looking out a window, she observed a neighbor from across the street at 336 Richland Avenue leaving his house for work. That neighbor was Paul Hankish, a local underworld figure. Mrs. Thomas later described what she saw to the News-Register:

I saw him reach for the car handle. Them I turned to go into the kitchen where my husband was. It was just a second, then I heard the loud explosion. Smoke came into the house. At first I thought something happened to my husband in the kitchen.

When Mrs. Thomas turned and saw the smoke rising above Hankish's car, she sprang into action:

I cried, 'Oh Paul, Oh Paul.'  I ran to him. I was the first one there. He kept saying 'take me down, take me down.'  I couldn't move him.

            Mrs. Thomas saw Hankish's wife and children run from the house and stand beside the wreckage. Mrs. Thomas' good deeds weren't over yet. She said, "I took the (Hankish) children over to my home while she (Mrs. Hankish) went to the hospital."

            Mrs. Thomas may not have been the first one to reach the wounded Hankish. The News-Register identified 23 year-old Earl Bowers as the first one to approach Hankish. Bowers was walking at the corner of Fourth and Richland Avenues, which put him a half block from the Hankish home. Bowers said, "I saw him (Hankish) open the car door."  Bowers went on to say that he heard the car door bang shut, the engine starting and then the explosion. Bowers described what it was like to be that close to the explosion and his actions afterward:

It knocked me down sideways. I saw stuff coming past me. Parts of the car were going by my ears. I got up and went over and talked to him (Hankish). He wasn't hysterical.

Bowers wouldn't tell reporters what Hankish said. Bowers did say, "I told him I was going to call an ambulance."  Bowers said he couldn't help but notice that both of Hankish's legs looked like they were "torn off and under the seat."

            At  North Fourth Street and Warwood Avenue, a crew employed by Manufacturers Light & Heat Company was working. They rushed to the scene and joined the crowd of bystanders, which grew to a minimum of 150 people.

            Firemen and police arrived at the scene within minutes. The police contingent was led by Police Chief Louis M. Kulpa and his chief detective, Lt. William J. Thomas. Ohio County Prosecuting Attorney Thomas A. Goodwin also made the trip. Fire Chief William McFadden was one of the first on the scene. By this time, Hankish was in agony. As the emergency crews were attempting to get Hankish out of the mangled car, he pleaded, "Get me out of here...get me out of here."  Hankish was successfully removed from the car, but only after bolt cutters were used to cut away a portion of the mangled car where one of his legs was trapped. Fire Chief McFadden later described the scene:

He (Hankish) was all cut up. There were quite a number of lacerations on his face. He raised his head up when they got him into the ambulance...there wasn't anything left of the car...I don't think he will make it.

On the way to Wheeling Hospital, Hankish became hysterical.

            The ambulance arrived at Wheeling Hospital around 10:40 a.m. Hankish was immediately rushed into the emergency room. About five minutes later a nurse came out and said that "Hankish asked for Joe Dobkin."  Joe Dobkin was well-known in Wheeling as an official of Dobkin Brothers, a coin machine distributor in Wheeling.

            Shortly before noon, Wheeling Hospital director, Dr. George Kellas, met with reporters. He said that Hankish was "coming out of a state of shock and showing improvement."  Asked about the extent of Hankish's injuries, Dr. Kellas replied that neither of Hankish's legs were completely blown off, but did say that they were badly mangled. Dr. Kellas said that he didn't know whether they could be saved until surgery was performed. Dr. Kellas added that Hankish's hands were also badly mangled. Reporters then saw Hankish wheeled out of the emergency room on his way to surgery. He had a bandage over his forehead and cuts around his face and lips. As he was wheeled into the first floor elevator, reporters heard Hankish ask, "Where am I now?"  An aide responded with, "We're getting on the elevator to go upstairs."  The time was 12:10 a.m.

            Reporters made note of the small crowd that waited outside of the emergency room. They included law enforcement and fire department officials, Hankish's friends, and interested hospital personnel. But Hankish wouldn't be talking to any of them for the time being. Hankish had earlier told the Wheeling Hospital chaplain that he would only talk to Sister Angela Merici, one of his former schoolteachers. When Wheeling Police Detective Chris Jebbia asked Sister Merici if Hankish said who might responsible for the explosion, the wheelchair-bound Merici answered, "He didn't make a clear statement."

On January 9, 1900, the Wheeling City Council was presented with a petition by a delegation representing the Federation of Churches that demanded strict enforcement of the city ordinances prohibiting slot machines. The police department and the city council were blamed for their "non-action" in enforcing these ordinances. Mayor Andrew T. Sweeney didn't escape criticism either. Both he and Chief of Police William Clemans had already received petitions but had not acted. The ministers and forty private citizens representing the eight wards of the city informed the city council that "The conduct of the chief of police is (in) palpable defiance of your law. He effectually vetoes your action."

            The responses of the mayor, chief of police, and city council was mixed. Mayor Sweeney and Police Chief Clemans agreed with Judge Hugus' views that regulation of slot machines was more effective than their prohibition. Sweeney called the regulation of vice "hallmarks of... a liberal administration."  Councilman John Waterhouse disagreed with this view and proposed a resolution that would require Clemans to enforce the existing ordinances banning slot machines. To ensure that this happened promptly, Waterhouse urged Clemans to act promptly "and...not wait until individual citizens make affidavits before performing this duty."  Waterhouse even demanded a status report on the illegal slot machines "owners and leasees" from Clemans by the next council session. Waterhouse was charged with intimidating Clemans. 

            Friday nights in "Wide-Open Wheeling" were changed forever on December 10, 1971. Wheeling Police Chief Edward Weith led more than 25 officers and men on raids at downtown bars. The raids were all conducted simultaneously at 11 p.m. after days of preliminary undercover investigations with aid from two state agencies. The warrants were prepared secretly. Only Police Chief Edward Weith, Mayor James Haranzo, and Police Clerk Charles Timberlake (the typist), and state and federal agents knew about the warrants. Next, telephone calls were made at 9 p.m to the 25 men who took part in the raid. The participants were only told to report to the city building at 10 p.m. The News-Register published the names, home addresses, and at what location the arrests was made:

                               -George Lekanudous, 52, of 208 South Penn St., Menu Bar and Grill, 2601 Chapline St., possession of whiskey and possession of gambling equipment.

                        -Charles Jacovetty, 58, of 1617 Jacob St., J&C Bar, possession and sale of whiskey.

                        -Ruby Jean Murphy, 20, of 143 Fourteenth St., same bar, sale of whiskey.

                        -Ernie Sinkarow, Valley View, Ernie's Cafe, 1110 Sixteenth St., sale of whiskey.

                        -Joseph Woodrow Long, Box 109, Elm Grove, same bar, possession of whiskey.

                        -John Joseph Billota, 27, Menu Bar, possession of whiskey.

                        -Betty Elizabeth Lewis, 46, of 50 Thirteenth St., Sammy's Bar, 3529 Jacob St., possession of whiskey.

                        -June Irene Williams, 48, Martins Ferry, Club Della's, Short Market Street, sale of whiskey.

All those arrested had to post bond of $506 apiece. Their hearings were scheduled for later the next week in Wheeling Municipal Court.

            The raid at the Menu Bar was the most sensational. Chief Weith and his team of police officers approached the bar at 11:00 p.m. to begin their raid. Unfortunately, two of the Menu Bar's customers were exiting and caught site of police. They ran back inside to tip off the bar owner. Sure enough, when the police tried to open the door, it was locked. Undaunted, Chief Weith yelled out "Open the door, I am a police officer. I have a search and seizure warrant."  Weith could plainly see Menu Bar owner George Lekanudous through the frosted glass of the front door. Lekanudous made no attempt to open the door, so Weith repeated his statement two more times. When the door still was not opened, Weith kicked it in and continued with the raid. The raid at the Menu Bar turned up "a gambling device known as the "Clock," decks of playing cards, 18 tipboards and five punchboards. Weaponry taken as evidence included four pistols:  a Colt .38 special, a Smith and Wesson .38 special, a High Standard .22 Magnum Derrigner, and a .22 blank gun manufactured in Italy. Ammunition for the weapons was also confiscated, along with "a blackjack, a pair of brass knuckles and a package (of) M-80 firecrackers."  The Christmas spirit was alive at the Menu because one case of the confiscated liquor contained gift-wrapped half-gallon bottles with bright ribbons on top.

            Comments by officials concerning the raid showed agreement on the goal of curbing illegal activity downtown. Chief Weith told the News-Register:

This isn't stopping tonight. We're going to continue to stage raids and clamp down on all illegal activities. We're trying to protect the legitimate private club operators in our city who purchase the necessary licenses to sell whiskey. They pay a fee to sell whiskey and operate a private club and deserve to have their investment protected.

Mayor James Haranzo said that the raids were:

...closing the door on Wheeling as an open city...This should emphasize that the chief is taking over the law enforcement in the city with a free hand, with no interference from council...Wheeling no longer is going to have the reputation of being an open city.

            Mayor Haranzo didn't have to worry about Councilman William Muegge interfering with the raid. Muegge's comments showed support:

The so-called untouchables are no longer untouchable, as far as I'm concerned...The chief has the absolute support of council in his efforts to stop any illegal activity going on in the city.

Wheeling's heavy industry reorganized itself to fill orders for war supplies during the Civil War. This including iron and steel plate, as well as cannonballs, both for the North and South. Labor was at a premium, so wages were high. The population of Wheeling swelled, placing increased demands on available forms of entertainment. This point was raised by the Intelligencer in December, 1863. The entertainment available in Wheeling during the war years became more intellectual in nature as a result of the better tastes of the newcomers. The Intelligencer noted that before the war, the popular amusements included "negro spirituals, circuses, and 'lower forms of amusement.'"  Now, typical entertainments included "Artemis Ward" and the "Sanford Operatic Troupe," both of which had also appeared in Washington, D.C.