Today in Wheeling History: April 12--Famed portrait photographer George James Kossuth was born in Clifton, West Virginia (1886). He and his family moved to South Wheeling soon after. In 1909, Kossuth opened his Wheeling studio and achieved broad fame for his photos of the city and insightful portraits of world celebrities, including Richard Strauss, Jascha Heifetz, Leopold Stokowski, Clarence Darrow and Richard Nixon. Despite his limited formal education, he had a diverse range of interests in various fields, such as music, art, theater, gardening, and woodworking. Kossuth was recognized with prominent positions in different organizations. In 1941, he purchased and began restoring the Stifel Mansion at 807 North Main Street as his residence and studio. Kossuth passed away in 1960. (https://rb.gy/njoc9)
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Today in Wheeling History: April 11--The third level of a large brick warehouse located at the intersection of Water and Union (now 11th) streets collapsed with a loud crash (1864). The room was filled with grain, as the building served as a storage facility. The weight of the stored grain caused the rafters to break, resulting in the third floor giving way. This, in turn, caused several tons of grain to fall onto the second floor, which was unable to withstand the weight and subsequently collapsed onto the first floor. The commotion caused nearby businesspeople to rush to the site to assess the damage. There were concerns that the outer walls of the building would also give way and collapse, leading to several workers being enlisted to prop them up. (https://rb.gy/vtuug)
William Maier, East Wheeling baker, shoots and kills his wife, Marie Maier (née Yoho) (1892). (https://rb.gy/k0t8) William Maier was convicted and hung in the yard of the Wheeling Jail on November 18, 1905. (https://rb.gy/lo1m)
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Mike MinderMike Minder was born and raised in Wheeling, West Virginia. He is the author of Wheeling's Gambling History to 1976. Archives
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