Today in Wheeling History: April 3—The Wheeling Athenaeum was founded to promote science and literature (1848).
The Wheeling Athenaeum, established on April 3, 1848, was initially envisioned as a hub for science and literature. By 1854, a four-story building was constructed at the corner of 16th and Market Streets in Wheeling, West Virginia. Originally serving as a warehouse for Crescent Manufacturing Company, the upper floors were converted into a theater by 1855. The Atheneum became a cultural landmark, hosting performances of "Uncle Tom's Cabin" and featuring renowned actors like Edwin Booth, brother of John Wilkes Booth.
During the Civil War, the U.S. government repurposed the Athenaeum as a military prison, earning it the nickname "Lincoln's Bastille." It detained Confederate prisoners, rebel spies, and civilians refusing allegiance. The prison also included barracks, a hospital, and an exercise yard surrounded by a 20-foot wall. Overcrowding led to the transfer of patients to Wheeling Hospital in 1864.
After the war, the building returned to private use but was destroyed in Wheeling's largest fire on October 10, 1868. This tragedy spurred the city to organize its first fire department. Today, the site is a private park, preserving the memory of this historic structure.
To learn more: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling WV (https://tinyurl.com/ft8m7yun), e-WV - Atheneum Prison (https://tinyurl.com/bddf44h4), The Athenaeum - Historical Marker Database (https://tinyurl.com/2s8a2hty), The Athenaeum - "Lincoln's Bastille" - Clio (https://tinyurl.com/mvtcecyf), Timeline of Wheeling (https://tinyurl.com/mvtcecyf), The Confederate Philatelist (https://tinyurl.com/atbwx8t4)
Photo credits: The Historical Marker Database, The Clio, Wikimedia Commons, The Confederate Philatelist
Today in Wheeling History: April 3—The Wheeling Athenaeum was founded to promote science and literature (1848).
The Wheeling Athenaeum, established on April 3, 1848, was initially envisioned as a hub for science and literature. By 1854, a four-story building was constructed at the corner of 16th and Market Streets in Wheeling, West Virginia. Originally serving as a warehouse for Crescent Manufacturing Company, the upper floors were converted into a theater by 1855. The Atheneum became a cultural landmark, hosting performances of "Uncle Tom's Cabin" and featuring renowned actors like Edwin Booth, brother of John Wilkes Booth.
During the Civil War, the U.S. government repurposed the Athenaeum as a military prison, earning it the nickname "Lincoln's Bastille." It detained Confederate prisoners, rebel spies, and civilians refusing allegiance. The prison also included barracks, a hospital, and an exercise yard surrounded by a 20-foot wall. Overcrowding led to the transfer of patients to Wheeling Hospital in 1864.
After the war, the building returned to private use but was destroyed in Wheeling's largest fire on October 10, 1868. This tragedy spurred the city to organize its first fire department. Today, the site is a private park, preserving the memory of this historic structure.
To learn more: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling WV (https://tinyurl.com/ft8m7yun), e-WV - Atheneum Prison (https://tinyurl.com/bddf44h4), The Athenaeum - Historical Marker Database (https://tinyurl.com/2s8a2hty), The Athenaeum - "Lincoln's Bastille" - Clio (https://tinyurl.com/mvtcecyf), Timeline of Wheeling (https://tinyurl.com/mvtcecyf), The Confederate Philatelist (https://tinyurl.com/atbwx8t4)
Photo credits: The Historical Marker Database, The Clio, Wikimedia Commons, The Confederate Philatelist
RSS Feed
