Today in Wheeling History: March 1--John B. "Jay" Handlan, a multi-sport standout at Triadelphia High School where he earned All-City basketball honors, capped his eminent four-year, 94-game Washington & Lee College basketball career by scoring 15 points against Southern Conference rival West Virginia in his final college game, reaching the landmark 2,002 career point total for Washington & Lee College (1952).
 
John B. "Jay" Handlan left an enduring legacy in basketball excelling at both the high school and college levels. As a multi-sport standout athlete at Triadelphia High School in Wheeling, West Virginia, where he graduated in 1946, Handlan earned All-City and All-Conference basketball honors. He then became one of college basketball’s most prolific scorers ever while playing for Washington & Lee College from 1948 to 1952, totaling over 2,000 career points and setting numerous school and conference records. His prolific scoring ability and accuracy earned him All-American accolades. His junior season was especially prolific, as he averaged 26.2 points per game and scored a record 66 points in one game. After his illustrious college career, Handlan played professional basketball from 1952 to 1956 in the National Industrial Basketball League before becoming an executive at a large technical services company in Philadelphia. Handlan, both a high school and college basketball star, was later inducted into the Wheeling Hall of Fame in 2015, recognizing his standout sports career and business success. He passed away in 2013 after a lifetime filled with athletic and professional accomplishments.
 
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Photo credits: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling WV; Wheeling Hall of Fame, Legacy, Washington & Lee University

​Today in Wheeling History: February 29--The West Virginia Immigration Convention met at the Opera House in Wheeling (1888). (https://rb.gy/inusk) (https://rb.gy/9uhyc)

​Today in Wheeling History: February 28--Keith Maillard, acclaimed Canadian-American novelist and poet, was born in Wheeling (1942).
 
Keith Lee Maillard (born February 28, 1942, in Wheeling, West Virginia) grew up on Wheeling Island. He attended Linsly Military Institute on scholarship, graduating 3rd in his class in 1960, before going on to study at West Virginia University, University of Michigan, and Vancouver Community College School of Music. From 1968 to 1970, Maillard worked in Boston as a writer and producer for an anti-Vietnam War radio program. He was not eligible for the draft and was a war resister rather than a draft dodger. In 1970, disillusioned after the Kent State shootings, Maillard emigrated to Canada. He became a Canadian citizen in 1976. Maillard has worked as a musician, house painter, photographer, feather dyer, and ghostwriter while establishing his literary career as a novelist and poet. Appointed to the Creative Writing faculty at the University of British Columbia in 1989, he has published 15 novels set in the fictional Raysburg, WV, as well as 2 poetry collections and 2 memoirs. Maillard’s many honors include the Ethel Wilson Fiction Prize (1990), Commonwealth Writers' Prize shortlist (1996), Governor General's Award finalist (1999), Gerald Lampert Award (1995), and Alberta Book Award (2019). He resides in West Vancouver, BC with his wife and two daughters.
 
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Photo credits: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling, WV; Wheeling Hall of Fame, Wikipedia, Amazon

​Today in Wheeling History: February 28--An act authorizing the Young Ladies' Institute of Wheeling to grant literary degrees was approved by the Governor of West Virginia (1870).

Today in Wheeling History: February 27--The Security Trust Company opened on the first floor of the Potts Building at 1145-47 Market Street (1903).
 
The Security Trust Company was organized in Wheeling in 1902. It opened on February 27, 1903, in temporary quarters on the first floor of the former Grand Central Hotel at 1145-1147 Market Street. The Security Trust Company remained at the Grand Central Hotel location until November 28, 1917, when it moved into a newly constructed building one door east at 1143 Market Street. This elegant marble and mahogany interior bank building had been 15 years in the making. In 1959, the Security Trust Company purchased land across the street where the State Theatre had stood, at 1114-1116 Market Street. A new bank was constructed on this site, featuring modern amenities like a drive-through window on Chapline Street. In 1962, the Security Trust Company merged with the National Bank of West Virginia to form the Security National Bank & Trust Company. The old 1143 Market Street bank building was then sold to L.S. Good in 1960 for an expansion of their department store.
 
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Photo credits: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling WV

Today in Wheeling History: February 26--Lydia Boggs Shepherd Cruger, pioneer socialite hostess of Shepherd Hall mansion, was born in Berkeley County, Virginia (1766).
 
Lydia Boggs Shepherd Cruger was born on February 26, 1766, in present-day Berkeley County, Virginia. In 1774, she moved with her family to the Wheeling, Virginia area when her father, militia Captain John Boggs, settled there. On September 1, 1777, she was present at age 11 when Fort Henry was besieged by Native Americans. Around 1782, she married wealthy plantation owner Moses Shepherd. Together, they built the magnificent Shepherd Hall mansion outside Wheeling, which later hosted famous figures like the Marquis de Lafayette and six future U.S. Presidents. Their friend Senator Henry Clay influenced the routing of the National Road to pass directly by their plantation in 1817. After Moses died in 1832, Lydia married former New York Congressman Daniel Cruger in 1833. In her old age, she caused controversy in 1849 by claiming Molly Scott, not the legendary Betty Zane, was the heroine who saved Fort Henry in 1782. Eccentric and reclusive, Lydia Boggs Shepherd Cruger died at Shepherd Hall on September 26, 1867, at the remarkable age of 101.
 
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Photo credits: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling, WV

Today in Wheeling History: February 25--The Ohio County Board of Education approved nearly $7 million in construction contracts for the new Wheeling Park High School and made several key appointments to the administrative staff (1975).
 
On February 25, 1975, the Ohio County Board of Education approved nearly $7 million in construction contracts for the new $11 million Wheeling Park High School, which was expected to be completed by April 1976 and fully occupied by students in September 1976. Six specific contracts were awarded to various companies for general trades, flooring, plumbing, HVAC, electrical, and food service equipment. In addition, Frank Blake and Phyllis Beneke were appointed as assistant principals for business/operations/transportation and curriculum/instruction respectively, while Lewis Capaldi was named director of vocational education. These join Principal Sam DeFillippo and Assistant Principal James Orr on the administrative staff. The Board also selected "Patriots" as the mascot with red, white and blue colors, officially named four new schools under construction, approved bidding on furniture and equipment for them, and approved preliminary renovation plans for Warwood Grade School.
 
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Photo credits: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling WV; Wheeling News-Register

​Today in Wheeling History: February 24--The Pennsylvania Railroad expanded its rail network to reach Wheeling (1878).
 
The Pennsylvania Railroad opened a line to Wheeling in 1878, providing vital rail access that connected Wheeling to Pittsburgh, Parkersburg, and eastern markets. The Pennsylvania Railroad gave Wheeling's industry and agriculture greater trading reach and options beyond the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, which had previously monopolized Ohio Valley rail transport. The Pennsylvania Railroad passenger and freight station located on Water Street competed directly with the B&O line. In 1883, the PRR added a four-mile extension to Benwood to tap into the profitable iron works there. The Water Street station was an important transit hub for Wheeling, including many young men who departed to fight in World Wars I and II. At its peak, the Pennsylvania Railroad was the largest railroad in the world, with thousands of miles of track and hundreds of thousands of rail cars. The Water Street station was severely damaged in the disastrous 1907 flood that killed many in Wheeling and required the rescue of stranded passengers by boat. After the flood waters receded, the station was repaired and train service resumed.
 
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Photo credits: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling, WV; Wheeling National Heritage Area, The Historical Marker Database

Today in Wheeling History: February 23--Henry Warwood, founder of Warwood Tool Company known for high-quality mining and garden tools, was born in Staffordshire, England (1823).
 
The Warwood Tool Company was founded in Martins Ferry, Ohio in 1854 by English immigrant Henry Warwood (born February 23, 1823). It specialized in high-quality mining and garden tools. After Warwood's 1892 retirement, the company was purchased by Daniel L. Heiskell and associates and moved across the river to Wheeling in January 1893. The company incorporated in West Virginia on May 14, 1892. In September 1892, it was sold to B. Walker Peterson for $10,000. The factory moved to a location on McColloch Street in 1893. In 1903-1904, land was purchased along the Ohio River in Warwood for a new factory which opened in 1905. The town of Warwood then developed around the plant. Under various owners, the company focused on coal mining tools but also made many other types. On February 23, 2023, Wheeling declared the bicentennial of Henry Warwood's birth to be "Henry Warwood Day" in the city to honor his founding of the still-operating company.
 
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Photo Credits: Weelunk, Historic Structures, Warwood Tool

Today in Wheeling History: February 22—Ann Prince Thomas, who overcame racism and discrimination, persevered to become Wheeling's first Black graduate nurse in 1959, then served as a pioneering role model dedicating over 60 years to compassionate nursing and volunteer service in health care and education, died (2019).
 
Born on July 9, 1938, Beatrice Ann Thomas was a pioneering nurse and community leader who triumphed over racial discrimination to become the first Black graduate of Ohio Valley Medical Center's School of Nursing in 1959. Her extensive career included 12 years at Ohio Valley General Hospital and 30 years as an Ohio County school nurse. Besides her remarkable contributions to healthcare, she actively engaged in multiple boards and commissions, demonstrating her commitment to supporting her community. On February 22, 2019, Ann passed away, leaving behind a profound legacy of care, compassion, and inspiration for everyone. (https://tinyurl.com/4naj28wk)