​Today in Wheeling History: March 24--The steamboat Bertrand, built in Wheeling, was added to the National Register of Historic Places (1969).
 
The Bertrand represents an important chapter in Wheeling's rich boat-building legacy. Launched in Wheeling, West Virginia in 1864, this 161-foot steamboat with a 32-foot beam was designed as a shallow-draft vessel, drawing only 18 inches when light. It was likely owned by the Montana and Idaho Transportation Line of St. Louis, partly owned by John J. Roe. The Bertrand was built in Wheeling, continuing the city's significant tradition of steamboat construction that began in 1815 and produced 225 steamboats over nearly a century.
 
On April 1, 1865, under Captain James Yore's command, the Bertrand struck a submerged log in the DeSoto Bend of the Missouri River, about 25 miles upstream from Omaha, Nebraska. The vessel sank in less than ten minutes in 12 feet of water. While no lives were lost, the cargo—valued with the vessel at approximately $100,000—was almost entirely lost.
 
More than a century later, in 1968, private salvagers Sam Corbino and Jesse Pursell discovered the wreck in the DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge. Over 500,000 artifacts were recovered from the hold, creating what is now the largest intact collection of Civil War-era artifacts in the United States. These remarkably well-preserved items—ranging from clothing and tools to food and consumer goods—provide a unique window into frontier life in 1865 and are displayed at the Steamboat Bertrand Museum at DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge.
 
To learn more: Wikipedia (https://tinyurl.com/2dxerezs), U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (https://tinyurl.com/47j428bu), Only in Your State (https://tinyurl.com/58xzme4c), Steamboat Bertrand Museum Facebook Page (https://tinyurl.com/34tt7rj2), Weelunk (https://tinyurl.com/5a87frb3), Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling WV (https://tinyurl.com/5w528dte); The Intelligencer/Wheeling News-Register (https://tinyurl.com/3dv4mn92) (https://tinyurl.com/yj37dff), Archiving Wheeling (https://tinyurl.com/yfvh8t2f)
 
Photo credits: Weelunk, DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge, Wikimedia Commons, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

​Today in Wheeling History: March 23—Virginia B. Evans, a renowned painter, glass designer, educator, and alumna of Wheeling’s Mount de Chantal Visitation Academy, passed away in Moundsville (1983).
 
Virginia Bargar Evans (June 5, 1894–March 23, 1983) was an American painter, glass designer, and educator, celebrated for her impressionist art and art déco glasswork. Born in Moundsville, West Virginia, she was the daughter of lawyer D. Barger Evans and Mary Estelle Myers Evans. In 1914, she graduated from Mount de Chantal Visitation Academy in Wheeling, then studied at the Carnegie Institute of Technology, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, and the School of Fine Arts at Fontainebleau, France. Her extensive training earned her recognition as one of the best trained artists of her generation.
 
Evans debuted her paintings at juried exhibits in Pittsburgh in 1923, showcasing works inspired by her European travels. She broke the conventions of her era, traveling alone across Europe and the Atlantic to study and exhibit her art. Her work appeared in significant shows, including “The American Scene” and solo exhibits at New York’s Studio Guild and Public Library.
 
Her artistic career expanded in 1942 when hired by Imperial Glass Corporation in Bellaire, Ohio. Evans designed glass pieces with Asian-inspired motifs, some displayed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Later, she returned to painting, creating experimental landscapes while teaching in Florida and West Virginia.
 
Evans passed away in Moundsville in 1983 and was interred at Oak Grove Cemetery. Her contributions established her as one of West Virginia’s foremost 20th-century artists.
 
To learn more: Wikipedia (https://tinyurl.com/5y4he8ee), Horse Country Chic (https://tinyurl.com/bdfyfsdu), Find a Grave (https://tinyurl.com/yc4rpjpa)
 
Photo credits: Horse Country Chic, Imperial Glass Corporation, Stone and Thomas, Etsy, eBay, Find a Grave

​Today in Wheeling History: March 22--Benjamin L. Rosenbloom, prominent lawyer, West Virginia state senator, U.S. congressional representative, Wheeling councilman and vice mayor, environmental advocate, and prohibition opponent, passed away in Cleveland, Ohio (1965).
 
Benjamin Louis Rosenbloom was born on June 3, 1880, in Braddock, Pennsylvania, to Russian-Jewish immigrants. He attended public schools and graduated from North Braddock High School. Rosenbloom pursued higher education at West Virginia University in Morgantown, where he played on the 1901 and 1902 football teams. He studied law and was admitted to the West Virginia bar in 1904, commencing his practice in Wheeling, Ohio County, West Virginia, in 1905.
 
Rosenbloom's political career began with his election to the West Virginia State Senate, where he served from 1914 to 1918. He was elected as a Republican to the U.S. House of Representatives from West Virginia's 1st district, serving two terms from 1921 to 1925. During his time in Congress, Rosenbloom was known for his efforts to halt pollution of the nation's streams and his opposition to Prohibition. After an unsuccessful bid for the U.S. Senate in 1924, he returned to Wheeling and resumed his law practice. Rosenbloom was also active in local politics in Wheeling, serving as a councilman and vice mayor from 1935 to 1939. He retired from law practice in 1951 and passed away on March 22, 1965, in Cleveland, Ohio.
 
To learn more: Wikipedia (https://tinyurl.com/3b7ratuc), WV Encyclopedia (https://tinyurl.com/n438whsx), Find a Grave (https://tinyurl.com/4dsxmyyy)
 
Photo credits: Library of Congress, Find a Grave

Today in Wheeling History: March 21--The Woodsdale–Edgwood Neighborhood Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places (1997).
 
The Woodsdale–Edgwood Neighborhood Historic District is a national historic district located in Wheeling, Ohio County, West Virginia. The district encompasses 969 contributing buildings and is primarily residential, developed between 1888 and 1945. A number of popular architectural styles are represented, including Shingle Style, Queen Anne, Tudor Revival, American Foursquare, Colonial Revival, and Bungalow style. The district also includes four Lustron houses. Notable non-residential buildings include the Edgwood Christian Mission Alliance Church (1932), St. John's Episcopal Chapel (1913), Mount Carmel Monastery (1915) designed by Frederick F. Faris (1870-1927), and Good Shepherd Home (1912). Also located in the district are the separately listed H. C. Ogden House and William Miles Tiernan House. The district was added to the National Register of Historic Places on March 21, 1997. The area is known for its well-preserved historic homes and buildings, which reflect the architectural trends and styles of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The neighborhood has a rich history and continues to be a vibrant and desirable place to live in Wheeling.                                                                                                                                                                         
To learn more: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling WV (https://tinyurl.com/3v64jen9), Wikipedia (https://tinyurl.com/mt9rbxpd), Weelunk (https://tinyurl.com/yc3n6shs), National Park Service (https://tinyurl.com/452ms4y2)
 
Photo credits: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling WV; The Clio, Wikimedia Commons, Google Maps, National Park Service, Weelunk

​Today in Wheeling History: March 20—David H. Greer, Episcopal bishop and advocate for peace, was born in Wheeling (1844).
 
David Hummell Greer was born on March 20, 1844, in Wheeling, Virginia (now West Virginia), to Jacob Rickard Greer and Elisabeth Yellott Armstrong. He graduated from Washington College (now Washington & Jefferson College) in Pennsylvania in 1862 and later studied at the Protestant Episcopal Seminary in Gambier, Ohio, preparing for a prominent career in the Episcopal Church.
 
Ordained as a priest in 1868, Greer served in Kentucky, Rhode Island, and New York City. His impactful tenure at St. Bartholomew's Church in New York City spanned 16 years, leading to his election as Bishop Coadjutor in 1903 and his succession as the 8th Bishop of New York in 1908. In 1913, Greer celebrated a service for the General Convention at St. John the Divine, where an extraordinary offering of $500,000 (millions today) was collected. The magnitude of the offering required three clergymen to carry it to the altar and all night for expert bank tellers to count. The service was followed by a reception for 5,000 at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
 
Initially opposing U.S. involvement in World War I, Greer later supported it as a moral fight against tyranny. A staunch advocate for peace, he led the Church Peace Union in 1914. Greer passed away on May 19, 1919, in New York City and is buried with his wife, Caroline Augusta Keith.
 
To learn more: Wikipedia (https://tinyurl.com/35wfpazu), Find a Grave (https://tinyurl.com/yxsxh67p)
 
Photo credits: Wikimedia Commons, Find a Grave

​Today in Wheeling History: March 19--Edgar K. Day Jr., Wheeling inventor and Whitaker-Glessner Company employee, was granted U.S. Patent No. 1260154A for his innovative screw design (1918).
 
Edgar Kinsey Day Jr. was born on May 6, 1884, in Wheeling, West Virginia, to Edgar Kinsey and Clara Happy Day. A lifelong resident of Wheeling, Day established himself as a prolific inventor with numerous patents to his name, particularly in the field of construction and metal working. One notable invention was a specialized screw designed specifically for attaching sheet metal plates.
 
Day's patented screw, granted on March 19, 1918, featured a unique tapered body with a spiral thread of specific design. The screw's innovative features included a neck of reduced diameter between the body and head, and a thread with one wall positioned radially to the body and another wall inclined toward the head. This design enabled the screw to puncture metal plates without requiring pre-drilling, securely fastening overlapped metal sheets together without loosening over time.
 
Day worked for the Whitaker-Glessner Company of Wheeling, which later became part of Wheeling Steel Corporation. Beyond this patent, Day held at least nine other patents, including designs for structural members, roofing plates, and conductor pipe hangers.
 
Day lived at 123 Columbia Avenue in the Elm Grove neighborhood. He was a member of St. Mark's Lutheran Church and Bates Lodge of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons. He died on March 28, 1966, at the age of 81, and was buried in Greenwood Cemetery in Wheeling.
 
To learn more: Google Patents (https://tinyurl.com/2p97e5yz), Find a Grave (https://tinyurl.com/44995h6t), Wheeling Sunday News-Register (https://tinyurl.com/3bu8aahs) (https://tinyurl.com/3v36exd5)
 
Photo credits: U.S. Patent Office, Wheeling Sunday News-Register, Google Maps

​Today in Wheeling History: March 18—The original Odd Fellows Hall in Wheeling was destroyed by fire (1950).
 
The Odd Fellows Hall, originally constructed in 1859, stood at the southwest corner of 12th and Chapline Streets in Wheeling, West Virginia. This three-story building was a hub for the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, a fraternal organization dedicated to community service and mutual aid. During the Civil War, from 1863 to 1870, the hall served as temporary quarters for the Linsly Military Institute cadets, as their building was being used as the state capitol of the newly formed West Virginia.
 
Tragically, on the night of March 18, 1950, a fire destroyed the original structure. The blaze endangered the lives of 60 women attending an event in the building, though they were safely evacuated. In 1951, a modern two-story building was constructed on the same site, continuing the legacy of the Odd Fellows Hall. Over the years, the site has housed various establishments, including Elby's Restaurant, Metropolitan Citi Grill, and Elle & Jack's.
 
The Odd Fellows Hall remains a symbol of Wheeling's rich history, reflecting the city's resilience and dedication to preserving its heritage.
 
To learn more: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling WV (https://tinyurl.com/mssv69ef); Historical Marker Database (https://tinyurl.com/38nt4hes), The Intelligencer (https://tinyurl.com/mr9cv7z5)
 
Photo credits: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling WV; Historical Marker Database, Google Maps

​Today in Wheeling History: March 17--George Jackson Rogers, prominent Wheeling attorney who later faced legal controversy, is born to James Patterson and Martha Jackson Rogers (1876).
 
George Jackson Rogers (March 17, 1876 - October 16, 1957) was a distinguished Wheeling attorney and member of a prominent Wheeling family. Born to James Patterson Rogers (1838-1904) and Martha Joanna Jackson Rogers (1850-1928), he grew up in Wheeling where his grandfather Alexander Rogers had settled after emigrating from County Armagh, Ireland around 1830. George received his early education at Linsly Military Institute in Wheeling, graduating in 1894 where he served as major of a battalion of cadets. He went on to earn his A.B. from the University of Virginia in 1897 and his LL.B. from Harvard Law School in 1901.
 
As manager of the Rogers estate, he oversaw the construction of the Rogers Hotel, which opened August 18, 1915. The six-story fireproof structure, designed by architect Edward Bates Franzheim, featured 75 rooms with private baths and was located on Fourteenth Street between Market and Chapline streets. Rogers practiced civil law in Wheeling for over 20 years, maintaining offices in the Wheeling Steel Corporation Building and serving as a vestryman at St. Luke's Episcopal Church. In 1912, he married Clara E. West of Bellefontaine, Ohio, a Wooster University graduate. They had five children: Elizabeth Johnston (1913-2001), John West (1914-2006), Lt. James Patterson (1916-1944, killed in WWII), Eleanor Johnson DeBolt (1920-2003), and Joanna Rogers Retzler (1923-2013). His legal career ended in controversy in the 1930s when he was disbarred for embezzling client funds and declared bankruptcy. He later worked as a household paper products salesman. Rogers died at Ohio Valley General Hospital and is buried in Wheeling's Greenwood Cemetery.
 
To learn more: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling WV (https://shorturl.at/g8EEC) (https://shorturl.at/Yp6Gk) (https://shorturl.at/Fdprd) (https://shorturl.at/HtiHJ); Wheeling Intelligencer (https://shorturl.at/36g3o) (https://shorturl.at/PsRje), casetext (https://tinyurl.com/yc2wnbbt), edithlakewilkinson.com (https://tinyurl.com/4n8cvds7), Find a Grave (https://tinyurl.com/yf3e623e), Wikipedia (https://tinyurl.com/yrmfvswe)

Today in Wheeling History: March 17--Patrick J. Sullivan, a celebrated primitive painter of the 20th century who later made Wheeling his home, was born to Irish immigrant parents in Braddock, Pennsylvania (1894).
 
Patrick J. Sullivan, born on March 17, 1894, in Braddock, Pennsylvania, to Irish immigrant parents, is celebrated as one of the outstanding American primitive painters of the 20th century. After his father's death when he was two, Sullivan spent some years in an orphanage. At the age of 16, he and his mother moved to Wheeling, West Virginia. Sullivan's early life in Wheeling was marked by various jobs, including working in the mills, as a playground manager, and as a house painter. His passion for painting was evident from a young age, and he would paint on any surface he could find, including cardboard and window blinds. It wasn't until the Great Depression that Sullivan had the time to fully dedicate himself to his art. His first original canvas, titled "Man's Procrastinating Pastime," was painted in 1936 and gained the attention of Sidney Janis, a well-known art collector. Janis encouraged Sullivan to continue painting, and by the time of his death in 1967, Sullivan was recognized for his unique technique and personal symbolism. His works are represented in the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Britannica Encyclopedia of American Art. Sullivan's legacy lives on through his paintings, which continue to be celebrated for their emotional power and technical expertise.
 
To learn more: Ohio County Public Library Archives (https://tinyurl.com/3xbk5p8y) (https://tinyurl.com/2fbmxpxj), National Gallery of Art (https://tinyurl.com/t477d4tj), American Folk Art Museum (https://tinyurl.com/mucbbn73), Find a Grave (https://tinyurl.com/yc8y5pda)
 
Photo credits: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling, WV; National Gallery of Art

​Today in Wheeling History: March 16—Tim O'Brien, Grammy Award-winning bluegrass musician and founding member of Hot Rize, was born in Wheeling (1954).
 
Tim O'Brien, born March 16, 1954, in Wheeling, West Virginia, is an acclaimed bluegrass and country musician who began his musical journey in his hometown. As the youngest of five children, O'Brien developed an early interest in music after hearing Bob Dylan at age 12. During his high school years in Wheeling, he taught himself guitar, violin, and mandolin, and began performing folk music with his sister Mollie at local coffeehouses and church events.
 
After briefly attending Colby College, O'Brien left in 1973 to pursue music professionally, eventually settling in Boulder, Colorado, where he co-founded the innovative bluegrass band Hot Rize in 1978. The group, which also performed as their alter ego "Red Knuckles and the Trailblazers," won the International Bluegrass Music Association's first Entertainer of the Year award in 1990.
 
O'Brien's multifaceted career includes over 30 albums, Grammy recognition for "Fiddler's Green" (2005), IBMA Male Vocalist of the Year honors (1993, 2006), and songwriting credits for artists like Kathy Mattea and Garth Brooks. In 2006, he was inducted into the Wheeling Hall of Fame, and in 2013, entered the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame.
 
Though left-handed by nature, O'Brien plays all instruments right-handed and is proficient on guitar, fiddle, mandolin, banjo, bouzouki, and mandocello.
 
To learn more: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling WV (https://tinyurl.com/bdh9f4at) (https://tinyurl.com/yrc3wkz7), Wikipedia (https://tinyurl.com/268syjen)
 
Photo credits: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling WV; Wikimedia Commons