​Today in Wheeling History: April 13--Harvey Lewis, an ultrarunner known for his endurance and achievements in ultramarathons, was born in Wheeling, West Virginia (1976).
 
Harvey Sweetland Lewis, born on April 13, 1976, in Wheeling, West Virginia, is a renowned American ultrarunner. He spent much of his childhood in Berea, Ohio. Lewis is known for his remarkable achievements in ultramarathons, including representing Team USA at the International Association of Ultrarunners (IAU) 24 Hour World Championship in 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2017. On September 19, 2015, he won the NorthCoast 24-Hour Endurance Run in Cleveland, Ohio, covering 157.9 miles.
 
Lewis is also a dedicated vegan, attributing his plant-based diet to both health and ethical reasons. He believes this diet significantly contributes to his endurance and recovery. In addition to his running career, Lewis is a full-time social studies teacher at the School for Creative and Performing Arts in Cincinnati, Ohio. He balances his teaching responsibilities with his training and racing schedules by run-commuting to work.
 
Lewis has competed in well-known events such as the Badwater Ultramarathon, Arrowhead Region Ultra, and the Marathon des Sables. In July 2014, he won the Badwater Ultramarathon near Death Valley, California, in just under 23 hours and 53 minutes. His achievements and lifestyle choices make him a notable figure in the world of ultrarunning.
 
To learn more: Wikimedia (https://tinyurl.com/yhrdcczr), Rich Roll (https://tinyurl.com/bdbfmyvu), Ultramiriam (https://tinyurl.com/3nud7tm3)
 
Photo credits: Michael Wilson, Wikimedia Commons

​Today in Wheeling History: April 13—Stephanie Sparks, accomplished golfer and television personality from Wheeling, passed away in Orlando, Florida, leaving behind a legacy of sportsmanship and advocacy for hospice care and cancer foundations (2024).
 
Stephanie Sparks, born on July 18, 1973, in Wheeling, West Virginia, grew up in a family passionate about sports and community. She attended Wheeling Park High School, where her talent for golf began to shine. Sparks went on to play collegiate golf at Duke University, earning All-America honors during her time there. Her amateur career was marked by significant victories, including the 1992 North and South Women's Amateur at Pinehurst, the 1993 Women's Western Amateur, Women's Eastern Amateur, and the West Virginia State Amateur. She also represented the United States in the 1994 Curtis Cup.
 
After graduating from Duke in 1996, Sparks turned professional, joining the Futures Tour and later earning her LPGA card in 1999. Unfortunately, her professional career was cut short due to back injuries. Transitioning to television, Sparks became a beloved on-air personality at The Golf Channel, hosting shows like “Golf with Style!” and several seasons of “The Big Break.” She also appeared in the 2004 film “Bobby Jones: A Stroke of Genius.”
 
Stephanie Sparks passed away on April 13, 2024, in Orlando, Florida, leaving behind a legacy of sportsmanship and advocacy for hospice care and cancer foundations.
 
To learn more: Wikipedia (https://tinyurl.com/yrr5nruk), Legacy (https://tinyurl.com/7xz4yutk), Wheeling Intelligencer/News-Register (https://tinyurl.com/3b86pu8z)
 
Photo caption and credit: Stephanie Sparks (Legacy)

Today in Wheeling History: April 12—George L. Cassiday, Sr., infamous bootlegger widely recognized as "The Man in the Green Hat," was born in Wheeling and became one of the leading Congressional bootleggers during National Prohibition, selling liquor for ten years to congressional representatives and senators within the halls of Capitol Hill (1892).
 
George Lawrence Cassiday was born on April 12, 1892, in Wheeling, West Virginia, to a Methodist family. His father worked as a steelworker, and George spent his early years in Wheeling, leaving school after the third grade to work in a glass factory. During World War I, Cassiday served in the U.S. Army, returning home to a nation grappling with Prohibition. Struggling to find work, he stumbled into bootlegging, supplying liquor to congressional representatives on Capitol Hill. Cassiday operated from the Cannon House Office Building and later the Russell Senate Office Building, earning the nickname "The Man in the Green Hat" for his distinctive headwear. His activities highlighted Congressional hypocrisy during Prohibition, as he claimed that four out of five senators and congressional representatives consumed alcohol despite supporting the Eighteenth Amendment. Cassiday's bootlegging career ended with his arrest in 1930, leading to a felony conviction and an 18-month prison sentence. He later wrote a series of articles for The Washington Post, exposing the widespread disregard for Prohibition laws among lawmakers. Cassiday passed away on January 21, 1967, in Prince George's County, Maryland, and was buried in Washington National Cemetery.
 
To learn more: Find a Grave (https://tinyurl.com/y3vapj3z), Wikipedia (https://tinyurl.com/5df5kucu)
 
Photo credits: Wikimedia Commons

Today in Wheeling History: April 11--The Wheeling Intelligencer reported, "The Riverside Iron Works' new office building at the corner of Main and South streets, will be completed and occupied probably the 1st of June" (1896).
 
The Flatiron Building, one of Wheeling's most distinctive architectural landmarks, has a rich history dating back to 1896. Construction began in October 1895 on the triangular-shaped lot at the corner of Main and South Streets, with the Wheeling Intelligencer reporting rapid progress on the foundation. The building was designed by the locally renowned architectural firm of Franzheim, Giesey & Faris in the Richardsonian Romanesque style for Riverside Iron Works, one of Wheeling's leading iron and steel manufacturers.
 
Under the leadership of Frank J. Hearne, Riverside Iron Works had pioneered the transition from iron to steel production in Wheeling, becoming the area's first manufacturer of steel pipe. By 1898, Riverside's operations produced 125,000 gross tons of finished steel products and employed approximately 2,000 men.
 
In 1899, National Tube Company acquired Riverside for $6 million, taking ownership of the building. The property changed hands again in 1907 when Wheeling Steel and Iron Company purchased it for $87,000. Over the decades, the five-story structure housed numerous organizations including the American Legion, U.S. Naval Communications Reserve, Oglebay Institute, and even served as Wheeling's City Hall from 1956 to 1959 while the current City-County Building was under construction.
 
After years of vacancy, the building was purchased in 2014 by Kevin and Patricia Duffin, who renovated it into luxury apartments with commercial space, including Table 304, a coffee shop and eatery, preserving this historic gem for future generations.
 
To learn more: Ohio County Public Library, Wheeling WV (https://tinyurl.com/8p439vb2); Wheeling Daily Intelligencer (https://tinyurl.com/muznxy2p), West Virginia Culture (https://tinyurl.com/2rzkydrr), Wikipedia (https://tinyurl.com/4xe44c6h), Archiving Wheeling (https://tinyurl.com/yfa74ncp), evendo (https://tinyurl.com/yck23ymh), Flatiron Building of Wheeling Facebook Page (https://tinyurl.com/3as6cj4z), Wheeling Flatiron Building (https://tinyurl.com/ynw2sp4w), West Virginia Press Association (https://tinyurl.com/3r698kd6), Weelunk (https://tinyurl.com/mtwktbvw), WTOV9 (https://tinyurl.com/8p9bxpdb), Table 304 (https://tinyurl.com/yeyde8x5), Table 304 Facebook Page (https://tinyurl.com/bdhhe5br)
 
Photo credits: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling WV; Wheeling Daily Intelligencer, Wikipedia, Google Maps

​Today in Wheeling History: April 10--The cornerstone of the Old Court House was laid in downtown Wheeling (1839).
 
On April 10, 1839, members of Ohio Lodge No. 1 of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons (A.F. & A.M.) gathered to lay the cornerstone of what would become Wheeling's Old Court House. This significant civic structure was built at the southeast corner of 12th and Chapline Streets in downtown Wheeling, then still part of Virginia as West Virginia would not become a state until 1863.
 
The Old Court House served as the center of government and legal proceedings in Ohio County for over six decades. By 1900, the historic courthouse was razed to make way for the Board of Trade Building, an impressive six-story office and theater complex that cost more than $170,000 to construct.
 
Designed by local architect Edward Batee Franzheim, the Board of Trade Building included the Court Theatre on its first floor. The theater opened in September 1902 with "Miss Simplicity" and hosted performances by legends like the Barrymores and Harry Houdini before closing in 1982.
 
In 1996, Wheeling attorney Robert P. Fitzsimmons and business associates purchased the Board of Trade Building and undertook a full rehabilitation. The structure was eventually honored with inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places. Today, a historical marker stands at the site, commemorating both the original courthouse and the Board of Trade Building that replaced it, maintaining the location's significance in Wheeling's architectural and cultural heritage.
 
To learn more: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling WV (https://tinyurl.com/2wf3xbz8) (https://tinyurl.com/3zja8nh9) (https://tinyurl.com/2ua66r5y) (https://tinyurl.com/bdezfs2a), The Historical Marker Database (https://tinyurl.com/y5jkw53f)
 
Photo credits: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling WV, The Historical Marker Database

​Today in Wheeling History: April 9--General John J. Pershing, the distinguished commander-in-chief of the American Expeditionary Forces during World War I and the only person to hold the rank of General of the Armies during his lifetime, received a hero's welcome from over 30,000 enthusiastic citizens during his historic visit to Wheeling, West Virginia, where he reviewed a massive parade, addressed schoolchildren at the public wharf, placed a memorial wreath, received Scottish Rite Masonic degrees, and attended multiple ceremonies and receptions hosted by the American Legion Post No. 1 (1920).
 
General John J. Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Forces during World War I, received a triumphant welcome in Wheeling on April 9, 1920. Over 30,000 patriotic citizens from West Virginia, eastern Ohio, and western Pennsylvania gathered to greet him during his whirlwind visit, making it one of the most enthusiastic receptions ever accorded in the upper Ohio Valley.
 
Pershing arrived by train at the Baltimore & Ohio railroad station and was met by a reception committee that included George J. Mathison, Dr. John L. Dickey, and Major Walter C. Smith. His day began with a luncheon at the McLure Hotel hosted by the Rotary and Kiwanis clubs, attended by Governor John J. Cornwell, Senator Howard Sutherland, and Congressman M.M. Neely. Between events, Pershing visited the home of Colonel J. Sumner Jones in the upscale Echo Point neighborhood of Kenwood Place.
 
From the McLure Hotel balcony, Pershing reviewed a parade led by Cathedral High School Cadets with their fife, drum and bugle corps directed by Brother Constantine. Schools from across the city participated, including Wheeling High School, Washington, Jefferson, St. Joseph's Academy, St. Alphonsus, Union, Center, Webster, Madison, Ritchie, McKinley, and Bridgeport schools. At the public wharf at Twelfth Street, Pershing addressed a massive crowd before later placing a memorial wreath at a Knights of Pythias flagstaff ceremony arranged by Albert Wagner, and Sam Imobersteg. The evening culminated in a banquet at the Scottish Rite Cathedral with Patrick J. McGinley, past commander of Wheeling Post No. 1, serving as toastmaster.
 
To learn more: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling WV (https://tinyurl.com/392azfs5), Wikipedia (https://tinyurl.com/4cc33mrj), Wheeling Intelligencer (https://tinyurl.com/5j3r5vvj) (https://tinyurl.com/5j3r5vvj) (https://tinyurl.com/4nezcsj7)
 
Photo credits: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling WV; Wheeling Intelligencer

​Today in Wheeling History: April 8--Federal Court was convened at the United States Courthouse in Wheeling (1863).
 
On April 8, 1863, Federal Court was convened at the United States Courthouse in Wheeling under the authority of Judge Jackson. This session took place during a pivotal time in the region's history, as Wheeling was then officially part of Virginia, though the area was in the process of forming the new state of West Virginia, which would not officially become a state until June 20, 1863. The court proceedings began with the empaneling of a Grand Jury, followed by Judge Jackson delivering a comprehensive charge outlining their duties.
 
During his address, Judge Jackson emphasized the importance of judicial impartiality and defined the crime of treason, a particularly relevant offense during the ongoing Civil War. He also drew attention to laws protecting post offices, mail services, and currency against forgery and counterfeiting. The judge specifically highlighted the significance of enforcing the recent Congressional act regarding the harboring of deserters, stating that those who aided deserters were "no better than actual traitors."
 
The afternoon session included several notable cases. S.R. Spencer was indicted for passing counterfeit coins, while John Bender faced charges of stealing government clothing. In a significant development, John L. Bonham, previously indicated for treason, was discharged after entering a bond of $1,000 to keep the peace for three years. Similarly, William H. Moyston, also indicated for treason, received the same arrangement. These proceedings reflect the complex loyalties and legal challenges faced in border regions during the Civil War period.
 
To learn more: West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture and History (https://tinyurl.com/mrx78f2m) (https://tinyurl.com/2y7fuumz), The Daily Intelligencer (https://tinyurl.com/yzjhww5w)
 
Photo credits: Wheeling Daily Intelligencer

​Today in Wheeling History: April 7--Break-through ceremony of the Wheeling Tunnel held (1964).
 
On April 7, 1964, Governor W.W. Barron ignited an earth-shaking blast at precisely 2:28 p.m., officially opening the entrance to the Wheeling Hill Tunnel. This ceremonial "breakthrough" marked a significant milestone in West Virginia's largest single highway contract in history to that point, the $6.9 million tunnel project. Several hundred spectators gathered at the corner of Baker and McColloch Streets in East Wheeling to witness the historic event, which was part of the expanding Interstate 70 system through the city.
 
The ceremony featured numerous dignitaries including State Road Commissioner Burl A. Sawyers, Wheeling Mayor Charles Ihlenfeld, and officials from the construction firm C.J. Langenfelder & Sons. The Wheeling High School Band provided music for the ceremony, which concluded with a benediction by Major George Woods of the Salvation Army. During his remarks, Governor Barron declared that "indeed the dirt did fly" and characterized the breakthrough as exemplifying "the vastly improved capability of our State Road Commission." The governor emphasized that road building had become "big, big business" in West Virginia.
 
The 1,400-foot twin tunnels would take another two years to complete, officially opening to traffic on December 7, 1966. The tunnels became a crucial link in Interstate 70, cutting through Wheeling Hill. Though celebrated as progress, the construction dramatically altered Wheeling's neighborhoods, particularly displacing residents and businesses in parts of East Wheeling. The tunnel construction was part of a broader interstate highway expansion that transformed the city's landscape, with significant impacts on communities like Goosetown, Elm Grove, and East Wheeling, where numerous homes and businesses were demolished to make way for the new roadways.
 
To learn more: Wheeling Intelligencer (https://tinyurl.com/3anun77a) (https://tinyurl.com/2av98xwh), Archiving Wheeling (https://tinyurl.com/ywa5tt6j), Wikipedia (https://tinyurl.com/2cym724w)
 
Photo credits: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling WV

​Today in Wheeling History: April 6--Edward Turner Jeffery, noted railroad executive who spent his early childhood in Wheeling, was born in Liverpool, England (1843).
 
Edward Turner Jeffery was born on April 6, 1843, in Liverpool, England, the son of a chief engineer in the Royal Navy. Following his father's death when he was six years old, his mother remarried, and the family immigrated to America in 1850, settling in Wheeling, West Virginia. Jeffery's formative years were spent in Wheeling until 1856, when his family relocated to Chicago.
 
At just 13 years old, Jeffery began his remarkable railroad career as an office boy for the Illinois Central Railroad. His exceptional work ethic and natural aptitude propelled him through a series of increasingly responsible positions—from apprentice machinist to mechanical draftsman by age 15, and department head by age 20. In 1877, at age 34, he married Virginia Osborne Clarke, daughter of the Illinois Central's general manager.
 
Jeffery rose to become general manager of Illinois Central before resigning in 1889 due to management differences with Acting President Harriman. His greatest accomplishments came as president of the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad (1891-1912), where he successfully restored financial stability to the struggling company. He later served as president of Rio Grande Western Railway and Western Pacific Railroad, overseeing major expansions including the construction of the Western Pacific line to California.
 
Jeffery died at the Biltmore Hotel in New York City on September 24, 1927, at age 84. He was buried at Rosehill Cemetery in Chicago. A business car named "Edna" after his daughter remains one of the few surviving narrow-gauge business cars in the United States.
 
To learn more: Wikipedia (https://tinyurl.com/2fpe3n5v), Find a Grave (https://tinyurl.com/35xafet8)
 
Photo credits: Wikimedia Commons, Find a Grave

​Today in Wheeling History: April 5—Louis E. Schrader, a distinguished court reporter and civic leader, was born in Wheeling (1869).
 
Louis E. Schrader was born on April 5, 1869, in Wheeling, West Virginia, to Charles F. W. Schrader, a German immigrant and skilled carriage maker, and Christiana Stifel, a Wheeling native. Schrader grew up in Wheeling and attended public schools until the age of fourteen. He began his career in law and stenography at the law offices of Russell & Stifel, where he worked for five years. Schrader further honed his shorthand skills at the Cincinnati School of Phonography and the Phonographic Institute of Cincinnati, becoming proficient in court reporting.
 
In 1893, Schrader was appointed the official court reporter for Ohio County, a position he held for nearly three decades. He also served as the official reporter for the West Virginia Senate for twenty years. Schrader was deeply involved in Wheeling’s civic life, serving on the City Board of Education and participating in organizations such as the Rotary Club and Wheeling Lodge No. 28, B.P.O.E. In 1908, he married Alberta Prince, the daughter of a steamboat captain, and they had one son, Henry. Schrader’s contributions to Wheeling’s legal and civic communities left a lasting legacy.
 
To learn more: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling WV (https://tinyurl.com/mwactbbj); Find a Grave (https://tinyurl.com/ydu7mu7s)
 
Photo credits: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling WV; Find a Grave