​Today in Wheeling History: July 1--WWVA radio increased its broadcasting power to 5,000 watts, greatly expanding its reach and influence (1929).
 
WWVA, a radio station in Wheeling, West Virginia, began broadcasting in 1926 with a 50-watt transmitter in John Stroebel's home. Over the years, it increased its power and became one of the most powerful and influential stations in the region. A significant milestone occurred on July 1, 1929, when WWVA increased its power to 5,000 watts, greatly expanding its reach. In 1933, WWVA launched the Jamboree, a live country music show that became one of its most popular programs and helped launch many country music careers. The station joined the CBS radio network in 1931, expanding its reach and programming. WWVA played a major role during events like the 1936 Wheeling flood, providing crucial information and entertainment. By the 1940s, WWVA had increased to 50,000 watts, allowing it to reach listeners across much of the eastern United States and parts of Canada. The station changed ownership several times over the decades but maintained its country music format until 1997. Though it later switched to news/talk, the Jamboree continued in various forms. WWVA played a significant role in the growth and popularity of country music, especially in the northeastern United States.
 
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Photo credits: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling WV; West Virginia Broadcasting Corporation

Today in Wheeling History: June 30--The Wheeling Symphony Orchestra gave its first concert at Oglebay Park (1929).
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The Wheeling Symphony Orchestra, a prominent cultural institution in West Virginia, was established in 1928 during a meeting at Eleanor Caldwell's home. The orchestra's first concert took place on June 30, 1929, at Oglebay Park, featuring works by Mozart and Schubert under the direction of Enrico Tamburini. Over the years, the orchestra had several notable conductors, including Henry Mazer, who ushered in a new era of professionalism and introduced a diverse program featuring opera, choral works, and performances by renowned guest artists. The symphony's regular performance venue is the Capitol Music Hall in downtown Wheeling. (https://shorturl.ac/7b35m) 

​Today in Wheeling History: June 30--Sherrard Clemens, prominent Wheeling-born politician, lawyer, U.S. Representative (1852-1853, 1857-1861), Virginia Convention delegate who opposed secession, critic of Abraham Lincoln, duelist, and cousin of Mark Twain, died in St. Louis, Missouri (1881).
 
Sherrard Clemens was a prominent 19th-century politician and lawyer from Virginia (now West Virginia) and Missouri. Born on April 28, 1820, in Wheeling, he studied law at Washington College in Pennsylvania and was admitted to the bar in 1843. Clemens served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1852 to 1853 and again from 1857 to 1861. He was a delegate to the Virginia Convention of 1861, where he voted against secession despite being a Democrat. During the Civil War, he opposed West Virginia statehood. Clemens was known for his critical views of Abraham Lincoln and once fought a duel with O. Jennings Wise, son of Virginia Governor Henry A. Wise, resulting in a severe injury to Clemens' right testicle. After the war, he moved to St. Louis, Missouri, where he continued practicing law until his death on June 30, 1881. Clemens was a cousin of author Samuel L. Clemens (Mark Twain) and has an unincorporated community in Marshall County, West Virginia, named after him - Sherrard.
 
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Photo credits: Library of Congress, The Historical Marker Database, Find a Grave

Today in Wheeling History: June 29--Four students - Katherine W. Bumry, Marcellus Mason, Earl Baldwin, and Daniel Monroe - graduated from Lincoln High School (1901).
 
Lincoln School in Wheeling, West Virginia, was established in 1866 by Dr. Hupp and John Jackson as one of the first public schools for African American students in the United States. Initially located in a two-room house at the head of Twelfth Street, it was first run by the West Brothers from Mt. Pleasant, Ohio. The school moved to a larger building at Tenth and Chapline Streets in 1875 and was renamed Lincoln School in honor of Abraham Lincoln. After a fire in 1892, a new building was constructed in 1893 at 1000 Chapline Street. The school expanded over the years, adding a high school department in 1900 under principal James McHenry Jones, who served from 1882 to 1900. His brother, Flem B. Jones, succeeded him as principal from 1900 to 1908. Other notable principals included William Gaskins (until 1882), J. W. Hughes (1908-1914), and J. H. Rainbow (1914 onwards). In 1908, Manual Training and Domestic Science departments were added. The school achieved recognition for its academic standards and extracurricular activities, despite limited resources. In 1943, a new modern building costing $300,000 was constructed at the same Chapline Street address, designed by architect Phillip Faris. Throughout its history until desegregation in 1954, Lincoln School played a crucial role in educating African American youth in Wheeling. Notable graduates included Katherine W. Bumry, Marcellus Mason, Earl Baldwin, and Daniel Monroe, who were part of the class of 1901. Katherine W. Bumry went on to attend Oberlin College, while Marcellus Mason pursued a course in pharmacy at Columbia University. These students exemplified the school's success in preparing its graduates for higher education and professional careers, despite the challenges faced by African American students during that era.
 
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Photo credits: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling WV  

​Today in Wheeling History: June 28--The West Virginia Roughriders, a professional indoor football team based in Wheeling, win their third professional indoor football championship (2019).

The West Virginia Roughriders, originally founded as the Richmond Roughriders in 2016, are a professional indoor football team based in Wheeling, West Virginia. The team played its inaugural season in Richmond, Virginia, before relocating to Wheeling in 2019. The Roughriders quickly made a name for themselves in the Arena Pro Football (APF) league, winning the APF Championship in their first season. After moving to Wheeling, the team continued its success, capturing the American Arena League (AAL) Championship in 2019. The Roughriders play their home games at WesBanco Arena, a venue that has become a fortress for the team and a hub of excitement for local fans. The team's colors are black, gold, and white, and their mascot, "Rowdy," is a fan favorite. The Roughriders have been instrumental in promoting indoor football in the Ohio Valley region, providing thrilling entertainment and fostering community spirit. Their success on the field has also brought attention to Wheeling, highlighting the city's rich sports culture and history.

To learn more: Wikipedia (https://shorturl.at/s4M8B), Wheeling Intelligencer (https://shorturl.at/23YNH)

Photo credits: Wikimedia Commons

Today in Wheeling History: Today in Wheeling History: June 28--Chuck Howley was born in Wheeling, later becoming a legendary NFL linebacker best known for being a six-time Pro Bowl selection, five-time first-team All-Pro, Super Bowl VI champion with the Dallas Cowboys, the only player from a losing team to be named Super Bowl MVP (in Super Bowl V), and a 2023 inductee into the Pro Football Hall of Fame (1936).

Chuck Howley, born on June 28, 1936 in Wheeling, West Virginia, had an illustrious football career that began in his hometown. He grew up at 112 N. 21st Street in Warwood, a neighborhood of Wheeling, in a Colonial Revival home built in 1915. Howley attended Corpus Christi Grade School, then Wheeling Central Catholic High School before transferring to Warwood High School, where he graduated in 1954 as an All-State football player. At West Virginia University, he became the only athlete in school history to letter in five sports: football, track, wrestling, gymnastics, and swimming. 

During his time at WVU, Howley earned several notable awards. He was a three-time All-Southern Conference selection in football (1955-1957). In 1957, he was named the Southern Conference Athlete of the Year and received third-team All-American honors. Howley also won the Southern Conference one-meter diving championship in 1957.

Drafted seventh overall by the Chicago Bears in 1958, Howley's NFL career truly flourished with the Dallas Cowboys from 1961-1973. He earned six Pro Bowl selections, was named first-team All-Pro five times, and made history as the only player from a losing team to be named Super Bowl MVP (Super Bowl V). After retiring, Howley ran a uniform rental business in Dallas and raised foundation-bred quarter horses at his ranch in Wills Point, Texas. He currently resides in Dallas with his wife Nancy, whom he married on June 28, 1958.

Howley has received numerous honors since retirement, including induction into the West Virginia Sports Hall of Fame, WVU Athletics Hall of Fame, Ohio Valley Athletic Conference Hall of Fame, WVU Academy of Distinguished Alumni, Dallas Cowboys Ring of Honor, and Texas Sports Hall of Fame. In 2023, he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The City of Wheeling renamed the ball field at Garden Park to "Chuck Howley Field at Garden Park" and installed a welcome sign honoring him at the south entrance to Warwood. Additionally, West Virginia University retired his number 66 jersey on November 4, 2023. In recognition of his achievements, the City of Wheeling issued a proclamation designating June 28th as Chuck Howley Day.

Unfortunately, Howley currently suffers from late-stage dementia, which has affected his memory for the past eight years. Despite this diagnosis, his legacy continues to be celebrated in his hometown and throughout the football community.

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Photo Credits: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling WV; Wikimedia Commons, WVU Athletics Communications

​Today in Wheeling History: June 27--The 100-ton schooner Nancy was launched with great celebration from a shipbuilding yard on the banks of the Ohio River in Wheeling (1808).
 
The schooner Nancy, a 100-ton vessel, was launched in Wheeling on June 27, 1808, marking an important milestone in the region's shipbuilding history. This launch was reported in the Wheeling Repository, the city's first newspaper, which noted that the event was celebrated "with great eclat." The Nancy was built at a shipbuilding yard on the banks of the Ohio River, demonstrating Wheeling's growing importance as a center for boat construction. This schooner was part of a broader trend of building ocean-capable vessels on inland waterways, showcasing the advanced shipbuilding capabilities that had developed in the Ohio Valley by the early 19th century. The Nancy's construction and launch highlight the evolution of boatbuilding in the region, as shipwrights moved beyond flatboats and keelboats to more complex sailing vessels capable of long-distance travel and trade.
 
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Photo credits: Wheeling News-Register, Wikimedia Commons

Today in Wheeling History: June 26--Andrew John Smik, who would later become known as country music performer Doc Williams and a longtime fixture of the WWVA Jamboree in Wheeling, was born in Cleveland, Ohio (1914).
 
Doc Williams (born Andrew John Smik in 1914) and his wife Chickie (born Jessie Wanda Crupe in 1919) were influential country music performers and radio personalities associated with the WWVA Jamboree in Wheeling, West Virginia, for over five decades. Doc's journey began in Cleveland, Ohio, where he was born, before his family moved to Kittaning, Pennsylvania. He gained early radio experience in Pittsburgh before settling in Wheeling in 1937. The couple's influence extended far beyond the Ohio Valley, reaching fans across the Northeast United States and into Canada, particularly the Maritime provinces. They were made honorary citizens in Maine, Vermont, and New Hampshire due to their popularity in those states. In 1947, Doc opened a country music park called Musselman's Grove near Altoona, Pennsylvania, which hosted many country music stars of the era. The Doc Williams Country Store, opened in 1977 across from the Capitol Theatre in Wheeling, became a local landmark until its closure in 1998. Doc was a licensed pilot who flew to various locations for performances, including Toronto, Montreal, Buffalo, Indianapolis, and Nashville. Their enduring legacy in Wheeling and the broader Appalachian region was recognized with their induction into the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame in 2009.
 
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Photo credits: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling WV; Weelunk, Goldenseal, Wikimedia Commons 

Today in Wheeling History: June 25--The cornerstone of the new Madison School building on Wheeling Island was laid in an elaborate ceremony led by the Knights of Pythias, featuring a large parade, patriotic speeches, and performances by schoolchildren, marking a significant moment in the school's history and the community's commitment to education (1916).
 
Madison School in Wheeling, West Virginia has a rich history spanning over 150 years. Founded in 1865, it initially served Island students who previously attended the Second Ward School on 10th Street. The first Island school building, erected at the corner of Maryland and North York Streets for $6,483.54, opened on January 10, 1866, with 150 pupils. As enrollment grew, additional buildings were added, including a second brick building in 1890. In 1916, the current "modern" Madison School at 91 Zane Street was built, designed by architect Frederick F. Faris. The cornerstone was laid on June 25, 1916, in an elaborate ceremony led by the Knights of Pythias, with Supreme Chancellor Young delivering a patriotic address. Over the decades, Madison School adapted to changing needs under principals like Samuel Boyd, A.M. Stevenson (who served for 27 years), and Roger Warren. Initially housing over 900 students in grades 1-9, it transitioned to an elementary school with fewer than 300 students by its centennial. Throughout its history, the school has been central to the Wheeling Island community, with strong parental involvement evidenced by PTA meetings drawing up to 200 people. In 2016, Madison School celebrated its 100th anniversary with events including time capsule openings and a parade, honoring its legacy of education and community impact in Wheeling.
 
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Photo credits: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling, WV; Wheeling Intelligencer

Today in Wheeling History: June 24--Bishop John J. Swint of the Wheeling Diocese threatened to excommunicate any Catholic woman participating in beauty contests, sparking a national controversy and causing several contestants to withdraw from local and state pageants in West Virginia (1948).
 
Bishop John J. Swint of the Wheeling Diocese took a strong stance against Catholic women participating in beauty contests in 1948-1949, threatening excommunication for those who entered. This controversy had its roots in events from previous years.
 
In 1946, Norma Lee Salisbury of Parkersburg, West Virginia, won the state "Miss West Virginia" contest. In 1947, Joan Estep of Wheeling won the same title. Both women were Catholic, which appears to have prompted Bishop Swint's strong reaction the following year.
 
The controversy intensified in June 1948 when Bishop Swint's edict forced the withdrawal of at least two Catholic contestants from a preliminary "Miss America" contest in Wheeling, West Virginia. Gertrude Steele, a 20-year-old from Wheeling and recent graduate of the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, was one of those who withdrew. Helen Masnick was another who withdrew. However, Mariruth Ford, 20, also from Wheeling, defiantly participated and won the "Miss Wheeling" title, despite the threat of excommunication.
 
The issue continued into 1949. On June 24, 18-year-old Mary Jane Gallagher from Weirton, West Virginia, withdrew from the "Miss North Panhandle" pageant after being warned by Rev. F. Edmund Weinheimer of St. Paul's Catholic Church in Weirton about the excommunication threat. Gallagher was replaced by Zanevia Gryskevich, a Protestant from Weirton, who went on to win the contest on June 26 at the Spurr Memorial Amphitheatre in Moundsville, West Virginia.
 
The controversy gained national attention, with William F. B. Miller, the public relations manager for the West Virginia pageant, sending a cablegram to Pope Pius XII on June 25, 1948, seeking the Pope's position on Bishop Swint's ruling. In his appeal to the Pope, Miller highlighted the recent success of Catholic participants, emphasized the contests' focus on talent and modesty, and stressed their value in providing scholarships and supporting charities. He framed the issue as a "worthy cause" of national significance, requesting the Pope's opinion on the matter.
 
Bishop Swint, whose diocese was based in Wheeling, described these contests as "absolutely immoral" and "totally pagan." However, pageant officials, including Lenora S. Slaughter, executive director of the Miss America Pageant in Atlantic City, New Jersey, defended the events as focusing on talent, intelligence, and character rather than just physical appearance.
 
The controversy affected contestants from various West Virginia towns, including Wheeling, Weirton, Moundsville, and Parkersburg. It impacted not only the contestants but also their families, as evidenced by Harold Ford, Mariruth Ford's father in Wheeling, who reported that his daughter had joined the Episcopal church by June 1949.
 
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Photo credits: The Pittsburgh Press, The Miami News, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Star Tribune, St. Louis Post-Dispatch