​Today in Wheeling History: September 1--The Kruger Street Toy & Train Museum opened to the public in the restored Victorian schoolhouse in Elm Grove (1998).
 
The Kruger Street Toy & Train Museum stands as one of Wheeling's most cherished attractions, housed in a beautifully restored 1906 Victorian-era school building at 144 Kruger Street in the Elm Grove neighborhood. The museum officially opened for business on Tuesday, September 1, 1998, and boasts over 100,000 toys and trains in its collection, making it one of the largest toy museums in the world.
 
The museum's origins trace back to the middle 1970s when Allan Robert Miller and his son Allan Raymond began actively collecting toy trains, starting with Lionel Trains and expanding to include prewar trains and Louis Marx and Company products. Their collection grew to encompass classic 1950s playsets, dolls, dollhouses, and various other items. The Eibel Corp., founded by Allan Robert Miller, his son Allan Raymond Miller, Beth Ann Synowiec, and Leona Ann Miller and named after Allan Robert Miller's mother's maiden name, purchased the structure and surrounding property for $253,000 during an auction held March 18, 1997. The corporation then invested several hundred thousand dollars in renovations using primarily local contractors.
 
The museum features multiple floors of exhibits, including operating train layouts, frequently changing displays, and specialized rooms dedicated to different types of toys. Notable attractions include one of the world's largest collections of Monopoly games with about 400-500 games, and the world's largest commercially made puzzle with 40,320 pieces. The building itself preserves historical elements, including original tin ceilings made by Wheeling Corrugating and the original school bell weighing nearly one ton.
 
To learn more: Wheeling Toy Museum Promises Fun for Kids of All Ages - Wheeling News-Register (https://tinyurl.com/6zy43fae), Kruger Street Toy & Train Museum Official Website (https://tinyurl.com/4be6np7s), Visit Wheeling WV (https://tinyurl.com/bdec9y39), TripAdvisor Reviews (https://tinyurl.com/3ze4fv8v)
 
Photo credits: Wheeling News-Register, Google Maps

Today in Wheeling History: August 31--Everett Lee, pioneering African American conductor who became the first Black man to conduct a Broadway musical and lived to age 105, was born in Wheeling (1916).
 
Everett Astor Lee was born on August 31, 1916, on Eoff Street in East Wheeling to Everett Denver Lee, a barber, and Mamie May Blue Lee. His father worked at barbershops on Main Street and 14th Street. Young Everett showed exceptional musical talent, taking violin lessons from Walter Rogers on South York Street, Wheeling Island. Rogers recognized his extraordinary ability and encouraged the family to nurture his gift.
 
In 1927, the Lee family left Wheeling for Cleveland seeking better opportunities. There, Everett continued his musical education at the Cleveland Institute of Music, where he met conductor Artur Rodzinski, who became his mentor. After military service at Tuskegee, where he trained as a pilot before an injury ended his military career, Lee joined the Broadway production of "Carmen Jones" in 1943.
 
Lee made history in 1945 as the first African American to conduct a Broadway musical when he took over Leonard Bernstein's "On the Town." Despite his talents and connections, racial barriers limited his American opportunities. He founded the integrated Cosmopolitan Symphony Society in 1947 and eventually moved to Europe in the 1950s, where he achieved international success conducting major orchestras including the Berlin Philharmonic and serving as chief conductor of Sweden's Norrköping Symphony Orchestra from 1962-1975. He conducted nearly 1,000 orchestral works throughout his career and died in Malmö, Sweden, on January 12, 2022, at age 105.
 
To learn more: Wheeling Hall of Fame: Everett Lee (https://tinyurl.com/2esjncnh), Everett Lee Tribute on YouTube (https://tinyurl.com/3spdz6cw), Weelunk: Wheeling Maestro Who Became the First Black Conductor on Broadway (https://tinyurl.com/4kdc6zt7), Everett Lee on Wikipedia (https://tinyurl.com/vpjuzc88), World Musician Obituaries: Everett Lee (https://tinyurl.com/23p69ssc), Archiving Wheeling (https://tinyurl.com/my7d2ava)
 
Photo credits: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling WV; Wikimedia Commons, Weelunk

​Today in Wheeling History: August 30 — The 12th West Virginia Infantry Regiment is officially organized in Wheeling to serve in the Union Army during the Civil War (1862). 
 
Organized in Wheeling on August 30, 1862, the 12th West Virginia Infantry Regiment was a Union Army unit composed largely of volunteers from the Northern Panhandle. Under the initial command of Colonel John B. Klunk, the regiment was assigned to the VIII Army Corps and served in the Shenandoah Valley. Early engagements included the ill-fated Second Battle of Winchester in June 1863, where the unit suffered significant losses. After regrouping, the regiment participated in the Valley Campaigns of 1864, including the pivotal Battle of Opequon.
 
In late 1864, the 12th joined the XXIV Army Corps under the Army of the James. On April 2, 1865, during the Siege of Petersburg, the regiment earned national distinction for its role in the assault on Fort Gregg. Corporal Andrew O. Apple of Company I received the Medal of Honor for saving the regimental flag, and Maj. Gen. John Gibbon awarded the unit a golden eagle for its flagstaff in recognition of its gallantry.
 
The regiment was mustered out on June 16, 1865. In total, it lost 3 officers and 56 enlisted men to combat, and 131 to disease. Many veterans were buried in cemeteries across the state of Ohio, as well as in Ohio and Marshall counties in West Virginia, including Mount Wood and Greenwood cemeteries in Wheeling.
 
To learn more: 12th West Virginia Infantry Regiment on Wikipedia (https://tinyurl.com/53e34ujz), West Virginia Civil War Regiments Overview (https://tinyurl.com/3f3jp6uf), Find a Grave: 12th West Virginia Infantry Veterans (https://tinyurl.com/dscrjbh2), WVU Archives: 12th WV Infantry Records (https://tinyurl.com/mr4b8xzj), Project Gutenberg: History of the 12th WV Infantry by William Hewitt (https://tinyurl.com/4w5wyuv9), First Fight, First Blood - minerd.com (https://www.minerd.com/12wv.htm)
 
Photo credits: West Virginia History OnView, minerd.com

​Today in Wheeling History: August 29 — Oglebay Mansion added to the National Register of Historic Places (1979).
 
The Oglebay Mansion, centerpiece of Wheeling’s Oglebay Park, is a historic estate with roots dating back to 1846. Originally built by Dr. Hanson Chapline and his wife Elizabeth Sprigg on inherited farmland, the home began as a modest Greek Revival farmhouse. In 1856, English brewer George W. Smith purchased the property, renamed it Waddington Farm, and expanded it significantly. Smith’s renovations included a new wing, marble accents, and a wraparound porch.
 
In 1900, Cleveland industrialist Earl W. Oglebay acquired the estate from his mother-in-law, Sallie Howell. He transformed it into a model farm and summer retreat, adding over 60 buildings and pioneering agricultural experiments. Oglebay’s vision extended to public service: upon his death in 1926, he willed the estate to the City of Wheeling for public use.
 
The city accepted the gift in 1928, and by 1930, the mansion became the Oglebay Institute Mansion Museum. It features 13 restored period rooms, exhibits on Wheeling history, and collections from the Wymer General Store and Sinclair Pharmacy. The museum was the first in West Virginia accredited by the American Association of Museums and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.
 
To learn more: Oglebay Park History at Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling WV (https://tinyurl.com/4hrt2anv); Oglebay Mansion Museum on Clio (https://tinyurl.com/bddttb55), Oglebay Institute Museum Overview (https://tinyurl.com/34ffmjuj), Oglebay Park Wikipedia Entry (https://tinyurl.com/9cb7rm78), Weelunk: Oglebay—The Park That Almost Wasn’t (https://tinyurl.com/2ntku5d9), Oglebay Mansion Walking Tour on YouTube (https://tinyurl.com/zj5f84ya)
 
Photo credits: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling WV; Wikimedia Commons

​Today in Wheeling History: August 28--Stefano R. Ceo, a celebrated music director, symphony founder, choir leader, and educator who shaped Wheeling’s musical landscape through his leadership at Triadelphia District High School, the Wheeling Junior Symphony Orchestra, St. Vincent de Paul Orphanage choir, and a summer music camp at Oglebay Park, was born in Bari, Italy (1899). 
 
Stefano Renato Ceo was born on August 28, 1899, in Bari, Italy. He moved to Wheeling, West Virginia, in 1924, where he became the Music Director at Triadelphia District High School. Under his leadership, the school band won the West Virginia State Band Championship ten years in a row. Ceo also founded the Wheeling Junior Symphony Orchestra and a summer music camp at Oglebay Park. His dedication to music education was evident in the numerous awards his students won and the high standards he set.
 
Ceo's influence extended beyond Wheeling as he taught at the Interlochen Academy in Michigan and directed the parish choir at St. Vincent de Paul Orphanage. He was deeply committed to his students and the community, often pushing his young musicians to achieve excellence. Ceo's legacy in Wheeling is remembered for his contributions to music education and the lasting impact he had on his students. Ceo passed away on February 18, 1964, at the age of 64 in Wheeling and was laid to rest at Mount Calvary Cemetery.
 
To learn more: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling WV (https://tinyurl.com/57dabdyk); Ancestry (https://tinyurl.com/3z6b6m4r), Find a Grave (https://tinyurl.com/3f72rvz3)
 
Photo caption and credit: Stefano Renato Ceo (Wheeling Hall of Fame via Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling WV)

Today in Wheeling History: August 27 — The New St. James Hotel reopens as the Windsor Hotel under new ownership and management, marking a pivotal moment in Wheeling’s hospitality legacy (1888).
 
The Windsor Hotel, now Windsor Manor Apartments at 1143 Main Street, occupies one of Wheeling’s most historically layered sites. The location has hosted lodging establishments since the city’s earliest days. Jacob Gooding built Wheeling’s first brick structure here, known as Gooding’s Inn. By the early 1800s, Zachariah Sprigg operated it as Sprigg’s Tavern, serving travelers arriving by river and stagecoach. The site evolved through multiple incarnations: the United States Hotel, then the Sprigg House again in 1861 under Mr. Yarnall, renamed Dailey’s City Hotel in 1870, and the St. James Hotel in 1872. After renovations in 1884, it reopened as the New St. James Hotel.
 
On August 27, 1888, J.H. Hobbs and M. Reilly relaunched it as the Windsor Hotel, managed by E.B. Carney. Following D.M. Carey’s death in 1892, Carney acquired the property and initiated a major redevelopment. The original structure was razed on November 3, 1912, and replaced with a fireproof 12-story hotel that opened on June 4, 1914. Noah Zane, great-grandson of Wheeling’s founder, praised the transformation as emblematic of the city’s growth. In 1973, the building was converted into Windsor Manor, a 109-unit HUD-subsidized apartment complex that remains active today.
 
To learn more: Windsor Hotel History – Ohio County Public Library (https://tinyurl.com/29pmwb73), Windsor Hotel Overview – OCPL Wheeling History (https://tinyurl.com/246s3h63), John Henry Hobbs - Find a Grave (https://tinyurl.com/mr3eb88d), Michael Francis Reilly - Find a Grave (https://tinyurl.com/2p9rkypb), Edward B. Carney - Find a Grave (https://tinyurl.com/37pkuwac)
 
Photo credits: Ohio County Public Library, Wheeling, WV; Find a Grave

​Today in Wheeling History: August 26—E.B. Potts sells the Grand Central Hotel to Jacob Sentlinger Jr. for $175,000, a record-setting Market Street property sale (1922).
 
The Grand Central Hotel was a prominent seven-story structure located at 1145–1147 Market Street in downtown Wheeling, West Virginia. Built by businessman E.B. Potts in the early 1900s, the hotel quickly became a central fixture in Wheeling’s commercial and hospitality landscape. In December 1902, the Security Trust Company leased the first floor of the building, officially opening its offices there on February 27, 1903. The remainder of the hotel was operated by Charles E. Van Keuren, who ran a modern restaurant and lodging service. The building’s prime location and elegant design made it ideal for both business and leisure.
 
On November 28, 1917, the Security Trust Company vacated the Grand Central Hotel, ending a 14-year occupancy on Market Street. In a landmark transaction on August 26, 1922, E.B. Potts sold the hotel to Jacob Sentlinger Jr. for $175,000, setting a record price per square foot for Market Street property. Two years later, Julius Goldman Stores, Inc. acquired the building and converted the lower floors into retail space.
 
In October 1929, the hotel was renamed the Jefferson Hotel. It struggled during the Great Depression and filed for bankruptcy on February 7, 1933. On June 15, 1936, the Jefferson Hotel relocated to the old Stamm House Hotel on Water Street. The original Grand Central Hotel building was eventually demolished to make way for a J.C. McCrory five-and-dime store, marking the end of an era in Wheeling’s architectural and commercial history.
 
To learn more: Grand Central Hotel history at Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling WV (https://tinyurl.com/2rpj6mmm) (https://tinyurl.com/43kezpdm); Edwin Bruce Potts Sr. - Find a Grave (https://tinyurl.com/mwbzn6na), Jacob Sentlingar - Find a Grave (https://tinyurl.com/38t3jm27)
 
Photo credits: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling WV; Find a Grave 

​Today in Wheeling History: August 25—Bob Carroll, acclaimed sports historian and founder of the Professional Football Researchers Association, and a native of Wheeling, dies in McKeesport, Pennsylvania (2009).
 
Robert Nuehardt Carroll Jr. was born on July 10, 1936, in Wheeling, West Virginia. Carroll became an influential sportswriter and historian, best known for his contributions to American football research. He founded the Professional Football Researchers Association (PFRA) and served as its executive director, editing the group's newsletter, "The Coffin Corner," until his death. Carroll co-authored several notable books, including "The Hidden Game of Football" with John Thorn and Pete Palmer, and "Total Football: The Official Encyclopedia of the National Football League." His other works include "Pro Football: When the Grass Was Real" and "Baseball Between the Lies." In addition to his writing career, Carroll was an art and English teacher at McKeesport High School in McKeesport, Pennsylvania. He was known for his dedication to preserving the history of American football and his contributions to sports literature. Carroll passed away on August 25, 2009, at the age of 73, in North Huntingdon, Pennsylvania.
 
To learn more: Wikipedia (https://tinyurl.com/5n7u4zza), Wikiwand (https://tinyurl.com/4pvnpme8), Legacy (https://tinyurl.com/ms8f2575)
 
Photo credits: Pro Football Journal, Legacy, eBay, Amazon, Internet Archive

​Today in Wheeling History: August 24--Disney's Phineas and Ferb: The Best LIVE Tour Ever! returned to WesBanco Arena for the 2012-2013 season launch (2012).
 
Disney's Phineas and Ferb: The Best LIVE Tour Ever! began its second touring season at WesBanco Arena in Wheeling, West Virginia, on August 24, 2012, marking a significant entertainment milestone for the Ohio Valley region. Produced by Feld Entertainment under license from Disney, this 90-minute live stage show brought the beloved animated characters from Disney Channel's hit series to life for families across North America. WesBanco Arena, originally built in 1977 as the Wheeling Civic Center at a cost of $7 million, served as the perfect venue for this family-friendly spectacular.
 
The show featured live actors in elaborate costumes, with some characters wearing full body suits including Phineas, Ferb, Buford, Dr. Doofenshmirtz, and Perry the Platypus, while others like Candace, Jeremy, Isabella, and Baljeet wore character-themed clothing with masks featuring oversized goggles for eyes. The production included high-energy performances combining action adventure with rock concert elements, featuring hit songs from the animated series including "Gitchee Gitchee Goo," "S.I.M.P. (Squirrels In My Pants)," "Backyard Beach," and "Today is Gonna Be a Great Day".
 
The touring production used innovative staging where characters were first introduced in their cartoon forms through video projection, then slid down from the screen into the real world via a backyard slide that extended into the physical arena. This technology allowed audiences to witness their favorite animated characters transform into live performers right before their eyes. The 2012-2013 season, which began in Wheeling, continued through February 18, 2013, ending in Chattanooga, Tennessee, making WesBanco Arena the official launch point for the tour's second year.
 
Wheeling had previously hosted the show during the first tour season on August 26, 2011, making the 2012 performance a highly anticipated return engagement. Local families embraced the production enthusiastically, with children attending in costume and parents appreciating the wholesome entertainment that stayed true to the television series. The show's success at WesBanco Arena demonstrated the venue's continuing importance as a premier entertainment destination for the region, hosting major touring productions alongside local sports teams and community events.
 
To learn more: Wheeling News-Register (https://tinyurl.com/37k6xj53), Wikipedia (https://tinyurl.com/4errnxuh)
 
Photo credits: Wheeling News-Register, Wikimedia Commons

​Today in Wheeling History: August 23--Bill George, professional baseball pitcher for the New York Giants and Columbus Solons who also played for Wheeling's minor league teams including the Stogies, National Citys, and Nailers, dies in Wheeling following surgical complications (1916).
 
William M. "Bill" George was a professional baseball player whose life bridged the Ohio River communities of Bellaire, Ohio and Wheeling, West Virginia. Born January 27, 1865, in Bellaire, George developed into a skilled left-handed pitcher who played for several Wheeling minor league teams, including the Stogies, National Citys, and Nailers, establishing deep roots in the local baseball community.
 
George's major league career spanned three seasons from 1887 to 1889 with the New York Giants and Columbus Solons. Standing 5'8" and weighing 165 pounds, he compiled a 5-10 pitching record with a 4.51 earned run average while playing both pitcher and outfield positions. His best season came in 1888 when he posted a 2-1 record with a 1.34 ERA.
 
Following his professional baseball days, George remained a Bellaire resident while maintaining connections to Wheeling. He operated the George Cafe on Belmont Street in Bellaire for two years prior to his death and was an active member of the Bellaire lodge of Elks.
 
On August 23, 1916, at age 51, the Bellaire resident died at Wheeling Hospital in North Wheeling following complications from a surgical operation. Contemporary newspaper accounts described him as "at one time considered one of the best pitchers in the National League." George was survived by his widow and two daughters: Mrs. Elvin Earl of Parkersburg and Miss Marceline George. His funeral services were conducted at St. John's Catholic Church, with interment at Mount Calvary Cemetery in Wheeling.
 
To learn more: Wheeling Intelligencer (https://tinyurl.com/2cdven3k) (https://tinyurl.com/2t9mffu6), Wheeling Daily Register (https://tinyurl.com/yhvkkxyt), Wheeling News-Register (https://tinyurl.com/uyupfjyv), Bill George on Wikipedia (https://tinyurl.com/enkjfpef) (https://tinyurl.com/yrpta463) (https://tinyurl.com/4hs2aaws) (https://tinyurl.com/4evpmrzx), Find a Grave Memorial for William M. George (https://tinyurl.com/4yamkttb), Baseball Reference (https://tinyurl.com/m5tuehdm), Fangraphs (https://tinyurl.com/spudpts4), Retrosheet (https://tinyurl.com/5e429ra2)
 
Photo credits: Wheeling Intelligencer, Find a Grave, Wikimedia Commons