Today in Wheeling History: January 1--The first Baltimore & Ohio (B&O) train arrived in Wheeling from Baltimore, connecting the Atlantic with the Ohio River (1853).
 
On December 24, 1852, the final rail connecting tracks from Baltimore and Wheeling was laid near Grave Creek. On January 1, 1853, the first Baltimore & Ohio (B&O) train arrived in Wheeling from Baltimore, connecting the Atlantic with the Ohio River. On January 10, 1853, two special trains carried around 500 guests from Baltimore to participate in events in Wheeling. Large crowds welcomed the trains at stops along the way including Harpers Ferry, Martinsburg, and Cumberland. In Wheeling on January 12th, thousands lined the tracks in Center Wheeling awaiting the first train's arrival. Despite delays, the passenger train arrived in Wheeling at 2:05 AM on January 12th and was welcomed by crowds, music, and a planned reception. The railroad opening represented a major transportation achievement connecting Baltimore to the Ohio River.
 
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Photo credits: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling WV

Today in Wheeling History: December 31—The Wheeling Island Exposition Hall was destroyed in a fire (2019).
 
The Wheeling Island Exhibition Hall was constructed in 1924 by the West Virginia Exposition and State Fair Association to host the West Virginia State Fair. From 1924 until 1937, it hosted the annual State Fair. It also housed a roller skating rink from 1924 until 1988 under various names - the Wheeling Roller Rink, the Wheeling Downs Roller Rink, and Wheelin' Around. During World War II in 1944, it was leased by the Hoover Company for war materials manufacturing but resumed roller skating operations in 1946. In its later years, it was used for storage by the Wheeling Island Casino. On December 31, 2019, the hall was destroyed in an accidental electrical fire. The fire caused extensive damage over 3-4 hours before being extinguished. Demolition crews finished clearing the lot in August 2021 after months of work removing the charred remains. Throughout its history, the venue served many important purposes for Wheeling, especially as a beloved skating rink under different names for over 60 years.
 
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Photo Credits: Ohio County Public Library, Wheeling WV; Wheeling Fire Department 

​​Today in Wheeling History: December 30--The Wheeling Bank & Trust Co. and the Dollar Savings & Trust Co. merged to form the Wheeling Dollar Savings & Trust Co., which became the largest bank in the state at the time with assets in excess of $19 million (1933).
 
The German Bank of Wheeling was founded in 1870 and later became the Wheeling Bank & Trust Co. in 1918. Meanwhile, the Dollar Savings Bank was organized in 1887 and merged with Wheeling Title & Trust Co. in 1903 to form the Dollar Savings & Trust Co. In 1933, the Wheeling Bank & Trust Co. and the Dollar Savings & Trust Co. merged to create the Wheeling Dollar Savings & Trust Co., which became the largest bank in West Virginia at the time. The Wheeling Dollar Savings & Trust Co. continued acquiring other regional banks over the decades. In 1968, WesBanco was incorporated and became the bank holding company, with Wheeling Dollar Savings & Trust as a subsidiary. The predecessor Wheeling banks, especially the Wheeling Bank & Trust Co. and the Dollar Savings & Trust Co., were instrumental in laying the foundation for what would become WesBanco.
 
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Photo Credits: Ohio County Public Library, Wheeling WV

Today in Wheeling History: December 29--Wilbur E. Stone, founder of Wheeling Park, champion of Wheeling industry and commerce, and generous benefactor, was born in Wheeling (1863).
 
Wilbur Ebenezer Stone was born on December 29, 1863, in Ohio County, West Virginia. He was educated at Linsly Institute in his hometown of Wheeling. Stone began his career when he joined his father and uncle's business, Stone & Thomas, eventually becoming head of the company and expanding it into West Virginia's largest department store chain. Stone was deeply devoted to the Wheeling community. He helped establish the Wheeling Board of Trade, Wheeling Chamber of Commerce, Wheeling Improvement Association, and more. His most impactful contribution was in 1924 when he donated $100,000 to help purchase Wheeling Park for public use, sparking further fundraising that allowed the park's preservation. Stone gave additional funds over the years to improve Wheeling Park and beautify the city. He served as president of Security National Bank and was a lifelong member of Thomson Methodist Episcopal Church. Stone worked tirelessly for the benefit of Wheeling until his death on January 28, 1938 in DeLand, Florida at age 74. He was entombed at Greenwood Cemetery in Wheeling. His dedication and generosity to the city earned him the nickname "Wheeling's First Citizen."
 
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Photo Credits: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling WV; Ohio County WVGenWeb, Find a Grave, Wheeling News-Register, The West Virginia Encyclopedia

Today in Wheeling History: December 28—Robert Boury, an American composer and pianist, born in Wheeling (1946).
​
Robert Boury's father, Michael Boury, along with his uncles, managed the Elby's restaurant chain, with Michael overseeing the commissary. His mother, Pearl Mickey, was a stay-at-home mother who had a talent for playing the piano with a beautiful touch.

Boury played a key role in the Ragtime revival of the late 1960s. He has composed various instrumental works in different genres, including piano pieces, art songs, comic opera, choral works, ragtime compositions, and orchestral pieces. Boury is a professor of music at the University of Arkansas and actively participates in musical events while also teaching. His compositions have been performed nationally and internationally. (https://rb.gy/empoh)

Today in Wheeling History: December 28--Nelson E. Whitaker, industrialist who built up the iron and steel industry in Wheeling, died (1909).
 
Nelson Evans Whitaker was born on November 9, 1839 in Principio, Maryland. He came from a family of ironmakers and his father owned the Whitaker Iron Company. Whitaker was president of the Wheeling Corrugating Company, Wheeling, WV, the Whitaker-Glessner Company of Wheeling, the Tyler Tube & Pipe Company, Washington, PA, the Principio Forge Company of Maryland, the Riverside Bridge Company of Martins Ferry, Ohio, the Acme Carbon Company of West Virginia, the Whitaker Iron Company, and Vice-President of the Portsmouth (Ohio) Steel Company, and director of the La Belle Iron Works, Steubenville, Ohio. The Whitaker family's iron and steel assets eventually played a significant role in the formation of Wheeling Steel Company, and following a merger in 1968, it transformed into Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel; Alexander Glass, Whitaker's nephew, served as the president of Wheeling Steel until 1941. He served in the West Virginia Senate from 1897-1899 and also served one term in the West Virginia House of Delegates. Whitaker married Sallie F. Roberts in 1864 and they had four children. He died on December 28, 1909 in Wheeling, West Virginia at the age of 70. Whitaker was buried in Greenwood Cemetery in Wheeling.
 
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Photo Credits: Ohio County Public Library, Wheeling WV; Scioto County (Ohio) Public Library, Wikipedia, HistoricBridges.org, Find a Grave, ebay.com

Today in Wheeling History: December 28—Robert Boury, an American composer and pianist, was born in Wheeling (1946).
 
Robert "Bob" Wade Boury was born on December 28, 1946, in Wheeling, West Virginia to Michael Boury and Pearl "Mickey" Boury. His father Michael and uncles ran the commissary for their Elby's Big Boy restaurants, while his mother was a talented pianist who turned down a scholarship to the Cincinnati Conservatory. Though she did not pursue music as a career, her piano playing influenced Boury from a young age. He began studying piano and composition at age 10 with Dorothy Ackerman Zoeckler. Boury later attended Manhattan School of Music where he studied with David Diamond and Mario Davidovsky, and earned a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Michigan, where he was influenced by Leslie Bassett, Ross Lee Finney and others. Boury had an extensive career as a composer, writing works for piano, voice, chorus, chamber groups, and orchestra. He served over 40 years as resident composer and professor at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, where he met his wife Laura. Boury was known for his art songs, cycles and albums, which were performed internationally. He won awards like the Joseph H. Bearnes Composition Prize. Boury passed away on June 17, 2023, in Little Rock, Arkansas at the age of 76, survived by his wife and daughter.
 
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Photo Credits: Alchetron

​Today in Wheeling History: December 27--Through an act passed by the Virginia General Assembly, Wheeling was named the county seat of Ohio County (1797).
 
Ohio County was organized in December 1776 when landholders met to elect administrators and choose a county seat. They selected Black's Cabin on Short Creek, now the site of West Liberty, as the first county seat. One of their early priorities was constructing a road connecting Fort Henry (Wheeling) and Elm Grove to facilitate transportation over the six miles between them. However, the instability of the Revolutionary War era and associated Indian attacks meant the new county court did not actually meet between June 1777 and April 1778.
 
Early on in the Revolutionary period, Black's Cabin was renamed West Liberty to celebrate the libertarian spirit of those first pioneers. By 1779 a courthouse had been built at West Liberty. Construction of a larger courthouse began there in 1796. Around this time, Wheeling was growing into a transportation and commercial hub, and began petitioning for the relocation of the Ohio County seat. Wheeling succeeded, with the court moving to the city on December 27, 1797. In June 1798 construction of a courthouse with adjoining jail, stocks and whipping post was started near present-day 10th Street in Wheeling. This small structure served until 1836, when a new building at 12th and Chapline Streets was authorized. That building was used until 1885, when the former state capitol building was acquired to house the county court. Finally, in 1960 the current Ohio County seat, the City-County Building, was dedicated on the site of that old state capitol building.
 
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Photo credits: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling WV

​Today in Wheeling History: December 26—Wheeling Police Officer Lafe Brown dies after being shot by Noah Ross on Christmas Eve (1902).
 
Police officer Salathiel C. "Lafe" Bowen was fatally shot on December 24, 1902 by Noah Ross while attempting to arrest him in Wheeling, West Virginia. After shooting Bowen multiple times, Ross fled across the bridge to Wheeling Island and then across another bridge into Bridgeport, Ohio. A farmer named Will Cook captured Ross at gunpoint outside Bridgeport and he was brought back to Wheeling by detectives Jerry O'Leary and Bob Driscoll. Ross claimed self-defense but witnesses disputed this. Bowen was hospitalized but died two days after being shot. His funeral took place a few days later, attended by fellow officers and members of his Knights of Pythias lodge. The service was held at his home and he was buried at Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Marshall County. Ross was found guilty of Bowen's murder but given a light sentence. In 1908, he himself was shot and killed during an attempted burglary. Bowen was survived by his wife and infant child. His death caused widespread outrage and grief in the Wheeling community, where he was respected as a brave officer.
 
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Photo Credits: Find a Grave, wheelingwv.gov, Joe Petri

Today in Wheeling History: December 25--In a testament to civic spirit, a group of Wheeling residents purchased the 102-acre former Wheeling Public Service Company tract and presented it to the city as Wheeling Park (1924).
 
Wheeling Park originated as part of an estate owned by English immigrant Thomas Hornbrook in the late 1800s. It opened to visitors and became known as "Hornbrook's Park." In the 1880s, Reymann Brewing Company acquired the property and developed it into an amusement park modeled after German beer gardens, featuring arcades, rides, a swimming pool, and a casino entertainment venue. After closing around 1918 due to Prohibition and economic factors, the park was purchased in 1924 by Charles Sonneborn and Louis Haller, who offered to sell it to the city to preserve it as a public park. Enough funds were pledged by Christmas Eve 1924, including major donations by prominent businessmen W.E. Stone and Earl Oglebay, for the city to acquire the 102 acres. The Wheeling Park Commission formed in January 1925 to manage the park. On its May 30, 1925, opening day, over 10,000 people attended. New amenities like a golf course and White Palace pavilion were added in 1926 after a fire destroyed the former casino building. Other additions over the decades included statues, gardens, a 1937 swimming pool, ice rink in 1959, Stone Memorial Pool complex in 1968, and hilltop sports facilities in the 1970s-1980s. Today the 406-acre Wheeling Park continues operating as a popular year-round public recreation area.
 
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Photo credits: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling WV; City of Wheeling, Weelunk, theclio.com, Oglebay.com