Today in Wheeling History: September 25—Wheeling College was officially incorporated, marking the birth of West Virginia’s only Catholic institution of higher learning (1954).
Wheeling College, now known as Wheeling University, was officially incorporated on September 25, 1954, following years of vision and planning led by Archbishop John J. Swint of the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston. The idea of a Catholic college in West Virginia had circulated since the late 19th century, but it was Swint who revived the concept in 1951 and partnered with the Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) to bring it to life. The Diocese purchased land from the Mount de Chantal Visitation Academy, and construction began in late 1953. The college’s first president, Rev. Lawrence McHugh, S.J., was appointed the day after incorporation. Initially housed in temporary quarters at St. Michael’s Church on Edgington Lane, the college opened its doors to students on September 26, 1955, with 90 enrollees and a faculty of 12 Jesuit priests and four lay professors. Donahue Hall’s cornerstone was laid in November 1954, and the college was formally dedicated in October 1955. Over the decades, Wheeling College evolved into Wheeling Jesuit University and later Wheeling University, maintaining its Catholic identity and expanding its academic offerings. It remains a vital educational and spiritual institution in the Ohio Valley.
To learn more: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling WV (https://tinyurl.com/m2v7s8zb); Wheeling University History (https://tinyurl.com/3rehcj3y), Wheeling University Wikipedia Entry (https://tinyurl.com/mpmea9tz), e-WV Encyclopedia: Wheeling University (https://tinyurl.com/3bxp96w2), Find a Grave - Rev Laurence Charles McHugh (https://tinyurl.com/4yezyzcb)
Photo credits: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling WV; Wikimedia Commons, Google Maps, Find a Grave
Wheeling College, now known as Wheeling University, was officially incorporated on September 25, 1954, following years of vision and planning led by Archbishop John J. Swint of the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston. The idea of a Catholic college in West Virginia had circulated since the late 19th century, but it was Swint who revived the concept in 1951 and partnered with the Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) to bring it to life. The Diocese purchased land from the Mount de Chantal Visitation Academy, and construction began in late 1953. The college’s first president, Rev. Lawrence McHugh, S.J., was appointed the day after incorporation. Initially housed in temporary quarters at St. Michael’s Church on Edgington Lane, the college opened its doors to students on September 26, 1955, with 90 enrollees and a faculty of 12 Jesuit priests and four lay professors. Donahue Hall’s cornerstone was laid in November 1954, and the college was formally dedicated in October 1955. Over the decades, Wheeling College evolved into Wheeling Jesuit University and later Wheeling University, maintaining its Catholic identity and expanding its academic offerings. It remains a vital educational and spiritual institution in the Ohio Valley.
To learn more: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling WV (https://tinyurl.com/m2v7s8zb); Wheeling University History (https://tinyurl.com/3rehcj3y), Wheeling University Wikipedia Entry (https://tinyurl.com/mpmea9tz), e-WV Encyclopedia: Wheeling University (https://tinyurl.com/3bxp96w2), Find a Grave - Rev Laurence Charles McHugh (https://tinyurl.com/4yezyzcb)
Photo credits: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling WV; Wikimedia Commons, Google Maps, Find a Grave
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