Today in Wheeling History: November 14—Cornerstone laid for the First English Evangelical Lutheran Church building on 16th Street, with a sermon by Rev. F.W. Conrad of Philadelphia (1868).
The First English Evangelical Lutheran Church of Wheeling, West Virginia, was founded on August 12, 1860, by 24 charter members under the guidance of Rev. Thomas W. Dosh. Dosh had arrived in Wheeling in 1859 as part of a missionary initiative by the Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Virginia. The congregation initially met in Zion’s German Evangelical Lutheran Church and later in a rented Baptist church on Clay (18th) Street. On November 14, 1868, the cornerstone for their own chapel was laid at 35 16th Street, with a sermon by Rev. F.W. Conrad of Philadelphia. The lot was purchased for $3,500, with only $50 paid upfront. The building was remodeled and formally dedicated on January 16, 1898. Over the decades, the church supported missionary work, helped establish other Lutheran congregations, and remained a vital part of Wheeling’s religious life. On May 23, 2023, the Wheeling Life Hub purchased the church to serve the homeless and prevent homelessness, marking a new chapter in its civic mission. The building now continues its legacy of service, adapting its sacred space to meet urgent social needs in the community.
To learn more: Ohio County Public Library – Church History (https://tinyurl.com/2m4df36k), Cornerstone Laying – OCPL (https://tinyurl.com/26xeuj2v), Historic Wheeling Wiki (https://tinyurl.com/bddeu8pz), Wheeling Heritage Church Brochure PDF (https://tinyurl.com/3u5nn9b5), Wheeling Life Hub Facebook (https://tinyurl.com/yxu2a4zk), Archiving Wheeling Facebook Post (https://tinyurl.com/3uwr9ca8)
Photo credits: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling WV
The First English Evangelical Lutheran Church of Wheeling, West Virginia, was founded on August 12, 1860, by 24 charter members under the guidance of Rev. Thomas W. Dosh. Dosh had arrived in Wheeling in 1859 as part of a missionary initiative by the Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Virginia. The congregation initially met in Zion’s German Evangelical Lutheran Church and later in a rented Baptist church on Clay (18th) Street. On November 14, 1868, the cornerstone for their own chapel was laid at 35 16th Street, with a sermon by Rev. F.W. Conrad of Philadelphia. The lot was purchased for $3,500, with only $50 paid upfront. The building was remodeled and formally dedicated on January 16, 1898. Over the decades, the church supported missionary work, helped establish other Lutheran congregations, and remained a vital part of Wheeling’s religious life. On May 23, 2023, the Wheeling Life Hub purchased the church to serve the homeless and prevent homelessness, marking a new chapter in its civic mission. The building now continues its legacy of service, adapting its sacred space to meet urgent social needs in the community.
To learn more: Ohio County Public Library – Church History (https://tinyurl.com/2m4df36k), Cornerstone Laying – OCPL (https://tinyurl.com/26xeuj2v), Historic Wheeling Wiki (https://tinyurl.com/bddeu8pz), Wheeling Heritage Church Brochure PDF (https://tinyurl.com/3u5nn9b5), Wheeling Life Hub Facebook (https://tinyurl.com/yxu2a4zk), Archiving Wheeling Facebook Post (https://tinyurl.com/3uwr9ca8)
Photo credits: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling WV
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