Today in Wheeling History: January 3--Wheeling High School burned (1914).
On January 3, 1914, a fire broke out in the basement of Wheeling High School in Wheeling, West Virginia. The fire department was understaffed and underequipped, with damaged alarm wires delaying response. Two volunteers, Charles Talbourt and J.E. Buchanan, were killed when a wall collapsed. Engine Company No. 4 Captain Charles J. Ferguson was also injured in the fire and later died. Designed by architect Frederick Faris, the school was rebuilt and reopened in September 1915, serving students until 1976. The original building was demolished in 1984, with only one commemorative pillar remaining today. Despite the physical loss, the legacy of Wheeling High School lives on through its thousands of alumni.
To learn more: (http://tinyurl.com/yssymtph)
Photo Credits: Wheeling Ohio County Library Archives, Wheeling WV
On January 3, 1914, a fire broke out in the basement of Wheeling High School in Wheeling, West Virginia. The fire department was understaffed and underequipped, with damaged alarm wires delaying response. Two volunteers, Charles Talbourt and J.E. Buchanan, were killed when a wall collapsed. Engine Company No. 4 Captain Charles J. Ferguson was also injured in the fire and later died. Designed by architect Frederick Faris, the school was rebuilt and reopened in September 1915, serving students until 1976. The original building was demolished in 1984, with only one commemorative pillar remaining today. Despite the physical loss, the legacy of Wheeling High School lives on through its thousands of alumni.
To learn more: (http://tinyurl.com/yssymtph)
Photo Credits: Wheeling Ohio County Library Archives, Wheeling WV
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