Today in Wheeling History: June 19 -- Wheeling, Illinois, a village named after Wheeling, West Virginia, was officially incorporated (1894).
Wheeling, Illinois is a suburban village located approximately 23 miles northwest of downtown Chicago, spanning both Cook and Lake counties. The area's early history was shaped by Native American presence, with the Miami Confederacy controlling the land in the 1680s before the Potawatomi took possession in the 1700s. European settlement began in 1833 when the first cabin in Wheeling Township was built. The village's development accelerated in 1834 when Joseph Filkins established the first tavern-hotel at the intersection of Dundee Road and Milwaukee Avenue. By 1835, the settlement had grown to 18 cabins and earned its own post office located in Filkins' Tavern. The community's commercial foundation was established in 1837 when Russell Wheeler and Charles Daniels opened a general store and trading post adjacent to the tavern. Initially called East Wheeling, the settlement eventually became known simply as Wheeling, named after Wheeling, West Virginia. The Wisconsin Central Railway built a depot in the area in 1886, and Wheeling Station was included when the village was formally incorporated in 1894. From humble beginnings with a population of just 331 in 1900, Wheeling has grown into a diverse community with over 39,000 residents according to the 2020 census.
To learn more: History of Wheeling (Illinois) (https://tinyurl.com/y77jnpe3), Wikipedia (https://tinyurl.com/3ry4u4rb) (https://tinyurl.com/yckyzkup), wheelingil.gov (https://www.wheelingil.gov/458/History), Wheeling (Illinois) Historical Society & Museum (https://tinyurl.com/mpnjn6sj)
Photo credits: Wheeling (Illinois) Historical Society, Wikimedia Commons
Wheeling, Illinois is a suburban village located approximately 23 miles northwest of downtown Chicago, spanning both Cook and Lake counties. The area's early history was shaped by Native American presence, with the Miami Confederacy controlling the land in the 1680s before the Potawatomi took possession in the 1700s. European settlement began in 1833 when the first cabin in Wheeling Township was built. The village's development accelerated in 1834 when Joseph Filkins established the first tavern-hotel at the intersection of Dundee Road and Milwaukee Avenue. By 1835, the settlement had grown to 18 cabins and earned its own post office located in Filkins' Tavern. The community's commercial foundation was established in 1837 when Russell Wheeler and Charles Daniels opened a general store and trading post adjacent to the tavern. Initially called East Wheeling, the settlement eventually became known simply as Wheeling, named after Wheeling, West Virginia. The Wisconsin Central Railway built a depot in the area in 1886, and Wheeling Station was included when the village was formally incorporated in 1894. From humble beginnings with a population of just 331 in 1900, Wheeling has grown into a diverse community with over 39,000 residents according to the 2020 census.
To learn more: History of Wheeling (Illinois) (https://tinyurl.com/y77jnpe3), Wikipedia (https://tinyurl.com/3ry4u4rb) (https://tinyurl.com/yckyzkup), wheelingil.gov (https://www.wheelingil.gov/458/History), Wheeling (Illinois) Historical Society & Museum (https://tinyurl.com/mpnjn6sj)
Photo credits: Wheeling (Illinois) Historical Society, Wikimedia Commons
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