The Stratford Springs Hotel was a luxurious spa resort in Woodsdale, West Virginia (now part of Wheeling) that opened on May 1, 1907, near natural mineral springs believed to have healing properties. The sprawling wooden hotel featured elegant accommodations and hosted high society events. It also bottled and sold the spring water through the Stratford Springs Bottling Company.
On January 13, 1918, the hotel tragically burned down in a massive fire, though all guests escaped. The springs and bottling operation survived and continued for decades after, though the hotel was never rebuilt. Today, the Stratford Arms Apartment Complex stands on the former site of the Stratford Springs Bottling Company. Hundreds of the company's old glass bottles were recently discovered buried in the yard of a nearby home, offering a glimpse into this bygone era of Wheeling history when the opulent Stratford Springs Hotel briefly shined as a gem of the city's social scene.
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Photo credits: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling WV; Weelunk, Google Maps