Today in Wheeling History: May 30--Wheeling Park officially opened to the public as Wheeling's first public park, welcoming more than ten thousand people who enjoyed a band concert, picnicking, the playground, and various informal activities (1925).
Wheeling Park, situated in Wheeling, West Virginia, boasts a rich history dating back to the late 1800s when it was part of an estate owned by English immigrant Thomas Hornbrook. The park underwent various transformations, including serving as a private amusement park with rides, a swimming pool, and a gambling casino operated by the Reymann Brewing Company in the early 1900s. In 1924, Charles Sonneborn and Louis Haller purchased the property with the intention of subdividing it into residential lots. However, they offered to sell it back to the city for public use if sufficient funds could be raised. Thanks to the efforts of local businessmen and philanthropists, such as W.E. Stone and Earl W. Oglebay, Wheeling Park was established as a public park and officially opened on May 30, 1925.
Throughout the years, Wheeling Park has seen numerous additions and improvements. The White Palace, officially named the Otto Schenk Memorial Pavilion, was constructed in 1926 on the site of the former casino that had been destroyed by fire. The park's nine-hole golf course opened in the same year. In 1928, the Daughters of the American Revolution erected the "Madonna of the Trail" statue, and the Frank Rock Garden was created in 1929. The park's recreational facilities continued to expand with the opening of the Memorial Ice Rink in 1959, which transformed Wheeling Park into a year-round destination. The W.E. Stone Memorial Clubhouse and Pool, featuring a Z-shaped pool with fifty-meter lanes, a diving well, and a toddler area, was dedicated in 1968, with a water slide added to the complex in 1979.
Further developments in the 1970s and 1980s included the addition of a boathouse, dock, and miniature golf course to the Good Lake in 1972, as well as the construction of a tennis air dome for indoor play. The hilltop area of the park saw the development of the Sonneborn group picnic shelter in 1973, followed by the addition of six Har-Tru tennis courts and the Boyce Tennis Shelter in 1984. The late 1980s witnessed the construction of a complex of soccer fields, further enhancing the park's recreational offerings.
Today, Wheeling Park spans 406 acres and features a wide array of attractions and amenities, including the Otto Schenk Memorial Pavilion (White Palace), the Memorial Ice Rink, the W.E. Stone Memorial Clubhouse and Pool, the Good Lake with pedal boats and a snack bar, the Sonneborn group picnic shelter, the Stifel Playground, and the Schwertfeger Shelter. The park also offers a nine-hole golf course, an eighteen-hole miniature golf course, indoor and outdoor tennis courts, an outdoor amphitheater, and numerous picnic sites and shelters. With its diverse range of facilities and activities, Wheeling Park continues to serve as a beloved year-round destination for residents and visitors alike, fulfilling the vision of its early advocates, such as Otto Schenk and W.E. Stone.
To learn more: (https://tinyurl.com/ycyn6vzf) (https://tinyurl.com/mry5tzcz) (https://tinyurl.com/4pscbpcd) (https://tinyurl.com/55yd3ud3)
Photo credits: Ohio County Library Archives, Wheeling WV; Wheeling Park
Wheeling Park, situated in Wheeling, West Virginia, boasts a rich history dating back to the late 1800s when it was part of an estate owned by English immigrant Thomas Hornbrook. The park underwent various transformations, including serving as a private amusement park with rides, a swimming pool, and a gambling casino operated by the Reymann Brewing Company in the early 1900s. In 1924, Charles Sonneborn and Louis Haller purchased the property with the intention of subdividing it into residential lots. However, they offered to sell it back to the city for public use if sufficient funds could be raised. Thanks to the efforts of local businessmen and philanthropists, such as W.E. Stone and Earl W. Oglebay, Wheeling Park was established as a public park and officially opened on May 30, 1925.
Throughout the years, Wheeling Park has seen numerous additions and improvements. The White Palace, officially named the Otto Schenk Memorial Pavilion, was constructed in 1926 on the site of the former casino that had been destroyed by fire. The park's nine-hole golf course opened in the same year. In 1928, the Daughters of the American Revolution erected the "Madonna of the Trail" statue, and the Frank Rock Garden was created in 1929. The park's recreational facilities continued to expand with the opening of the Memorial Ice Rink in 1959, which transformed Wheeling Park into a year-round destination. The W.E. Stone Memorial Clubhouse and Pool, featuring a Z-shaped pool with fifty-meter lanes, a diving well, and a toddler area, was dedicated in 1968, with a water slide added to the complex in 1979.
Further developments in the 1970s and 1980s included the addition of a boathouse, dock, and miniature golf course to the Good Lake in 1972, as well as the construction of a tennis air dome for indoor play. The hilltop area of the park saw the development of the Sonneborn group picnic shelter in 1973, followed by the addition of six Har-Tru tennis courts and the Boyce Tennis Shelter in 1984. The late 1980s witnessed the construction of a complex of soccer fields, further enhancing the park's recreational offerings.
Today, Wheeling Park spans 406 acres and features a wide array of attractions and amenities, including the Otto Schenk Memorial Pavilion (White Palace), the Memorial Ice Rink, the W.E. Stone Memorial Clubhouse and Pool, the Good Lake with pedal boats and a snack bar, the Sonneborn group picnic shelter, the Stifel Playground, and the Schwertfeger Shelter. The park also offers a nine-hole golf course, an eighteen-hole miniature golf course, indoor and outdoor tennis courts, an outdoor amphitheater, and numerous picnic sites and shelters. With its diverse range of facilities and activities, Wheeling Park continues to serve as a beloved year-round destination for residents and visitors alike, fulfilling the vision of its early advocates, such as Otto Schenk and W.E. Stone.
To learn more: (https://tinyurl.com/ycyn6vzf) (https://tinyurl.com/mry5tzcz) (https://tinyurl.com/4pscbpcd) (https://tinyurl.com/55yd3ud3)
Photo credits: Ohio County Library Archives, Wheeling WV; Wheeling Park
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