Today in Wheeling History: January 20—The Twelfth Street Garage opens as Wheeling’s largest and most modern “absolutely fireproof” five‑story parking facility, offering 250 spaces and premium customer services (1922).
The Twelfth Street Garage, located at 77–81 12th Street near the intersection of 12th and Chapline, stands as one of Wheeling’s most significant early automotive landmarks. Incorporated in 1920, the garage was designed by prominent Wheeling architect Charles W. Bates and constructed by the R.R. Kitchen Company at a cost of $200,000—an impressive investment for its time. When it opened in January 1922, the "Wheeling Intelligencer" praised it as a “handsome five‑story building” and “absolutely fireproof,” reflecting the city’s embrace of modern reinforced‑concrete construction. Each of the five floors held 50 automobiles, and the garage offered daily inspection, tire‑changing services, and a first‑floor Spears & Riddle supply branch, though no repair work was performed. A unique employee‑only elevator system, using a circulating cable with small platforms, allowed attendants to move quickly between floors to retrieve customer vehicles.
Situated directly across from the Virginia Theatre, the garage served downtown motorists for decades. In 1962, the Twelfth Street Garage Co. purchased and demolished the aging theatre to create an expanded parking lot that remains today. In later years, the structure experienced ownership changes, partial demolition, and vandalism, as documented in Tim O’Malley’s 2025 photo series. Yet its legacy endures through the philanthropic work of Claude A. and Henrietta H. Vaden, whose estate established the Vaden Children’s Farm Trust, including a major 2019 gift supporting youth access to Oglebay Park.
To learn more: Ohio County Public Library – Twelfth Street Garage history (https://tinyurl.com/28cw5dhe), Bizapedia – Twelfth Street Garage corporate record (https://tinyurl.com/p7ej33v6), West Virginia Press Association – “Twelfth Street Garage Legacy benefits area youth” (https://tinyurl.com/3pnztdec), Lede News - Wheeling’s 12th Street Garage – A Photo Series (https://tinyurl.com/4wa53h9f)
Photo credits: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling WV; Google Maps
The Twelfth Street Garage, located at 77–81 12th Street near the intersection of 12th and Chapline, stands as one of Wheeling’s most significant early automotive landmarks. Incorporated in 1920, the garage was designed by prominent Wheeling architect Charles W. Bates and constructed by the R.R. Kitchen Company at a cost of $200,000—an impressive investment for its time. When it opened in January 1922, the "Wheeling Intelligencer" praised it as a “handsome five‑story building” and “absolutely fireproof,” reflecting the city’s embrace of modern reinforced‑concrete construction. Each of the five floors held 50 automobiles, and the garage offered daily inspection, tire‑changing services, and a first‑floor Spears & Riddle supply branch, though no repair work was performed. A unique employee‑only elevator system, using a circulating cable with small platforms, allowed attendants to move quickly between floors to retrieve customer vehicles.
Situated directly across from the Virginia Theatre, the garage served downtown motorists for decades. In 1962, the Twelfth Street Garage Co. purchased and demolished the aging theatre to create an expanded parking lot that remains today. In later years, the structure experienced ownership changes, partial demolition, and vandalism, as documented in Tim O’Malley’s 2025 photo series. Yet its legacy endures through the philanthropic work of Claude A. and Henrietta H. Vaden, whose estate established the Vaden Children’s Farm Trust, including a major 2019 gift supporting youth access to Oglebay Park.
To learn more: Ohio County Public Library – Twelfth Street Garage history (https://tinyurl.com/28cw5dhe), Bizapedia – Twelfth Street Garage corporate record (https://tinyurl.com/p7ej33v6), West Virginia Press Association – “Twelfth Street Garage Legacy benefits area youth” (https://tinyurl.com/3pnztdec), Lede News - Wheeling’s 12th Street Garage – A Photo Series (https://tinyurl.com/4wa53h9f)
Photo credits: Ohio County Public Library Archives, Wheeling WV; Google Maps
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