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In the 17th and 18th century, Wheeling was literally the Gateway to the West...It was the end of the line for the Pennsylvania Turnpike. Steamboats were used there as early as 1805.
It was so important, Virginia constructed its own Turnpike from Richmond (Rt 250) (Virginia road bond of 1848) to take away part of the toll fees from the Pennsylvania turnpike.
Almost everyone in a covered wagon who traveled from the east traveled through this town.
Wheeling put the Stogie cigar and other traveling tobacco products on the map...
It's history is as important as any city in America...in more progressive areas of our country, the destruction of this type of historical district would not be considered or allowed.
Wheeling was certainly a rival for Pittsburgh, but Pittsburgh was always clearly above Wheeling in terms of population, and even moreso when you factor in the population of Allegheny City (North Side). Pittsburgh first shows up on the 1810 census of largest cities in the US. That's early. Wheeling didn't show up until 1830 or 1840, and still was way behind Pittsburgh. The thing about Wheeling, though, is that more of its antebellum architecture survived than in Pittsburgh. Wheeling WAS mostly intact, until recently. Pittsburgh lost a lot in the urban renewal decades. Another city with similar early architecture is Brownsville, PA. I have been in contact with the preservation groups in Brownsville, and they are taking steps to preserve their history. I guess for every city that destroys their history, there is a city that preserves it, or at least I'd like to hope so.
There was somewhat more flat terrain (but not much) in Pittsburgh than in Wheeling which lent itself to a few more steel plants, but Wheeling was more of a gateway city to westward expansion so a lot more people passed through there. The differences in population in those early days were not great. In addition to steel, Wheeling had a thriving tobacco industry. Most all of that has disappeared in the past 3 decades. One current difference though... while Pittsburgh continues to bleed population, Wheeling is starting to rebound. Not in time to save many of the Victorians, but there is a rebound taking place.
Brownsville and Uniontown (like Cumberland) were other National Road communities that experienced similar Victorian development during the same era. Wheeling's location on the Ohio River though, meant it was the terminus of development for a period and the city actually served as the border for the frontier. Wheeling Island was Indian territory while Wheeling proper was Euro settled and developed for a period.
In the 17th and 18th century, Wheeling was literally the Gateway to the West...It was the end of the line for the Pennsylvania Turnpike. Steamboats were used there as early as 1805.
It was so important, Virginia constructed its own Turnpike from Richmond (Rt 250) (Virginia road bond of 1848) to take away part of the toll fees from the Pennsylvania turnpike.
Almost everyone in a covered wagon who traveled from the east traveled through this town.
Wheeling put the Stogie cigar and other traveling tobacco products on the map...
It's history is as important as any city in America...in more progressive areas of our country, the destruction of this type of historical district would not be considered or allowed.
This is about making money!!!!!
The turnpike through Maryland and Pennsylvania to Wheeling had substantial Federal support and was called "National Pike" until it reached Wheeling because there was a toll charged. The last toll booth was at S Bridge in Elm Grove (now part of Wheeling) and from there on it was a free road so the name changed to National Road. Still, even today in downtown and other parts of Wheeling people refer to anything that takes place in the eastern part of town or in PA along National Road as being "Out the Pike", a carryover from those early days.
Wheeling is literally steeped in history, both for the country and for the state. It was not only home to the movement to seperate from Virginia to remain loyal to the Federal Government during the Civil War, it was also home to the famous Shriver Grays, Stonewall Jackson's staunchest Confederate troops. More than just about any place else, in Wheeling the Civil War was brother fighting brother. Some of those old Victorians still exist from those historic days, including Shriver's home in Main Street in north Wheeling. The tailor who made the uniforms for his Confederate troops, and after he collected his payment, joined the Federal army the next day, was also from north Wheeling.
One current difference though... while Pittsburgh continues to bleed population, Wheeling is starting to rebound.
I would say they are both still bleeding population, but both are also starting to rebound. I would think most people would consider Pittsburgh to be rebounding faster than Wheeling.
What gave the rise to Pittsburgh was the iron industry..it really began in earnest in Morgantown, where a low grade ore was strip mined out of the mountain rock benches.
This industry had it roots in Morgantown, Cheat River at Ice's Ferry and Rock Forge about 1780 and failed about 1840.
By that time, the industry had mined itself to Pittsburgh and the Civil War took that industry up anothere step.
The deciding factor at Pittsburgh was the river trade and ability to get iron faster to market than Morgantown.
This was the first census which Wheeling ranked within the largest cities, at number 51.
Notice Pittsburgh is ranked the 17th largest city, and Allegheny City (North Side of Pittsburgh) is ranked at #37. Pittsburgh first shows up on the 1810 largest cities census.
In 1840, Wheeling was larger than: Chicago, Lexington KY, Nashville, Cleveland, Dayton, Columbus OH, Harrisburg (capital of PA), and others that did not yet rank in 1840, such as St. Louis, San Francisco, Atlanta, etc.
Within the state of Virgina (this was before WV became a state), Wheeling was the fourth largest city. Wheeling was the only city in the ranking from what is now WV.
Last edited by PreservationPioneer; 02-15-2012 at 07:26 PM..
This was the first census which Wheeling ranked within the largest cities, at number 51.
Notice Pittsburgh is ranked the 17th largest city, and Allegheny City (North Side of Pittsburgh) is ranked at #37. Pittsburgh first shows up on the 1810 largest cities census.
In 1840, Wheeling was larger than: Chicago, Lexington KY, Nashville, Cleveland, Dayton, Columbus OH, Harrisburg (capital of PA), and others that did not yet rank in 1840, such as St. Louis, San Francisco, Atlanta, etc.
Within the state of Virgina (this was before WV became a state), Wheeling was the fourth largest city. Wheeling was the only city in the ranking from what is now WV.
I see what you mean. At that time Pittsburgh had 14,000 people more than Wheeling. I think part of the reason for that was the fact that they were originally in two different colonies, and PA developed westward at a faster rate. Of course, Wheeling and the entire panhandle would have been in PA were it not for an indian attack that halted Mason and Dixon's survey at the western edge of Monongalia County.
I would say they are both still bleeding population, but both are also starting to rebound. I would think most people would consider Pittsburgh to be rebounding faster than Wheeling.
Well, since they're starting with hundreds of thousands more people, it would be surprising if they didn't. That region of PA is wet gas territory too, so I suspect that will play a role.
I travel through and in Wheeling some. I live in Columbus and know first hand the benefit of restoring historic neighborhoods.
The Columbus metro's fastest appreciating area, through the 2000s, was not an exurb, new neighborhood, or even high end suburb. It is the short north. The area is next to, north of, downtown Columbus. It features Victorian era homes, apartments, etc. It was ghetto/run down until the 1990s. Now today it is the hottest part of Columbus' market.
I know what wheeling is missing out on, by this shortsighted action. Unfortunately, Columbus' gentrification was fueled by massive economic growth. Little by government funding etc. Only proactive government policies. If the buildings can be saved, they can be rehabed as the Wheeling economy hopefully improves or is somewhat stable.
I went to school at OSU for a time in the 70s, and am familiar with some of the issues faced in that area. The area on the other side of High Street became quite distressed for a time. It's nice to hear there are positive developments there.
Wheeling is an older town, and has a greater percentage of Victorians than Columbus. Also, due to state government and Ohio State being there, there was not the decline experienced in industrial Wheeling. Columbus has had steady, if not spectacular growth. Wheeling is only now on the way back up.
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