Seniors Wheel Into Wheeling

Wheeling, “The Friendly City,”  a city in Marshall and Ohio counties in West Virginia, is located almost entirely in Ohio County.  Senior travelers will find the city along the Ohio River in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, with a population of just under 30,000.

Wheeling, originally a settlement in the British colony of Virginia and later an important city in the Commonwealth of Virginia, was the first state capital of West Virginia. Thanks to its location along major transportation routes, including the Ohio River, National Road, and the B&O Railroad, Wheeling became a major manufacturing center in the late nineteenth century.

Wheeling experienced the closing of factories and substantial population loss following World War II. Today Wheeling’s major industries include healthcare, education, law and legal services, entertainment and tourism, and energy.

Seniors Discover History And Beauty Surrounding Wheeling

The area had been inhabited by Native Americans for thousands of years. Originally explored by the French, Wheeling still has a lead plate remnant buried by the explorer Céloron de Blainville in 1749 at the mouth of Wheeling Creek to mark their claim and the city was later founded in 1769.

There is scenic beauty in all directions in and around Wheeling. The Wheeling Suspension Bridge connects Wheeling with Wheeling Island that is the largest inhabited island on the Ohio River. It was the first bridge to span the Ohio River, built in 1849 with a length of 1,010 feet.

Senior visitors can check out Oglebay Park located on the outskirts of Wheeling. The Oglebay Institute Glass Museum features 3,000 examples of Wheeling glass and china made from 1820-1939, including the famous Sweeney Punch Bowl, the largest piece of cut glass in the world.

 Seniors Find Wheeling’s Crown Jewel

Wheeling’s unique nightlife and extraordinary menus create a culinary scene that’s hard to beat. Oglebay Resort offers world class golf courses, pools, both indoor and out and a zoo with over 80 species of animals nestled in 30 acres of flowers, trees, hills and valleys.

The Schrader Environmental Education Center invites senior visitors to enjoy the Corson Wildflower and Butterfly Gardens. There are many beautiful Victorian homes in Wheeling  and the Eckhart House, 810 Main Street is known as Wheeling’s “Crown Jewel.”

The home is a restored 1892 three-story Queen Anne townhome with most of its original architectural features intact. The Woodridge is another that dates back to 1831. nota bene: Wheeling contains more Victorian architecture than any other city in the US,  much of it having undergone extensive restoration.

My wife and I would plan to enjoy an event at Capitol Theater, the largest theatre in West Virginia and a landmark building in the national historic district of downtown Wheeling.

Senior travelers, set your GPS for Wheeling and enjoy all the city has to offer.  -jeb