Historical Markers in
Ohio County, West Virginia

612 Main Street 623 Main Street 647 Main Street 659 Main Street 745 Main Street 800 Main Street Alex Salvatori and James R. Flynn Alexis de Tocqueville Alpaca Augustus Pollack B & O Railroad Bald Eagle / Amelia the Bald Eagle Baltimore and Ohio Passenger Station Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Board of Trade and Court Theatre Bobcat Boer and Nubian Goats Brooke County / Ohio County Camp Carlile Camp Carlile Carriage House Glass Central Chinese Goral Central Ohio Railroad Charles Ellet, Jr. Charles W. Russell House Chester D. Hubbard Civil War Nurses Cleveland & Pittsburgh Railroad Cleveland, Lorain & Wheeling Railroad Congressional Medal of Honor Curtis Hall Daniel Lamb Eastern Box Turtle Elm Grove Stone Bridge Farm Residence First Mass in West Virginia First State Capitol First United Presbyterian Church Flaccus Building Forks of Wheeling Creek Formal Gardens Fort Henry Francis H. Pierpont Gibson-Linn Gold Star Families Memorial Monument Gordon Battelle Greenhouses Grevy's Zebra Guest House Hempfield Railroad How The Zoo Grew Hugh E. McConkey In Honor of All who Served In Memoriam Jacob Wise House Jesse Lee Reno John F. Kennedy Address at West Liberty State College Joseph Thoburn Kaley Center Kangaroo or Wallaby? / Are Kangaroos Rare? Lewis and Clark List House Llama Madonna of the Trail Mail Pouch Tobacco Mansion Marsh Wheeling Stogies McColloch Hall McColloch’s Leap Mount de Chantal Mount Wood Cemetery Odd Fellows Hall Association Oglebay Mansion Museum Ohio County / State of Ohio Ohio County / State of Pennsylvania Ohio River Railroad Old Custom House Old Garibaldi Old Trails Road Our Lady of Mount Lebanon Veterans Memorial Pallas's Cat Conservation Pennsylvania Depot Pennsylvania Railroad Pittsburgh, Cincinnati & St. Louis Railway Pittsburgh, Wheeling & Kentucky Railway POW★MIA Memorial Race For Survival! Raymond Van Montgomery Memorial Ray’s Arithmetic Rebecca Harding Davis Red Wolf Robert W. Hazlett House Roney’s Point Saanen Goat and Nigerian Dwarf Goat Saint Matthew's Episcopal Church Samuel Irwin House Sara Lucy Bagby Serpentine Drive Serval Shotwell Hall Site of Wheeling High School Slave Auction Block Snow Leopard South Lawn South Side World Wars Memorial Species Survival Plan State’s Birthplace The Athenaeum The Dr. John C. Hupp House The Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway The E.G. Kramer House The Eckhart House The First Campaign The First Saint Joseph Cathedral The Goering House The Hazlett-Fields House The Hess House The John Gay House The John List House The Madonna of the Trail The Mingo The National Pike The Phillips House The Siege of Fort Henry The Sisters of St. Joseph The Steamboat "Washington" The Stifel-Kossuth House The Washingtons To The Defenders of the Union Triadelphia Veterans Memorial Vineyard Hills Walter Reuther Walter Reuther Warwick China Co. Memorial Warwood Warwood Fire Department No. 11 Warwood Richland District Honor Roll Washington Hall West Liberty Wheeling Wheeling & Elm Grove Railroad Wheeling & Lake Erie Railroad Wheeling Bridge & Terminal Railway Wheeling Custom House Wheeling High School World War II Memorial Wheeling Hospital Wheeling Post No. 1 Wheeling Suspension Bridge Wheeling Suspension Bridge Wheeling Suspension Bridge - 1849 Wheeling Wharf Wheeling — "a pretty considerable Village" White-Naped Crane Women's Aid Societies WV Independence Hall “Monument Place”
The first electric railroad in the world was built in West Virginia in 1888. The line ran between Huntington and Guyandotte and was powered by electricity generated from a hydroelectric plant on the Ohio River.
West Virginia random facts
Ohio County is located in the northern panhandle of West Virginia. It was originally inhabited by Native American tribes, including the Mingo, Shawnee, and Delaware. In the late 1700s, European settlers began to arrive in the region. As part of the Northwest Territory, Ohio County was established in 1776 and became an important county due to its location along the Ohio River. It was named after the river and later became a vital transportation and industrial center.

Throughout the 19th century, Ohio County experienced significant growth and development. The construction of the National Road, the country's first federally funded highway, connected Ohio County to other parts of the nation and spurred economic growth. The county became an important trading and commercial center, with Wheeling, the county seat, becoming the capital of West Virginia during the Civil War.

The oil and gas industry also played a major role in Ohio County's development. The discovery of oil in nearby areas in the late 19th century led to the establishment of many oil refineries in the county. This brought immense wealth and economic prosperity to the region. Ohio County also became known for its steel industry, with several mills operating in the area.

Over the years, Ohio County has faced various challenges and undergone transformations. The decline of the steel industry in the late 20th century had a significant impact on the economy of the county. However, efforts have been made to diversify the economy and promote tourism, particularly through the development of historic sites and recreational attractions. Today, Ohio County continues to be a vibrant community with a rich history and a promising future.

This timeline provides a condensed summary of the historical journey of Ohio County, West Virginia.

  • 1776: Ohio County is established by the Virginia General Assembly.
  • 1780: Fort Henry is built on the site of present-day Wheeling.
  • 1787: The first courthouse in Ohio County is constructed.
  • 1836: Wheeling officially becomes the county seat of Ohio County.
  • 1852: The B&O Railroad reaches Wheeling, boosting the city's economy.
  • 1861: Wheeling holds the Wheeling Convention, leading to the creation of the new state of West Virginia.
  • 1870: The state capital is temporarily moved from Charleston to Wheeling.
  • 1937: The Wheeling Suspension Bridge, the oldest suspension bridge in the United States, is designated a National Historic Landmark.
  • 1960: The Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel Corporation becomes one of the largest steel producers in the country.
  • 1985: The Ohio County Public Library opens its doors.
  • 2003: The Wheeling Casino and Racetrack opens, bringing in new tourism and economic opportunities.