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Wheeling Centennial Celebration, 1936

Wheeling's original city seal, from the 1856 city directory.
Dates of Significance for Wheeling

1769      —     Founded by the Zane brothers

1795      —      Established as the Town of “Wheeling”

1806      —      Incorporated as a Town

1836      —     Incorporated as a City


Wheeling was incorporated as a city on March 11, 1836 by act of the Virginia Assembly. In August of 1936, an elaborate, citywide, week-long centennial celebration of this event was staged.

 


Highlights of the 1936 Centennial Celebration

  • Historical and Industrial Exhibits at the Market Auditorium and displays in every store window downtown
  • Golf and Tennis Tournament and River Regatta
  • Dodson World’s Fair Carnival at the Fairgrounds
  • Coronation of the “Queen of the Centennial”
  • “Nationality Night” featuring Polish, Italian, and Ukrainian music and dancing in costume
  • “On Wings of Time” Pageant — a “Mammoth Spectacle” at Wheeling Island Stadium featuring a cast of more than 1000 portraying Wheeling’s History “from the beginning of time,” with a 150 piece band, “dazzling costumes,” dozens of horsemen, oxen, covered wagons, and trains of 1848

 View the entire program.

Wheeling 180 Birthday Bash

On March 8, 2016, a celebration of the 180th birthday of Wheeling as a city, hosted by Wheeling's historian, Margaret Brennan, was held at Lunch With Books at the Ohio County Public Library. "Pa Wheeling" made a rare appearance, Stuart Bloch, son of the 1936 Chairman Thomas Bloch, offered remarks, current Wheeling Mayor Any McKenzie read a proclamation, and local music legend Yodeling Dick Brooks led a sing-along. 105 people attended, all enjoyed the show and most enjoyed some birthday cake.

Peg Brennan and Pa Wheeling (Earl Foreman).

 



Mayor McKenzieRead the Mayor's Proclamation.


 

 

 

 

 

Councilman Don Atkinson, Vice Mayor Gene Fahey, Mayor McKenzie, Pa Wheeling, Stuart Bloch, and City Clerk Janice Jones.Yodeling Dick Brooks sings.Birthday cake!


 

 

 

 

 

  

Read the article.

 

 

Events of Wheeling |  Wheeling History Home  |  OCPL Home  

The materials on this website may be freely used by non-commercial entities for educational and/or research purposes as long as credit is given to the Ohio County Public Library, Wheeling WV. Content within these pages cannot be reproduced in any format for profit or other presentation without the permission of The Ohio County Public Library. To obtain permission to publish images or other material available on this website, contact us through our Ask a Librarian form.

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