WV Historical Markers - Let's Find All 700

I just received an email from Joe Geiger, the Program Manager for the WV Highway Markers Program. Two items of interest:

1) He added a very nice write-up of our efforts on their WV History and Archives Newsletter. To view the entire newsletter page:

http://www.wvculture.org/history/archivesnewsroom.html


Motorcyclists Helps West Virginia’s Highway Historical Marker Program
Icons of the highways and byways of the Mountain State, West Virginia Highway Historical Markers identify the state’s key historical, geological, and geographical locations. The first markers were installed in 1937 during the Great Depression to encourage tourism in the state. The program today includes more than 1,000 signs spread across the state’s 55 counties. Although no funds are available for new markers, legislative appropriations and grants from Highways have permitted the refurbishment, replacement and installation of more than 200 existing signs in the past year. The last survey of the markers was conducted nearly a decade ago, but determining which markers to refurbish has been made easier thanks to the efforts of a group of motorcyclists who are traveling across the state documenting the present condition of the state’s highway historical markers. The documentation project was the brain child of Michael Elyard, a motorcyclist from the Clarksburg area who set up an internet bulletin board on the Adventure Rider website to track and photograph the historical markers. Using the Highway Historical Marker database on the Archives and History website and Marking Our Past, a guidebook to the state’s markers, the motorcyclists photograph the signs, post the pictures on the bulletin board, and write short descriptions of what they find. The information has already proven useful in determining which signs are in need of repair or replacement. The motorcyclists have been the eyes for the program statewide, having documented well over 500 markers. Check out their efforts at the Adventure Rider website. For more information, contact Joe Geiger at (304) 558-0230.


2) The Governor's Office notified us that Gov. Manchin (a fellow rider who will hopefully bring his bike) may be available on Saturday, 29 August at noon for a photo shoot by the Historical Marker on the Capitol steps with all participants of this project. Please PM me to let me know how many of you would like to do this.

Thanks again to everyone.

Located wayyyyy up on the hill above Wheeling. I've only been in downtown Wheeling twice, and have driven around in circles lost most of the time. Anyway, I remember going up a long skinny street and around a 170-degree corner on a 10% uphill grade (I'm really not exaggerating much!) and suddenly this marker appears in a residential area beside someone's house. Lots of privacy fences and loud barking dogs, so I didn't go snooping around much.

My research came up empty-handed. I'll keep digging and add anything I find later.




Historical Marker located at 989 Grandview St high on the hill above Wheeling. Need directions? Ask a mail carrier.





I felt like an intruder with the big dogs on the other side of the fence that sounded like they would really enjoy tearing me into little shreds and then gnawing on my bones. :eek1 :eek1 :eek1 I'm outta' here!



Photo shoot with Gov Manchin - Read Post #541.

Believe it or not, that little "utility" bldg. used to be the "Welcome Center/Museum" for the mound. If look at it from atop the mound, you'll see that the roof has completely caved in.




My error. The above, or what's left of it, was the original "museum."

I met the State's Assist. Director of Archaeology in the new museum earlier in the year, and that building holds a little "secret" that's truely remarkable. They're waiting on confirmation of some historical data, and if true, the news will be released to the public.

I'll find out for you.............

About the Hills from my sister in St. Clairsville:

"This was the site for Wheeling's original public housing from the late 40s until the late 80s when it was shut down. It was notorious for drug crime and all the attendant activities. It was torn down in the 90s and the site was redeveloped with single family homes sold to first-time home buyers, and a townhouse/single family complex built on an old hospital site near the river - much better managed and well kept. The vineyard would have been on top of Wheeling Tunnels - you can see the new housing as you approach them westbound.


"The building the sign is in front of is a museum/events hall - the Point Overlook - that has some spectactular overlook decks for the valley. A friend of ours has owned it - think he still does, if you're up here and want to visit.

"BTW, this is Italian Fest weekend and we're working the bingo tent this afternoon to benefit the Cockayne House. The Marshall Co Historical Society is supplying volunteers for the tent, so we're probably going to be money collectors - but we get really cool tee shirts!"

Folks, if you've never been to the Italian Festival in Wheeling - GO!! OMIGOD!, the selection of food is unbelievable. The fireworks at night over the suspension bridge are awesome to boot! Zambelli Bros. of New Castle (PA) put on the show the last time I was there. One of the nephews was a best bud during high school.

Guy,

Thanks for the info. I didn't have much luck on Google.

Jefferson CO is mapped. The locations need to be double checked.

This is a bridge with lots of history. It's the oldest suspension bridge still in use in the world. It was the first to span a main channel of the Ohio River, and important part of the National Road.

The story of the bridge was amplified by a bidding and design war between two prominent suspension bridge designers, Charles Ellet, Jr. and John Roebling. The two rivals would compete for the commission until Ellet's design won out in 1847. The 1,010 foot bridge took two years to complete. It opened on October 20, 1849, although the official grand opening would take place on November 15. The bridge was immediately put into service as a toll bridge.

On May 17, 1854, a violent gale destroyed most of the bridge with much of the span crashing into the Ohio. Many have compared the 1854 collapsed to that of the famed 1940 collapse of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge.

The collapse ended Ellet's turbulent career as a bridge designer and builder. To repair the span, Roebling, who had since gained national acclaim for his railroad bridge over the Niagara River, was commissioned to rebuild the bridge at a cost of $42,000. To preserve the structure and keep it usable, the bridge would have major repairs done in 1956, 1982, and 1999.

For more information:

http://www.gribblenation.com/swparoads/essays/nationalrd/wheeling.html


http://wheeling.weirton.lib.wv.us/history/landmark/bridges/SUSP/bridge10.htm







Historical Marker located on the east end of the bridge (Wheeling)





Westbound entrance to the bridge.





View westbound across the bridge.



I could not find a good location for a photo of the bridge, so I borrowed this one from the www.bridgemeister.com website.



Thanks to Guy Young for this nice photo of the Wheeling Suspension Bridge. The I-70 Bridge is in the background.

Located in downtown Wheeling.

The fort was originally known as Fort Fincastle and was named for Viscount Fincastle, Lord Dunmore, Royal Governor of Virginia. Later it was renamed for Patrick Henry, and was at the time located in Virginia. The fort was subject to two major sieges, two notable feats (McColloch's Leap and Betty Zane's trek through the battle) and other skirmishes.

Built in June 1774, Fort Henry was not erected by any specific plan or design, but was one of a number of similar forts built to protect settlers on the frontier in the middle years of the 1770s. The outbreak of the Shawnee Tribe or Dunmore's War, a conflict between American Indians of the Ohio County and Virginia, was the immediate reason for its construction.

To read more: Click Here




Historical Marker located in downtown Wheeling just south of the Wheeling Suspension Bridge.




There were no indications where the fort was located, so I'm guessing it may have been this vacant lot or somewhere nearby.

Located just off Rt 40 where Rt 88 heads north to the Oglebay Park area, just behing the Sheetz gas station.

Lawrence Augustine Washing was the son of Samuel Washington, who was George Washington's youngest brother. Interesting note - he was born at Harewood - See Post #73 for the marker and writeup by vatrader01.




Historical Marker located on Rt 88 just north of Rt 40.




View of the marker looking northbound on Rt 88.





There is a house hidden behind the trees in the field next to the marker. However.......




It appears as though they don't want curious photographers walking through their property.

Also known as the National Road, construction began in Cumberland, MD in 1811 and reached Wheeling, WV in 1818. The original plans were to reach St Louis, but funding ran out as the road reached Vandalia, IL, about 150 short of St. Louis.

The 600+ mile road served as a gateway to the west for many travelers.

To read more about this interesting road into our past: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Road

Trivia Question : How did aircraft runways become known as "Tarmacs"? And what does it have to do with the National Pike?

Answer - First, the National Road was the first main road in the US to use the "Macadam" paving process. Macadam is a type of road construction pioneered by the Scotman John Loudon McAdam in around 1820. The method simplified what had been considered state-of-the-art at that point. Single sized aggregate with a coating of binder as a cementing agent are mixed in an open-structured macadam. With the advent of motor vehicles, dust became a serious problem on macadam roads. The vacuum created under fast-moving vehicles sucks dust from the road surface, creating dust clouds and a gradual raveling (pulling apart) of the road material. This problem was later rectified by spraying tar on the surface to create tar-bound macadam, more commonly known as tarmac. Due to uses of macadam as a road surface in former times, roads in some parts of the United States are often referred to as macadam, even though they might be made of asphalt or concrete. Similarly, the term "tarmac" is sometimes colloquially misapplied to asphalt roads or aircraft runways.

I guess now I'm a little smarter than I was when I woke up this morning.





Historical Marker located on Rt 40 in the Woodsdale section, about 4-5 miles east of Wheeling. Most of the Historic National Road's route follows Rt 40.

To read more about the Nemacolin Path: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nemacolin's_Path




View eastbound on Rt 40.





View westbound on Rt 40. The Historical Marker for "State's Birthplace" is also located on this turnout.




As you head eastbound on Rt 40 toward PA, there are numerous old markers like this with mileage to and from Wheeling and Cumberland.

Wheeling was originally a settlement in the British Colony of Virginia and later an important city in the Commonwealth of Virginia until 1861 when the western counties of Virginia seceded from the state. Wheeling was the location of the Wheeling Convention, which established the state of West Virginia, and was the first capital of West Virginia. The capital moved so often in its early years that it was nicknamed the "floating capital". In 1870, the State Legislature designated Charleston as the capital city. In 1875, the Legislature reversed their decision and voted to return the Capital to Wheeling. This was appealed by the citizens of Charleston and finally settled by the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals in favor of Wheeling. In 1877 the Legislature ordered an election to be held for the citizens of West Virginia to select a permanent location for the capital, choosing between Charleston, Martinsburg and Clarksburg. By proclamation of the governor, the official move took place eight years later, and in 1885 the capital moved from Wheeling to Charleston, where it has remained. :eek1





Historical Marker located on Rt 40 east of Wheeling in Woodsdale Section.




Marker is located next to this large city park. It shares the turnout with the National Pike Historical Marker (See previous post).




Linsly Institute Building in downtown Wheeling. West Virginia's first Capitol.

Located at the junction of Rt 40 and Rt 88 in Elm Grove, about 6 miles east of Wheeling.

The following are excerpts from 2 sites:

http://www.oldandsold.com/articles15/shrines-86.shtml

At Shepherdstown, the oldest town in what is now West Virginia, Moses Shepherd was born on November 11, 1763. His grandfather had founded the town. When Moses was about seven years old his father, Colonel Shepherd, removed his large family to his plantation between Big Wheeling and Little Creek, which is now included within the limits of Elm Grove. On the banks of the creek he built Fort Shepherd, that the settlers for miles around might have a place of refuge from the Indians. Of this fort Colonel Shepherd was in command till it was destroyed by the Indians in 1777. The family was hastily removed to Fort Henry, nearer the present site of Wheeling.




http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benwood,_West_Virginia

Moses Shepherd built Shepherd Hall in 1798 (now known as Monument Place), the stone mansion that still stands near the Forks of Wheeling Creek in the Elm Grove area of Wheeling, West Virginia, which was built on the site of the former Fort Shepherd. Moses inherited this land upon his father David Shepherd's death in 1795. Lydia resided in the mansion from the time it was built in 1798 until the time of her death at the age of 101 in 1867. After her death, the land that comprised the vast Shepherd plantation was sold off into lots, thus becoming Elm Grove, and ownership of the mansion passed to other families, who made structural additions to the mansion. The Osiris Shrine Temple purchased the mansion in 1928 and retain ownership to the present day. Lydia and Moses Shepherd, with the help of their good friend, Henry Clay (1777 - 1852), who represented the state of Kentucky in both the Senate and House of Representatives and was eventually elected to Speaker of the House, were very influential in diverting the National Road to pass through Wheeling in Ohio County rather than Wellsburg in Brooke County in 1818. In fact, the National Road passes right by Monument Place (formerly Shepherd Hall and Stone Mansion). Lydia Boggs Shepherd Cruger, Moses Shepherd and Daniel Cruger are all buried in Stone Church Cemetery, which is not far from Monument Place. Monument Place derives its name from a monument that Lydia and Moses Shepherd had erected on their property near the National Road in 1820 dedicated to Henry Clay for his support in bringing the National Road to Wheeling. The monument no longer stands.



Historical Marker located at the junction of Rt 40 and Rt 88.





The Osiris Shrine Temple and a Shriner monument (not the monument the location is named after, though)

Miller's Tavern, Wellsburg, WV, Brooke County



This marker is located on the riverfront across the street from the old Wellsburg Wharf. I'm surprised that FacePlant missed it when he was in Wellsburg a while back.

Pnoman:

I just saw the article in the Clarksburg paper (I know, better late than never, LOL). It was great! I told my wife as soon as I saw the picture and headline, "Hey...that's Pnoman!" Good job, and great what you are doing.

Steve

as one who contributed, albeit anemically, to the pnoman ride report thread (now he's getting written up? a celeb in our midst? links, please!), I'm planning to ride with the Gov at the end of the month. A buddy of mine and I will be coming from Morgan County (just south of Berkeley Springs), and hope to make this a 3-day camp-and-advride (yeah, I know its not Dakar, but at least we're leaving the razors and deodorant at home). We're looking at maybe staying in the Monongahela Friday on the way out, and Saturday on the way back. Any suggestions on where, and/or alternative routes to Manchin's Mansion?

Also - if anyone is interested in joining up and stampeding into Charleston en masse, bedrolls flapping and Battlewings slapping, weigh in and we can work out the details. Thanks, all -

Thanks. Julie Perine wrote a very nice article about all of our efforts to help the refurbishing project. I asked her about checking to get permission to post a copy here on this thread, and I'm waiting on word back from her. I don't want to bust any copyright laws, etc.

On another note, I've heard from about 12 out of 20 riders, and it looks like 8 are "probably yes" for the photo shoot. A couple of "maybe - gotta check the schedule closer to the date". Looks like it will be a good thing if the weather at least semi-cooperates. Hope the guv'na doesn't have a change of schedule. I'll keep everyone updated as we get closer.

I've been putting in long hours at the dealership with this "Cash for Clunkers" program. I'm hoping to sneak out this afternoon for a ride - the first in about 3 weeks. I had a busted fork seal and leaked all my RH fork oil out all over the fender and tire a few weeks ago, but it's fixed now.

Ride safe!

Upshur/Randolph County - State Route 151

This two sided county line marker is located on route 151.

I couldn't find an accurate description of the marker on the list. There is a Route 33/4 marker that is listed as missing. Could this be the missing marker?

One Side


The Other Side

Interesting...... I'll ask Mr Geiger at Charleston.