Economy/Transportation - A City of Vision
Who knows what thoughts could have been going through the minds of Ebenezer Zane and his brothers as they felled trees to build their new homes on the bank of the Ohio River more than 200 years ago? Undoubtedly they were concerned about Indian attacks as they chopped and cut. The very spot on which they were building bore a warning as its name: Wheeling: the place of the scull. The American Indians along the Ohio River had impaled the head of an ill-fated trader as a warning display to others to stay away. But Zane and his family had decided to take the risk, despite the gruesome message, and build their homes there. In this hostile, yet fertile setting, they must have envisioned a city growing on those same banks, a thriving community rising around them. No doubt the degree of development and its longevity were beyond their grasp, no more than we can foresee the scope of development beyond our planet. But they had a vision of growth, of others sharing their dream at the frontier.
And what of the small band of men and women who defended Fort Henry for three days against a band of British soldiers and their Indian allies, only to find at battle's end their homes and crops destroyed near the onset of winter? Their tenacity and spirit carried them through those terrible months and live on in Wheeling today. There are no better qualities to possess, as the city finds itself poised on a new frontier of growth, daring to set a vision of the future.
Throughout its history, Wheeling has always inspired vision. The thousands of immigrants who settled here came with a vision of a better life from their homelands in Ireland, Germany, Italy and Eastern Europe. They made Wheeling their home and enriched the city in doing so. The skilled stonecutters and woodworkers, glassblowers and metalworkers among them crafted a beautiful, prosperous city. They must have worked with a vision of a Wheeling that would endure. So much of what they built we still enjoy today.
Through the two World Wars, Wheeling struggled with the rest of the nation to focus on a vision of peace. Not only did Wheeling send hundreds of young men and women away to serve during the wars, but the city also worked valiantly here at home in the mills and mines to produce what was needed for the war effort.
There have been those with a particular vision for Wheeling. Eleanor Caldwell thought the city ought to have a symphony orchestra. So she founded one, on the brink of the Great Depression, during the summer of 1929 in her living room, performing with a handful of area musicians. The Wheeling Symphony Orchestra has recently celebrated its 70th year, a feat bigger cities who have lost their symphonies to budget problems would envy.
Waddington Farm on the hilltop east of Wheeling had been the pride of Colonel Earl W. Oglebay, a Cleveland industrialist and agricultural research pioneer. But after his death, his family decided to give the extensive estate to the city for use as a park. The land was actually outside the city limits, and was, at the time, far removed from the city's population center. Such an endeavor would be expensive to develop and maintain. But the city fathers looked over the land and envisioned a place that would serve as a refuge where city dwellers could enjoy the countryside in a variety of ways. Today, Oglebay is visited by thousands of people every year from both the Wheeling area and beyond. It is completely self-sustaining.
What lies ahead for Wheeling? Is it an exciting new development for the riverfront and downtown? Perhaps it is even more companies finding the city's technology resources, along with its "family friendly" atmosphere, compelling reasons to develop facilities here.
With this growing national trend o many companies and individuals alike moving from the intensely urban areas t smaller, more livable communities, Wheeling is in the position to offer and receive benefits in kind. Through visionary planning by government, business and community leaders alike, Wheeling has been working very hard to grow in outlook, keeping abreast of changes in communication, industry, medicine, among other areas, while at the same time maintaining a genuine atmosphere of community.
In the middle of this change toward the future, Wheeling residents have also begun to look back and recognize their fascinating history, with a growing awareness that others from outside the area are recognizing the value of this history and are traveling to Wheeling to experience it. This self-realization is leading to some exciting developments in Wheeling, namely the construction of the Heritage Park area downtown. When the waterfront portion is completed, the City will once again have a sweeping vista of the majestic Ohio River at its doorstep, with inviting places to savor this beauty. The Junior League of Wheeling has pledged to construct a waterfront playground to complement the riverfront park. Several riverfront restaurants are planned, while other developments include a downtown Visitors' Center and Wheeling Suspension Bridge Museum.
So what is the vision for Wheeling' future? It's that of a city poised to world and grow with all the changes life in the 21st Century will bring. It's an echo of the pioneer spirit in Wheeling's founding that took shape in the Zane cabins built on the banks of the Ohio River more than 20 years ago. It's the conviction that this is city that is a good place to live, to make living, to raise a family.
It's the conviction that Wheeling is home.
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