Wheeling Creek

Wheeling Creek. Native American Hunting Ground. The name Wheeling comes from the Delaware Indian word, Wihling, meaning “place of the skull” – Wih is the Delaware word for head and ling is their word for place. Legend has it that Native Americans were so angered by a white settler venturing onto their sacred hunting grounds that they decapitated him and set his skull on a pole near the mouth of Wheeling Creek as an unmistakable warning to other settlers who may follow., 1. French Exploration , The French recognized the Ohio River as a gateway to the Mississippi, providing a link between their extensive colonies in Canada and Louisiana. In 1749, Montreal Captain Pierre-Joseph Céloron de Blainville led an expedition down the Ohio claiming the surrounding territory for France. The kneeling man is burying a lead plate on the bank of Wheeling Creek as a symbol of the French claim. The confluence of Wheeling Creek and the Ohio was also the site of the first Catholic Mass to be performed in Wheeling., 2 and 3. Wheeling Settlement , The early settlers chose to build an outpost around the fertile banks of Wheeling Creek and planted cornfields, which extended north to Fort Henry. The first bridge to cross the creek was a simple wooden walkway. Over the next two centuries, several new bridges spanned the creek to serve the growing city. Wheeling Creek played an important role in connecting the Ohio River to the people and products in the interior of Ohio County., 4. Keystone of the Main Street Bridge , Wheeling citizens are seen placing the keystone on the Main Street Bridge on December 17, 1891. Earlier in 1890, a city election was held to ratify the ordinance for a loan of $100,000 to build a bridge across Wheeling Creek. After much discussion of the merits between stone and steel, stone won out. At the time it was the longest single-span stone bridge in the country. Designed by F. L. Hoge, a city engineer, the 159-foot bridge continues to carry goods and traffic over Wheeling Creek., [Left column ] , The Wheeling National Heritage Area preserves and celebrates the city's dramatic setting, resources, and history, including its role as the birthplace of the state of West Virginia during the Civil War. A National Heritage Area is a part of our country's landscape that has been recognized by the United States Congress for its unique contribution to the American experience., Graphics courtesy of the Museums of Oglebay Institute; photograph courtesy of Kirk's Photo; artwork by Glen Barnes, Mark Missman. This sign is sponsored by Main Street Bank.