Historic County Courthouse Building in Wheeling

There is not much you can say about this building except it is a shame it is gone forever and I could show many photographs, but I will try to keep it to a minimum.

This building was originally built as the state capital building in 1875-1876 and it became Wheeling’s City Hall and Ohio county courthouse when the West Virginia State Capital was permanently moved to Charleston in 1885.

The City-County Building was eventually deemed archaic and was torn down in favor a more modern structure. 

A photo of a orange-brick building.
The Ohio County Courthouse is located at 1500 Chapline Street in downtown Wheeling.

It has been a passion of mine to showcase and preserve Wheeling’s rich history with this series of historic photographs that highlight a business or building that is no longer here and are gone forever from the fabric of Wheeling life and the Ohio Valley.

If you have suggestions on a favorite business or location that is gone please submit that to me at cre8m@comcast.net I will do my best to search out and tell that story.

I hope with this series, ‘Gone Forever,’ I will be able to show what made Wheeling the greatest city in West Virginia, and the large amount of businesses and industry that were here in the early 30’s and 40’s that attracted people from all walks of life.

It is a black-and-white photo of the building meant to be the state capitol, but then because the county courthouse.
This photograph may be the oldest one of the many taken and the sixth I’m showing featuring dirt streets.
The city-county building stood for many years before county officials opted for a new structure.
This view is from the 16th street side and is from the 1950s. There apparently was a bus stop in front when the building was taken down in the late-50’s.
A post card of the former city-county building.
This is a beautiful post card view and it is the full front view. You can see the turret of the city jail in the back left.
There is a statue on the corner of 16th and Chapline streets.
Another early photo of the 16th Street side showing brick streets.
A postcard of the former city-county building.
Yet another beautiful post card view shot looking north. No matter how many post cards were made, they just could not get the red brick right. Nevertheless, they are great renditions of a most beautiful structure.
Mostly men are in this photo of a parade in a downtown.
This is a wonderful photo from 1916 of what was probably a parade with the city-county building in the background.
A photo of a man with grey hair.
James Thornton

James Thornton has published several volumes of history on the city of Wheeling, and those interested in purchasing one of them can do so by contacting him at cre8m@comcast.net or visit the Creative Impressions website. The books can be purchased at the Wheeling Heritage Center, Kroger on Mount de Chantal Road, Miklas Meat Market, Nail City Records, the UPS Store in the Washington Avenue Plaza, VC Wares at Centre Market, Bower’s Decorating at The Highlands, and on the website www.wheelinghistory.net.

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