“So, friends, if you were responsible for showing a group of influential people the best of Wheeling, what would you show them? Just want to get some creative juices flowing!! Thanks.”
That is the question posted on Facebook Monday morning by Erikka Storch, president of the Wheeling Chamber of Commerce and one of two state House delegates, and the inquiry received more than 90 responses.
Wheeling Island Casino. The Mount Wood Cemetery. The Capitol Theatre. Independence Hall. The Wheeling Suspension Bridge. Wesbanco Arena. the Scottish Rite Cathedral. and Grow Ohio Valley’s Public Market. The campuses of Wheeling University and The Linsly School.
The majority of participants, however, praised the city’s parks.
“I am sure my answer is going to be the same as a lot of other people,” said Doug Giffin, president of IBEW Local 141. “I believe I would take those folks to Oglebay because of how awesome it is and also for the history of the place. The story of how it became a city park thanks to the generosity of Earl Oglebay and the debate that took place before the city decided to take the land as a gift is a great story to tell visitors.
“The views from Oglebay are just beautiful, and it is really a huge gem the city of Wheeling has, and I think Wheeling Park is a fantastic place, too,” he said. “A lot of upgrades are being made right now, and I think parents really will appreciate the new playground once they got it installed,” he continued. “There’s so much for people to do as a family, and as individuals like golf, and the restaurants, the driving range that turns into a ski lodge in the winter. This area is very lucky to have those parks.”
The IBEW Local 141 has utilized the two parks for picnics and other events, and Giffin also is a family man with his wife, daughter, and son.
“It’s great to see kids flying kites and enjoying the paddle boats at the lakes, and the fishing, too,” he said. “I have been to a lot of different areas during my career, and I have never seen an area have parks like those two. Plus, because this area isn’t populated like big cities are, so the crowds are never too much for a family.
“I grew up in Martins Ferry, and anytime my parents took me to Oglebay Park, it was a big day,” Giffin recalled. “My kids feel the same way these days when we go sled riding or skating in the winter, or when we have a picnic or go swimming there in the summer. Those parks are special places.”
Tourism, Too
Storch posted the social media question while attending a conference in Nashville, TN, a city that has evolved into a hotbed of tourism over the past decade. Professional sports, Honky Tonk Row along Broadway Street, and the Grand Ole Opry draw millions to the town known as Music City.
The history of the city of Wheeling is one of several reasons why thousands of visitors flow into the Upper Ohio Valley for a week at an Oglebay cottage or for a long weekend at a local hotel. The staff at the Wheeling Convention and Visitors Bureau develops packages for those tourists, and a typical day might include a morning tour of the Palace of Gold, lunch at Coleman’s Fish Market, and an evening at Wheeling Island Hotel-Casino-Racetrack.
“And the options for those folks have expanded with several different restaurants and breweries opening in the last few years, and Centre Market is such a great asset to the city of Wheeling,” Giffin explained. “And so is Heritage Port. Taking out that old Wharf garage and developing that riverfront was a great idea, and now we have so many events that take place that attract people from both sides of the river.
“And it’s not just Wheeling if you really think about it,” he added. “The Blame My Roots Country Music Festival is taking place this weekend, and there’s a lot of recreational areas and museums in East Ohio, too. And Marshall County has places like the New Vrindaban and Grand Vue Park that attract a lot of people, as well. When visitors come into this Valley, it’s all about the packages of things to do during their days and their evenings, and a lot of people in this area do a great job putting those things together.”
