Historic Map - Wheeling, WV - 1870

Bird's eye view of the city of Wheeling, West Virginia 1870. Chicago Lithographing Co.

This reproduction bird’s-eye view map of Wheeling, West Virginia was drawn by Albert Ruger and published by Ruger & Stoner in 1870. Wheeling was established in the late 1700's in the Ohio River Valley Region. It earned its township status in 1805 and was incorporated as a city in 1836. Wheeling is located along the Ohio River and also the island in the middle of the river, across from Bridgeport, Ohio.

The Wheeling Suspension Bridge was completed from Wheeling to Bridgeport in 1849 adding a valuable link to the Cumberland Road. It spanned 310 meters from tower to tower and was designed by Charles Ellet Jr., who went on to design the popular Niagara Falls Suspension Bridge. A windstorm in 1854 caused the Wheeling bridge deck to buckle and collapse, but it was rebuilt and improved, which is evidenced by its continued use today.

In the early days of statehood Wheeling was named capital of West Virginia, but in the year of this map’s publishing, the capital was moved to Charleston.

The colorful map from 1870 includes labeled streets, buildings, bridges, shipping traffic and railroad lines. It features Bridgeport, Ohio in the foreground.

Features numbered references to the following locations:

1. Court House.
2. Market House.
3. Post Office.
4. Seminary.
5. School Houses.
6. Hospital.
7. Water Works.
8. Cemetery.
9. Fair Ground.
10. B. & O. R. R. Depot.
11. C. & P. R. R. Depot.
12. Hempfield R. R. Depot.
13. Baptist Church.
14. Episcopal Church.
15. Evangelical Church.
16. Lutheran Church.
17. Methodist Church.
18. R. Catholic Church.
19. Mont de Chantal.
20. Presbyterian Church.
21. La Belle Nail Works. Bailey, Underwood & Co.
22. Belmont Iron Works.
23. River Side Nail Works. Dewey, Vance & Co.
24. John Hamilton & Co. Foundry.
25. Culbertson & Fisher Foundry.
26. Joseph Bell & Co. Foundry.
27. D. Lynn & Co. Foundry.
28. Norway Jack & Co. Jones Heath & Co.
29. J. H. Hobbs Brockaner & Co.