[Mustapha]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wheeling,_West_Virginia

A walk around the downtown. While not exactly vibrant compared to Toronto, it's a clean downtown with small energetic business startups. There is a "Central Market" - I arrived too late in the day to take pictures - the light was bad - but it's a mini St Lawrence market type area. Friendly people and no gunning of car engines in traffic like Toronto.

Many of the pictures that follow are of abandoned buildings but most buildings are tenanted - I didn't think the latter were photographically interesting.

http://www.news-register.net/page/content.detail/id/533593.html

http://wheeling.weirton.lib.wv.us/history/views/Wheeling_Brochure/Page03_photo02.htm


Rogers Hotel lobby

YWCA

YWCA lobby

YWCA lobby ceiling

The YWCA is also the local women's shelter and thrift shop.

 

[chriskayTO]

Wow, fantastic photos. I had no idea Wheeling had such a great stock of buildings. Interesting history, too.

 

[KA1]

Nice pictures, Mustapha.

Somewhere down the road, there is Hare Krishna Temple. I am told that it is rich in Eastern architecture. I guess you missed that.

 

[Mustapha]

Thanks chriskayTO and KA1,

KA1, I looked up the Temple online. Perhaps next time I'm in the area I'll check it out. I have family in the area now...

 

[KA1]

Thanks chriskayTO and KA1,

KA1, I looked up the Temple online. Perhaps next time I'm in the area I'll check it out. I have family in the area now...

You, for sure, know how to take nice pictures. It will be interesting to see pictures of the temple, whenever you can.

 

[Long Island Mike]

Wheeling,West Virginia: An interesting WV Northern Panhandle city...

Mustapha: Interesting pics of Wheeling,West Virginia in the Ohio River valley...

This city as well as Weirton,WV/Steubenville,Ohio and East Liverpool,Ohio-which sits atop the end of the WV Northern Panhandle adjacent to the Pennsylvania state line-fascinate me quite a bit because of their locations
and proximity to Western Pennsylvania-particularly Pittsburgh. Did you get to visit any of these places?

Did you notice any sort of speech accent that may be similar to close-by Pittsburgh? That stuff fascinates me...

LI MIKE

 

[flar]

Wheeling has quite a bit of interesting historic architecture. I've never been, but recall seeing photos of some very neat Victorian housing there as well. All the river cities in that area seem to be chock full of unique streetscapes, even if many of them are in severe decline (which probably makes them more interesting).

 

[Prometheus The Supremo]

great photos and tour mustapha! what's the story behind that corruption sign?

 

[Mustapha]

Mustapha: Interesting pics of Wheeling,West Virginia in the Ohio River valley...

This city as well as Weirton,WV/Steubenville,Ohio and East Liverpool,Ohio-which sits atop the end of the WV Northern Panhandle adjacent to the Pennsylvania state line-fascinate me quite a bit because of their locations
and proximity to Western Pennsylvania-particularly Pittsburgh. Did you get to visit any of these places?

Did you notice any sort of speech accent that may be similar to close-by Pittsburgh? That stuff fascinates me...

LI MIKE

Hey Mike,

I've visited Pittsburgh a few times over the years - had customers there. To me, Pittsburgh and Hamilton, Ontario are similar in feel, look, and - on the ground - in size.

I do plan to get to Toronto OHIO in the near future; and do a picture taking.

Speech accent - a bit of a nasally twang. "Ah knoowe yew knoowe" for "I know you know". "Naahn" for nine. Nothing major.

 

[Mustapha]

Wheeling has quite a bit of interesting historic architecture. I've never been, but recall seeing photos of some very neat Victorian housing there as well. All the river cities in that area seem to be chock full of unique streetscapes, even if many of them are in severe decline (which probably makes them more interesting).

flar, Wheeling is only 8 hours drive from Toronto but the whole region has a lot to entrance ones eyes and senses. With the dollar at almost par it might not be an expensive road trip.

While I was near Pittsburgh, many Canadians were shopping and staying at outlying hotels in order to attend the hockey games in Pittsburgh.

 

[Mustapha]

great photos and tour mustapha! what's the story behind that corruption sign?

Thanks Supremo... and the answer is: I don't know.

I googled "wheeling corruption billboard" and got this: http://www.ohiovalleynewspaper.com/...ption-in-Wheeling-West-Virginia-and-the-Media

 

[spider]

Back in the early 1950's a teenager radio favourite was "WWVA Wheeling West Virginia" a strong signal was usually found along the lake shore late in the evening.

 

[Long Island Mike]

Pittsburgh-Hamilton comparison and Ohio River Valley observations...

Mustapha: Thanks for that reply-I agree with you on the similarity of both Pittsburgh and Hamilton...
The Steel industry is something to be noted for starters for them both...

You mentioned Toronto,Ohio-on Ohio Route 7 just north of Steubenville on the Ohio River-I recall that it is the hometown of the late actor Robert Urich (Remember "Spenser For Hire"?) That one slipped by me initially here...

Speaking of Ohio Route 7-it is perhaps one of Ohio's most interesting State routes...it starts in Conneaut in Ashtabula County adjacent to Lake Erie and goes 345 miles south to Lawrence County in deep Southern Ohio (ends at US Route 52-just west of Chesapeake) across from Huntington,WV...this route literally goes from the North Coast region down to
the Ohio/Kentucky/West Virginia Ohio River region that includes also Ashland,Kentucky and Ironton,Ohio...that feels somewhat Southern by that point...

I have always found the Ohio River boundary interesting because it defines a demarcation boundary between North and South to a large extent for a major portion of its route...but not so much on the Pittsburgh end though...it really begins in the Northern Panhandle region of WV and neighboring Ohio...

Spider mentions WWVA 1170 Radio - it has one of the strongest AM signals in the East and is well known to long-haul truckers all over the eastern US and Canada...and it is perhaps one of Wheeling's most noted things...
Just look at: www.wwva.com

Thoughts and insight from Long Island Mike

 

[Mustapha]

spider, LIMike,

On road trips I still scan the AM band for interesting stations. Kind of haunting - for me - listening to static-ky AM radio while bouncing along some back road - one can geta real sense of the local culture that way.

 

[JasonParis]

Is that Kaufman's store at all related to the Kaufman's chain (of Falling Water fame)?