Wheeling

Wheeling is a city in the U.S. state of West Virginia. It lies along the Ohio River in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. It is located about 60 miles (96 km) west of Pittsburgh and is the principal city of the Wheeling metropolitan area. As of the 2020 census, the metro area had a population of 145,205, and the city itself had aPopulation of 27,062. The word "Wheeling" comes from the Lenni-Lenape phrase wih link or wee lunk, which meant " place of the head" or "place of the skull" This name supposedly referred to a white settler who was scalped and decapitated. During the American Civil War, Wheeling was the host of theWheeling Conventions that led to the formation of WestVirginia. It was the first capital of the new state, and later the state capital of both West Virginia and Virginia. In 1787, the United States gave Virginia this portion of lands west of the Appalachians, and some to Pennsylvania at its western edge, to settle their claims. After the closing of factories and substantial population loss following World War II,Wheeling's major industries now include healthcare, education, law and legal services, entertainment and tourism, and energy. The city was originally a settlement in the British colony of Virginia, and was later the second-largest city in Commonwealth of Virginia. The town was incorporated January 16, 1805. On March 11, 1836, the town ofWheeling was incorporated into the city of Wheeling.

History

Wheeling is the primary city name, but also Bethlehem, Elm Grove, Mozart, Overbrook, Warwood are acceptable city names or spellings. The official name is City of Wheeling. The name "Wheeling" comes from the Lenni-Lenape phrase wih link or wee lunk, which meant "place of the head" or " place of the skull" This name supposedly referred to a white settler who was scalped and decapitated. Native Americans had inhabited the area for thousands of years. In 1787, the United States gave Virginia this portion of lands west of the Appalachians, and some to Pennsylvania at its western edge, to settle their claims. Wheeling was officially established as a town in 1795 by legislative enactment. The town was incorporated January 16, 1805. In 1849 the Wheeling Suspension Bridge crossed the Ohio River and allowed the city to expand onto Wheeling Island. The National Road in Wheeling in 1818, linking the Ohio Valley to the Potomac River, allowed goods to flow through Wheeling and on to points east and west. A new bridge in 1853 connected Wheeling to the western areas of the U.S. across the Ohio river, just across the river from the city of Bellaire, Maryland, and connected the new city to Maryland and markets in the Northeast. A bridge across theOhio River in 1849 connected the Baltimore and Ohio River, across the western parts of the city, to the Bellaire Bridge in the eastern areas of Wheeling, Maryland and Pennsylvania, in the early 19th century. The city was incorporated into the city in 1836, and was named the county seat of Ohio County on December 27, 1797.

Geography

Wheeling is located in northern West Virginia, on what is known as the Northern Panhandle. The area lies within the ecoregion of the Western Allegheny Plateau. The city is located both on the West Virginia side of the Ohio River, and on an island in the middle of the river called Wheeling Island. Wheeling lies at the boundary between the humid subtropical and humid continental climate zones (Köppen: Cfa/Dfa) The annual precipitation is about 41.88 in (1,064 mm) inches, distributed evenly throughout the year. It is a part of the tri-state area of Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia known as "The Ohio Valley" It is located at 40°413N 80°4155W (40.070348, -80.698604). The city has a total area of 16.01 square miles (41.47 km²), of which 13.79 sq miles (35.72 km²) is land and 2.22sq miles (5.75 km²") is water. It has a population of about 2,000. The Ohio River flows through the city, and meets the Wheeling River in downtown Wheeling. The river is directly across the river from the state of Ohio and only 11 miles (18 km) west of Pennsylvania. It also flows through Wheeling Creek, which runs through the center of the city. The town is known for its coal mining history.

Demographics

As of the census of 2010, there were 28,486 people, 12,816 households, and 6,949 families residing in the city. There were 14,661 housing units, at an average density of 1,063.2 per square mile (410.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 91.2% White, 5.1% African American, 0.2%. Native American,0.9% Asian, and 2.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 0.9%. The median household income was $27,388, and the median family income was$38,708. The per capita income for theCity was $17,923. About 13.1%. of families and 18.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.3% of those under age 18 and 11.2. of those at least 65 years old. The median age in the City was 45.2 years, with 20.6% of residents under the age of 18. The city's population was 31,419 as of the Census of 2000, with 15,706 housing units. The population density was 2,258.4 people per squaremile (872.1/ km²) The city had a median age of 42 years. It had a population density of 2,065.7 inhabitants per square miles (797.6/km 2).

Government

The current mayor of Wheeling is Glenn Elliott, and the current city manager is Robert Herron. The current flag for the city was adopted on September 4, 2018, in conjunction with the celebration of the city's 250th anniversary the following year. The flag features two horizontal blue bars to represent Wheeling Creek and the Ohio River, with a white bar in between. The three bars also symbolize the three major modes of transportation found in Wheeling history: river, road, and rail. The five stars are centered in a row in the white bar: The Indigenous Star, The Frontier Star, the Transportation Star, and The Statehood Star. The City Council also confirms executive nominations for members to various boards, which have limited regulatory authority, including the Planning Commission, the Board of Zoning Appeals and the Traffic Commission. The city's mayor and city manager serve four-year terms. City elections will be held again on May 14, 2024. The mayor's term began on July 1, 2020, and city elections were held on June 9, 2020. The council's current members are Vice-Mayor Chad Thalman (1st Ward), Ben Seidler (2nd Ward), Rosemary Ketchum (3rd Ward), Jerry Sklavounakis (4th Ward), Ty Thorngate (5th Ward) and Dave Palmer (6th Ward). The current City Council is made up of six members elected from geographic wards, with the vice-mayor and the city manager being the mayor's choice.

Attractions

West Virginia Independence Hall was the site of the Wheeling Convention, two meetings held in 1861 that ultimately reversed Virginia's Ordinance of Secession. 26 counties in Virginia's north and west voted against secession from the Union and created the new state of West Virginia. The oldest building in the area is Shepherd Hall (Monument Place), built in 1798. Centre Market, formerly Wheeling's market house, was built in 1853. In October 2007 the City of Wheeling opened the state's first concrete skateboard park. Wheeling features several municipal parks, including Oglebay Resort & Conference Center and Wheeling Park. Ohio County has six golf courses, including designs by renowned golfer Arnold Palmer and architect Robert Trent Jones. The first official memorial monument in West Virginia, dedicated specifically to men killed in the Vietnam War, was dedicated in Wheeling, with full military honors, in a Memorial Day 1986 ceremony. The park consists of 60% bowls and 40% street elements; it is located within the Chambers Ballfield Complex in the Elm Grove section of the city. The 12,000-square-foot (1,100 m2) facility was designed and built by world-renowned skatepark builder Grindline, of Seattle, Washington. A covered shelter, restrooms, and webcam are installed in the park, which is lighted and open 24/7. A bronze map of South Vietnam, complete with names of 28 major cities, was added to the monument in November 2009.

Education

Wheeling is the hub of higher education in the Northern Panhandle of West Virginia. The public school system, Ohio County Schools, consists of 14 schools. Several parochial and private schools, including Wheeling Central Catholic High School and the Linsly School, are located in the city. West Liberty University (formerly West Liberty State College), a four-year university, and private Bethany College, give area residents a wide variety of educational options. Wheeling University, a private university and the only Catholic college in the state of West West Virginia, is located here. West Virginia Northern Community College has recently been expanding with centers in downtown Wheeling; it focuses on job training and community development. The main campus of the university is in Wheeling, West Virginia; the other campuses are in Morgantown and Charleston. The city is home to Wheeling Park High School, which was nominated for the blue ribbon school award; and the nationally recognized Wheeling Presbyterian High School. The town is located on the Ohio River, which runs through the northern part of the state. It is also home to the West Virginia National Guard, which is based in the town of Wheeling and has a base of troops in the Wheeling National Guard Air Force Base. The state's largest employer is West Virginia State University, which has an enrollment of more than 10,000 students. It also has a number of community colleges, including West Virginia University and West Virginia Highlands College, which offers a variety of programs for the unemployed.

Entertainment

Wheeling has a long tradition of live musical performance and radio broadcasting. With over 2,500 seats, The Capitol Theatre is the largest theatre in West Virginia. Live music emanates from the amphitheatre at the Wheeling Heritage Port several nights per week from mid-spring through late fall. The waterfront park area hosts festivals, concerts, movie nights, celebrations, a regatta, and numerous visits from the Delta, Mississippi and American Queen riverboats. Wheeling is the home of Wheeling Island Hotel-Casino-Racetrack, which features live greyhound racing, slots, poker games, and casino-style table games. Formerly home to the Ohio Valley Greyhounds, Wheeling became home to a second team in 2009. The Wheeling Nailers hockey team play in the WesBanco Arena. The Oglebay Institute's Towngate Theatre in Center Wheeling has produced plays for over 35 years.Wheeling is also home of the Mountain East Conference basketball championship tournament, an NCAA Division II conference that launched in the 201314 school year. The original WWVA Jamboree ran from 1933-2007, making it the second-longest-running country radio program and variety show in the country, after the "Grand Ole Opry" in Nashville, Tennessee. The team, known as theWheeling Wildcats, played in the Continental Indoor Football League but folded after the 2009 season. High school football and soccer are played atWheeling Island Stadium.

Transportation

Interstate 70 and its spur Interstate 470 run through the city east-west and link it with suburban Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to the east and Ohio to the west. The historic Wheeling Suspension Bridge, completed in 1849, connects downtown and Wheeling Island; currently it is closed for safety reasons, by order of the state highway department. The city is served by the Wheeling Ohio County Airport for general aviation and by Pittsburgh International Airport for passenger service. Bus transportation to points throughout North America is available from Wheeling through Greyhound Lines. The bus terminal, the Robert C. Byrd Intermodal Transportation Center, was built with $11.1 million in federal funds. The East Ohio Authority and the Ohio Valley Regional Transit Authority (OVRTA) provide regional transportation through West Virginia and Eastern Ohio.Wheeling operated streetcars from the 1880s until 1943 under theWheeling Traction Company and Co-operative Transit Company. Buses replaced streetcar operations due to operating costs. They are no longer in service due to the high operating costs of the streetcars, which have been replaced by private vehicles. The Wheeling Airport is the only airport in West Virginia that serves passenger and cargo flights. It is located on the Ohio River, near the town of Wheeling, West Virginia, and has a general aviation terminal. It also has a commercial airport, which serves Pittsburgh, Ohio, and the city's suburbs. The airport is also the only one of its kind in the state.

Air Quality, Water Quality, Superfund Sites & UV Index

The Air Quality index is in Wheeling, Ohio County, West Virginia = 38. These Air Quality index is based on annual reports from the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The number of ozone alert days is used as an indicator of air quality, as are the amounts of seven pollutants including particulates, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, lead, and volatile organic chemicals. The Water Quality Index is 20. A measure of the quality of an area’s water supply as rated by the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The EPA has a complex method of measuring the watershed quality, using 15 indicators such as pollutants, turbidity, sediments, and toxic discharges. The Superfund Sites Index is 71. Higher is better (100=best). Based upon the number and impact of EPA Superfund pollution sites in the county, including spending on the cleanup efforts. The UV Index in Wheeling = 3.6 and is a measure of an area's exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays. This is most often a combination of sunny weather, altitude, and latitude. The UV Index has been defined by the WHO (www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/radiation-the-ultraviolet-(uv)-index) and is uniform worldwide.

Employed

The most recent city population of 5,825 individuals with a median age of 45.7 age the population dropped by -8.21% in Wheeling, Ohio County, West Virginia population since 2000 and are distributed over a density of 1,700 residents per square mile of area (650/km²). There are average 2.13 people per household in the 12,837 households with an average household income of $34,070 a year. The unemployment rate in Alabama is 7.60% of the available work force and has dropped -4.95% over the most recent 12-month period and the projected change in job supply over the next decade based on migration patterns, economic growth, and other factors will increase by 22.50%. The number of physicians in Wheeling per 100,000 population = 517.2.

Weather

The annual rainfall in Wheeling = 41.8 inches and the annual snowfall = 21.2 inches. The annual number of days with measurable precipitation (over .01 inch) = 151. The average number of days per year that are predominantly sunny = 161. 85 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily high temperature for the month of July and 22.7 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily low temperature for the month of January. The Comfort Index (higher=better) is 48, where higher values mean a more pleasant climate. The Comfort Index measure recognizes that humidity by itself isn't the problem. (Have you noticed nobody ever complains about the weather being 'cold and humid?) It's in the summertime that we notice the humidity the most, when it's hot and muggy. Our Comfort Index uses a combination of afternoon summer temperature and humidity to closely predict the effect that the humidity will have on people.

Median Home Cost

The percentage of housing units in Wheeling, Ohio County, West Virginia which are owned by the occupant = 53.51%. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, or room occupied as separate living quarters. The average age of homes = 66 years with median home cost = $94,150 and home appreciation of 1.51%. This is the value of the years most recent home sales data. Its important to note that this is not the average (or arithmetic mean). The median home price is the middle value when you arrange all the sales prices of homes from lowest to highest. This is a better indicator than the average, because the median is not changed as much by a few unusually high or low values. The property tax rate of $6.13 shown here is the rate per $1,000 of home value. If for simplification for example the tax rate is $14.00 and the home value is $250,000, the property tax would be $14.00 x ($250,000/1000), or $3500. This is the 'effective' tax rate.

Study

The local school district spends $5,628 per student. There are 14.7 students for each teacher in the school, 670 students for each Librarian and 151 students for each Counselor. 4.60% of the area’s population over the age of 25 with an Associate Degree or other 2-year college degree, 13.54% with a master’s degree, Ph.D. or other advanced college degree and 10.43% with high school diplomas or high school equivalency degrees (GEDs).