Wheeling

Wheeling, the principal city of West Virginia, a port of entry, and capital of Ohio county, on the left bank of the Ohio River, and at the mouth of Wheeling Creek, at the foot of steep hills, 67 miles by rail and 92 by river SW. of Pittsburgh. The National Road here crosses the Ohio, over which is a wire suspension bridge, with a span of 1010 feet; and a fine railway bridge connects the city with Bellaire, Ohio. For ten years (1875-85) Wheeling was the state capital. It contains a fine courthouse, a custom-house, and a female college. The hills around the city are full of bituminous coal. The principal manufactories are blast-furnaces, foundries and forges, nail-factories, glass-works, woollen, flour, and paper mills, &c. Pop. (1880) 30,737; (1890) 35,013.