Jun 25, 2019 3 min read

WHEELING, W.Va. – Speaking in character of Charles Ellet Jr., designer of the historic Wheeling Suspension Bridge, Travis Henline, museum project manager for Wheeling Heritage, told a lunchtime crowd who gathered on 12th Street near Wheeling’s waterfront Saturday about the “crown jewel” of his accomplishments as an engineer in the mid-1800s.

The first-person portrayal was the first of five storytelling accounts about the historic engineering marvel, which was part of the Wheeling 250 committee’s daylong Wheeling Suspension Bridge 170th Anniversary Celebration, which was held in conjunction with the 10th annual Ohio Valley Rib & Chicken Cook Off.

“His work touched many many places in our country. … He always referred to Wheeling and the Suspension Bridge as his proudest achievement and his crown jewel,” Henline explained following his portrayal of Ellet. “This is the oldest continuously used suspension bridge in our country. It is a national historic landmark. We are fortunate here in Wheeling … We are the only city in West Virginia to have two national historic landmarks – that being the Wheeling Suspension Bridge and West Virginia Independence Hall, the former custom house.

“It was for a short period the longest suspension bridge in the world,” Henline explained.

He said it took both Virginia and Ohio legislatures to build the bridge. The bridge was completed in 1849, following nearly two years of construction at a cost of $250,000. He said up until that time, travelers had to use ferry boats to cross the Ohio River.

“To that point, you had to follow National Road to the Ohio (River) – you had to ferry across the river which was very difficult and cumbersome. … So that greatly increased the traffic of people, goods and the postal service heading east and west,” Henline explained. “So we are very proud of our bridge,” he added.

Despite the Gateway Clipper “Queen” boat from Pittsburgh not being able to dock for the bridge celebration due to the high river level from days of rain earlier in the week, Frey said the weather couldn’t have been better for the bridge celebration and cookoff events.

He said the amphitheater provided more than a dozen local artists with a “nice perspective” of the suspension bridge. He said the committee hopes to eventually display many of the images on the third floor at Independence Hall in downtown Wheeling.The event also included live music, craft vendors, and a large fireworks display.

“It is a great day,” Wheeling 250 Celebration organizer Jon Frey added. He said the Wheeling 250 committee is working with the Gateway Clipper Fleet to reschedule the boat cruise event.

Local artist Greg Siegwart of Wheeling said he was excited about the opportunity to paint the bridge alongside other other artists during the waterfront painting party.

“I paint all the time,” said Siegwart, as he created the second of two oil paintings of the historic bridge.

“It’s good to be around other people doing the same thing. … It’s fun,” he added.

He said when tourists visit Wheeling, one of the first things they ask is, “Where’s the bridge?”