"A fascinating narrative history..." West Virginia History (Journal); "Sean Duffy's book brings Wheeling's vibrant and diverse heritage to life again." -author George Fetherling

Davis Grubb said it best...

"It was, of course, the financial capital of Wheeling's old German and Anglo-Saxon families which built the great factories, but it was the hands and back, the blood and marrow of the people with the barbaric, unpronounceable names -- Serb names and Czech names-- Polish names -- Hungarian names -- who shoveled the valley full of iron and then gave it their spirit to make it steel.

...Here in the cramped, dun-colored mill homes below and above Wheeling, awaits the human resource from which she may tap the energy of fresh aspiration, new invention and put the novel resourcefulness of her past to the usages of survival. Here dwell the peoples of lasting metal whose steel is the alloy of the hundred cultures and tribes of a vanished Europe. Serb, Croat, Greek, Slovene, Czech, Slovak and Montenegrin and Pole. Their singing tongues lit and ring in myriad babble on the bus to Benwood: voices rise in ‘sprechtgesang’; ―words made music – frail as eggshell, speech as sweet as Bartok folksongs from arid Bohemian plain."

--Davis Grubb, "The Valley of the Ohio," published in Holiday magazine, July, 1960

Thursday, September 26, 2013

Order the Books

To order The Wheeling Family, volumes 1 or 2, please send an email message to wheeling_immigrants[at]yahoo.com.

 Remember to visit facebook.com/wheelingfamily.
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Friday, March 1, 2013

In Wheeling Magazine Explores "Ethnic Wheeling"

The beautiful Spring 2013 edition of In Wheeling Magazine explores the splendid diversity of ethnic Wheeling. Make sure you pick up a copy of this well crafted and important issue, which is available at numerous locations around the Ohio Valley.

The issue includes a fascinating map of ethnic neighborhoods in Wheeling and the Ohio Valley, recipes for fantastic ethnic foods, and, as usual a series of wonderful photographs and other features. It's sure to become a treasured edition.

Historian Hal Gorby, whose energetic appearances at Lunch With Books at the Ohio County Public Library to talk about South Wheeling's Polish community and "Wheeling in the Progressive Era" were very popular and well attended, contributed articles on the Polish and Slavic communities. Wheeling National Heritage Area Corporation historian Rebekah Karelis contributed articles on the English, Scot-Irish, Greek, and Jewish communities. Our friend Margaret Brennan contributed the article on Wheeling's Irish, of course. In Wheeling's Dominick Cerrone wrote articles on the town's Italian, Lebanese (with Alex Nagem), and African American communities And yours truly was honored to be asked to contribute an article on Wheeling's large German community.

In Wheeling also included a very nice feature on both volumes of The Wheeling Family, which they graciously called a "must read" for "anyone interested in Wheeling's ethnic quilt."

Remember, if you decide to get a copy of either volume of The Wheeling Family at the Ohio County Public Library, $1.00 will be donated to the library for each copy purchased. The library still has a few in stock and they make a thoughtful Easter gift!
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