Wheeling Island facts for kids
Buildings on Wheeling Island as viewed across the east channel of the Ohio River from downtown Wheeling in 2006. The hills in the background are in Belmont County, Ohio.
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 Wheeling Island
Location in West Virginia
Wheeling Island
Location in the United States
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| Geography | |
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| Location | Ohio River |
| Coordinates | 40°04′14″N 80°43′59″W / 40.07056°N 80.73306°W |
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United States
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| West Virginia | |
| Ohio County | |
| Demographics | |
| Population | 3,142 (2000) |
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Wheeling Island is a special place in the Ohio River. It's the island with the most people living on it in the whole river! You can find it in the city of Wheeling, in Ohio County, West Virginia, USA. Back in 2000, about 3,142 people called this island home. Even though another island, Neville Island in Pennsylvania, is bigger, Wheeling Island has more residents.
Wheeling Island is where two creeks, Wheeling Creek of Ohio and Wheeling Creek of West Virginia, meet the Ohio River. It's home to the Wheeling Island Hotel-Casino-Racetrack, which has a hotel and a racetrack. You'll also find Wheeling Island Stadium here, where the West Virginia State Football Championships are held.
The island has many old, beautiful homes built in the Victorian Architecture style. There's an elementary school called Madison Elementary, several churches, a public swimming pool (Bridge Park Pool), and different restaurants. Part of Wheeling Island is also a protected area within the Ohio River Islands National Wildlife Refuge.
Getting Around Wheeling Island
Wheeling Island is connected to downtown Wheeling by two important bridges. One is the Fort Henry Bridge, which carries major roads like Interstate 70, U.S. Route 40, and U.S. Route 250. The other is the historic Wheeling Suspension Bridge, which is part of the old National Road.
To get to Bridgeport, Ohio, from the island, there are two more bridges over the back channel of the Ohio River. One is for Interstate 70, and the other is the Military Order of the Purple Heart Bridge for US 250 and US 40. The Aetnaville Bridge also crosses this channel, but it was closed to cars in 1988 and to everyone in 2016 because it wasn't safe.
Island's Other Names
Wheeling Island has had a few different names over time. Some people used to call it Zanes Island or Madison Island. But in 1902, the Board on Geographic Names officially decided its name would be Wheeling Island. Many local people simply call it "The Island."
