Wheeling Park facts for kids

Wheeling Park is a big park in Wheeling, West Virginia. It's about 406 acres, which is like 300 football fields! This fun park first opened its doors in 1925. At first, you could only visit during warm weather. But in 1959, they added an ice rink. This meant the park could stay open all year long! Did you know that Wheeling Park High School is right next to the park? It was even named after the park!

Fun Things to Do at Wheeling Park

Wheeling Park has tons of cool stuff to do! Here are some of the exciting features you can find:

• An Olympic-size swimming pool, perfect for a big splash!
• A super long water slide, about 350 feet, that twists down a hill.
• A 9-hole golf course for practicing your swing.
• An 18-hole miniature golf course for some friendly competition.
• Tennis courts, both inside and outside, so you can play in any weather.
• Big soccer fields for games and practice.
• Good Lake, where you can ride paddle boats and grab a snack.
• A skating rink for ice skating in winter or roller skating at other times.
• An outdoor amphitheater for shows and events.
• A fun playground for younger kids.
• Lots of picnic spots and shelters for outdoor meals.
• The White Palace, a special building in the park.

History of Wheeling Park

Wheeling Park has a long and interesting history. It wasn't always called Wheeling Park!

Early Days as Hornbrook's Park

The land where Wheeling Park now sits used to be a large estate. It belonged to Thomas Hornbrook, who came from England. In the late 1800s, this area was known as "Hornbrook's Park."

In the early 1900s, it became a private amusement park. It had fun rides, a swimming pool, and even a place for games. For a while, a company called Reymann Brewing Company owned the park. They made it look like the popular beer gardens in Germany. But then, a time came when certain things were not allowed, and the park faced tough economic times. This caused the park to close down.

Saving the Park for Everyone

In 1924, two people named Charles Sonneborn and Louis Haller bought the land. They planned to divide it into smaller pieces to build houses. But they had a great idea! They offered to sell the land back to the city. This would only happen if enough money could be raised by the public to buy and equip the park.

Many local business people stepped forward to help. Important people like W.E. Stone and Earl W. Oglebay joined in. Soon, enough money was collected! This meant the park could stay open for everyone to enjoy.

Wheeling Park Opens!

The park was officially renamed Wheeling Park. It opened its gates to the public on May 30, 1925.

Over the years, many new things were added to the park:

• The White Palace was built in 1926. It was put where an old gambling casino used to be, which had burned down.
• The golf course opened in 1926, too.
• A special statue called the "Madonna of the Trail" was put up in 1928. It was placed there by a group called the Daughters of the American Revolution.
• The Frank Rock Garden was created in 1929, offering a beautiful place to relax.
• The Schwertfeger Shelter and the Stifel Playground both opened in 1948, giving more places for fun and picnics.
• The Memorial Ice Rink opened in 1959, making the park a year-round place to visit.
• In 1968, the W.E. Stone Memorial Clubhouse and Pool opened. A fun water slide was added to the pool in 1979.
• Good Lake got a boathouse, a dock, and a miniature golf course in 1972.
• A tennis dome was built in 1972, allowing tennis to be played indoors.
• The hilltop area of the park started to grow in 1973 with the Sonneborn Shelter. Six tennis courts and the Boyce Tennis Shelter were added to the hilltop in 1984. Later, in the late 1980s, a big soccer field complex was built there.