Historic National Road - West Virginia
A Tour of the West Virginia Historic National Road
| Departure: | Wheeling, West Virginia |
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| Destination: | Oglebay Park and Resort, West Virginia |
| Time to allow: | 1 day |
Travelers on the Historic National Road in West Virginia will experience a journey rich with historical highlights and beautiful surroundings. The byway has seen many of the events that have shaped our country, from the debates and skirmishes of the Civil War to the resounding echoes of the Industrial Era.
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Start: Wheeling
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Stop 1: Shepherd Hall (Monument Place)
Directions from previous place: Start out going east on WV-2 toward Chapline St. Continue to follow 16th St. for .4 miles before merging onto US-250 N toward 1-70. After .5 miles, merge onto 1-70 toward Washington.
Drive on I-70 for 3.2 miles, then take the WV-88 exit toward Elm Grove. Make a slight right after .2 miles onto US-40. The road then becomes Kruger St; where the Shepherd Hall is located.
Feel free to stop and take a look at Shepherd Hall, but the National Historical Monument is privately owned and not opened to the public
Distance from Previous Site: 5.4 miles / 8.6 km Travel Time from Previous Site: 10 minutes Suggested Time at This Site: 30 minutes Take a look at a piece of Wheeling and Historic National Road history at the Shepherd Hall. It was built in the late 1700s by Colonel Moses Shepherd, an influential advocate of the First National Road.
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Stop 2: Kruger Street Toy and Train Museum
Directions from previous place: Start out going north on Kruger St toward Williams Ln. After .2 miles, end at Kruger Street Toy and Train.
Distance from Previous Site: 0.26 miles / 0.4 km Travel Time from Previous Site: 1 minute Suggested Time at This Site: 2 hours This is the site of the annual Marx Toy Convention. Located within a Victorian Schoolhouse, this museum offers individual, group, and bus tours. Come see their impressive collection of trains as well as antique toys.
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Stop 3: Old Town Wheeling
Directions from previous place: Start out going north on Kruger St toward Lounez Ave for.1 miles before turning right onto US-40. After .2 miles, merge onto I-70 toward Columbus Ave. After another .5 miles, merge onto I-470 via exit 5A on the left toward Columbus.
Take the US-250 N exit toward Wheeling after 3 miles, and keep left at the fork in the ramp. After .1 miles, keep right at the fork, and then stay straight to go onto 26th St.
Turn right onto Chapline St. after .1 miles, and then turn left on 22nd St after another .3 miles. End in Old Town Wheeling.
Distance from Previous Site: 5.14 miles / 8.2 km Travel Time from Previous Site: 8 minutes Suggested Time at This Site: 2 hours Wheeling's "Old Town" is a neighborhood of beautiful Victorian homes overlooking the Ohio River. Here you will tour two magnificently restored homes and have an opportunity to browse in unique shops, all reflecting Wheeling's turn-of-the-century elegance and charm.
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Stop 4: West Virginia Independence Hall
Directions from previous place: Start out going northwest on 22nd St, toward Market St After .1 miles, turn right onto Market St and end at the West Virginia Independence Hall after .3 miles.
Distance from Previous Site: 0.36 miles / 0.6 km Travel Time from Previous Site: 1 minute Suggested Time at This Site: 1 hour Learn the exciting story of how West Virginia separated from Virginia during the Civil War. Meet first-person living history characters, and experience other exhibits on state history. Constructed in 1858-59, this building became the scene of several conventions in 1861-1862 when the Restored Government of Virginia was established. The building is now under the direction of the WV Division of Culture and History.
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Stop 5: Centre Market Historic District
Directions from previous place: Continue down Market Street to get a glimpse of this old part of town.
Distance from Previous Site: 0.1 miles / 0.2 km Travel Time from Previous Site: 1 minute Suggested Time at This Site: 1 hour Two market houses are the focal point of the district; one designed in 1853 and the second in 1890. The district also includes Towngate theatre, businesses surrounding the market houses, and residential structures.
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End: Oglebay Park and Resort
Directions from previous place: Start out going north on Market St. toward 15th St Pl and .4 miles, merge onto I-70 toward Washington Pa. Drive on the road for 1 miles, then take Exit 2A toward Oglebay Park.
Stay straight to go onto the National Road. After .4 miles, turn left onto Bethany Pike. Continue to follow Bethany Pike for 3.6 miles to end at Oglebay Park.
Distance from Previous Site: 5.81 miles / 9.3 km Travel Time from Previous Site: 14 minutes Suggested Time at This Site: 4 hours This large city park, with more than 1600 acres, boasts a lodge, swimming, a lake, and several golf courses. You can certainly spend much of the day here enjoying many types of cultural events and fun activities.
Visit the Mansion Museum, Schrader Environmental Education Center, horse stables and much more!
