According to the dictionary, the word “palace” has two meanings. Formally, it means “the official residence of a sovereign, archbishop, bishop, or other exalted person.” Informally, it means “a large, splendid house.” Both definitions come pretty close to describing what could have been for one of West Virginia’s iconic abandoned places, located in Wheeling.
This structure has come to be affectionately known as "The Wheeling Castle."
This grand old mansion perched on a hill above the city of Wheeling was abandoned mid-construction and left to decay until the City of Wheeling stepped in and reclaimed it as a beautiful park overlooking the city.
Wheeling is located in the Northern Panhandle of West Virginia. It was once the capital of both West Virginia and, believe it or not, Virginia (now, of course, it's the capital of neither). It was a transportation hub. It was nicknamed "Nail City" (for its iron mills).
Now, it's the Mountain State's fifth largest city, conveniently located along the Ohio River within easy reach of West Virginia, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. And overlooking this beautiful city is one of the state's most unique overlooks.
Mount Wood Overlook is an overlook, but it's also an abandoned, half-finished mansion that looks like the foundation of what could have been a grand, castle-like palace... if it had ever been completed.
Instead, the doctor who started building this impressive structure in the Roaring Twenties left it to decay. He had to: he was indicted for two federal counts of illegal drug sales (morphine and cocaine) and served 18 months in federal prison.
Yet instead of continuing to molder away, this spot has a happy ending. The city of Wheeling reclaimed the structure, cleaned it up, and converted it into a public space for all to enjoy.
Have you been up to Wheeling Castle to enjoy its one-of-a-kind view of the city of Wheeling? You can find it at 53 Mount Wood Road. If you love abandoned structures and the secrets they hide, consider this road trip to West Virginia’s most abandoned places.
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