Wheeling

Wheeling was settled in 1769 on land contested between the Province of Pennsylvania and Colony of Virginia, and later grew to become Virginia's largest city west of the Appalachian Mountains. During the American Civil War, it was the host of the Wheeling Conventions which led to the separation of West Virginia from Virginia. Wheeling was the state capital of West Virginia from 1861 to 1870, and again from 1875 to 1885.

Wheeling became a manufacturing center in the late nineteenth century due to its location along major transportation routes, including the Ohio River, National Road, and the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. After the decline of heavy industry and subsequent population loss following World War II, its major industries now include healthcare, education, legal services, entertainment and tourism, and energy. The city is located about 60 miles (97 km) west of Pittsburgh and 120 miles (190 km) east of Columbus via Interstate 70.