Business & Industry | towns-and-villages

Business and Industry

Wellsburg has been a center of business and industry in the Town of Ashland since its early settlement. Manufacturing operations included a tannery built by David and C.S. Decker in 1859; a planing factory started by R.C. Lockwood that manufactured materials for bridges; a gristmill opened by Calvin and James West and Miles Roberts in 1865; and a creamery built by James Carpenter in 1879. By 1900, the village of about 1,000 residents had four dry good stores, three groceries, a drug store, a meat market, a barber shop, a millinery shop, a livery and harness shop, two blacksmith shops, two wagon shops, and four hotels.

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Wellsburg

Hotel Alcazar, c. 1900 Hotel Alcazar was open from 1866 until 1914. It was one of four hotels in downtown Wellsburg in the late 1800s.
Gas well in Wellsburg, 1905 In 1891, Charles Van Buskirk struck a pocket of natural gas while drilling a water well on his property. While natural gas and petroleum never became big business in the village, a few small wells provided gas for several years.
Schuyler Lumber & Building Supplies, late 1960s Glen M. Schuyler came to Wellsburg in 1917 and established a store that sold farm supplies, animal feed, and lumber. By the middle of the century, the store dealt primarily in building supplies. It was the main business in the village until 1972 when it closed after the flood.
Turnkey tooth extractor used by Wellsburg dentist David Sweet, 1870
The News, June 23, 1887 During the 1880s, The News was published weekly in Wellsburg. The four-page publication contained local news, humorous stories, and advertisements.

Business and Industry

Hotel Alcazar, c. 1900

Hotel Alcazar was open from 1866 until 1914. It was one of four hotels in downtown Wellsburg in the late 1800s.

Gas well in Wellsburg, 1905

In 1891, Charles Van Buskirk struck a pocket of natural gas while drilling a water well on his property. While natural gas and petroleum never became big business in the village, a few small wells provided gas for several years.

Schuyler Lumber & Building Supplies, late 1960s

Glen M. Schuyler came to Wellsburg in 1917 and established a store that sold farm supplies, animal feed, and lumber. By the middle of the century, the store dealt primarily in building supplies. It was the main business in the village until 1972 when it closed after the flood.

Turnkey tooth extractor used by Wellsburg dentist David Sweet, 1870

The News, June 23, 1887

During the 1880s, The News was published weekly in Wellsburg. The four-page publication contained local news, humorous stories, and advertisements.