Wheeling Flag

Symbolism of the Official City Flag of Wheeling The 2 horizontal blue bars represent the Ohio River and Wheeling Creek. The 2 blue bars and the white bar between them represent the 3 major modes of transportation that helped build Wheeling - river, road and rail. Each of the 5 stars represents a major era in Wheeling's past:   1. The INDIGENOUS STAR - Local tribes including the Wyandot, Shawnee, Delaware (Lenape), and Mingo were the first inhabitants of the area. The name "Wheeling" is derived from the Lenape word "Wee-lunk" which translate "place of the skull"; 2. The FRONTIER STAR - Zane brothers settlement of the area. Fort Henry and its 1777 and 1782 sieges; 3. The TRANSPORTATION STAR - Wheeling as a hub of early modes of transportation; 4. The STATEHOOD STAR - Wheeling as the birthplace and first State Capital of West Virginia - the only state born of the Civil War and abolishment of slavery; and  5. The INDUSTRIAL STAR - Wheeling as manufacturing center (iron, steel, cut nails, g