The McLure House Hotel

Where Becky went for her interview

(see her letter dated April 2, 1942)

Constructed in 1851 and opened in 1852, the McLure House Hotel has been a mainstay for Wheeling, West Virginia.

The Hotel was originally built in a doughnut shape and contained a watering trough and hitching posts for horses and carriages. The registration desks and offices were located on the second floor due to the muddy mess that occurred in the open lobby. However, this was not the fascinating feature of the Hotel.......the 12th street entrance was marked 'Ladies' and was built with a wider door. The width of the door made room for the cumbersome and fashionable wide hoop skirts that were worn by the women of the time. The McLure Hotel had a beautiful menu as the railroads could bring in everything. Wheeling was the Western terminus of the B&O railroad. Wheeling was where you "jumped off" to go west. There was a lot of seafood in those days. The old Russians had fresh oysters and fresh clams. They would bring them in, in ice barrels from Baltimore. Wheeling became a big seafood town. The Hotel had gold table service, all the fine foods, exotic foods....Hundreds of beautiful, detailed, formal dinners were conducted at the McLure Hotel. It is still open for business today.