The Holiday Elegance of Oglebay Mansion Museum
An ice sculpture of two reindeer pulling a sleigh grace the lawn of historic Oglebay Mansion Museum.
A yuletide dream best describes the Mansion Museum at Oglebay Park in Wheeling, West Virginia during the holiday season. The mansion is dressed luxuriously for the holidays. Its elegant decorations serve as inspiration for ideas to embellish your home.
When arriving at the Mansion Museum on a late November day, the first thing to greet visitors was an ice sculpture of a sleigh pulled by two reindeer. Each year an ice sculpture is placed at the museum and will last as long as the weather stays cool. You can even have your picture taken in the sleigh.
The Oglebay family used this Oval Parlor as their private retreat.
Near the mansion you’ll find the magical Christmas Tree Garden, which contains 30 live trees covered with colored lights. In the center of the garden stands a beautiful gazebo with a life size manger display created by a local artist in 1985. Nearly everyone who passes by, pauses to view the real meaning of the season.
The Dining Room is beautifully decorated for Christmas dinner.
The Mansion Museum, which was the summer home of wealthy industrialist Earl Oglebay, began this holiday tradition in 1973. Both professional decorators and amateurs help trim the mansion in period decorations as it would have appeared when it was built by Hanson Chapline back in 1846. Special care is taken not to damage the antiques on display.
“Books of Yesterday” became the theme for the Library where Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls are being held by a young lady.
In 1900 Earl W. Oglebay purchased the estate and farm, which he called Waddington Farm. It became the most progressive model farm in the world. When Mr. Oglebay died in 1926, he left his estate to the people of Wheeling to be used as a park and an educational tool. They then turned it into what we know today as Oglebay Park.
The Federal Bedroom features Cinderella’s ball gown.
Thirteen Victorian period rooms overflow with Christmas décor to put you in the holiday spirit. “A Storybook Celebration” serves as this year’s holiday theme. Each room has been transformed with a touch of magic to fit a particular storybook idea.
Company would be entertained in the Empire Sitting Room decorated as “Deck the Halls” for this holiday season.
From “The Nutcracker” in the Child’s Bedroom to “Deck the Halls” in the Empire Sitting Room, you’ll find tasteful decorations to make you smile. “Not a Creature Was Stirring” in the Pioneer Kitchen, while they were “Stitching Family Tales” in the Sewing Room.
The Victorian Bedroom would be the perfect place for a bedtime story. “Nana, tell me a story!”
Throughout, there are recordings to tell you about the furnishings, paintings, and life of the family. But the mansion holds the history of the area as well.
Wymer’s General Store is part of the Wheeling History Exhibition, which can be seen year round at Oglebay Mansion Museum.
A Pioneering Spirit Exhibit features the history of Wheeling. Included is Sinclair Pharmacy and Wymer General Store with candy case, meat wrapping paper and large thermometer. The store was especially enjoyed since it reminded me of my grandfather’s store in Byesville sixty years ago.
Tigger and Winnie the Pooh visit Mr. Oglebay’s office for “A Pop Up Christmas”.
While you can visit Oglebay Mansion Museum throughout the year, Holidays at the Mansion create memories of days gone by. The Christmas decorations continue until January 8, 2017 so there’s still plenty of time to make a trip to Oglebay. While there you will want to stay until dark to view the delightful Winter Festival of Lights at Oglebay Park, where 80 displays line a six mile drive, which covers over 300 acres!
Visit Oglebay Mansion Museum and the Festival of Lights, which inspired Bob and Sue Ley to create Dickens Victorian Village. Maybe you, too, will find inspiration there.
Oglebay Mansion Museum at 1330 Oglebay Drive can be found by following signs to Oglebay Park about four miles off Exit 2A of I-70 on Route 88 North in Wheeling, West Virginia.
American Gas Pump Heaven Museum overflows with memorabilia from the past.
Roger prides himself on his Americana touch to his displays. Everything from American flags to an American eagle and a scaled down model of the Statue of Liberty can be found throughout his museum. There’s so much to see that one trip through will probably not be enough.
This is more than just a collection of gas pumps from 1910 to 1962, it is a collection of memories! Take a walk through gas station history as well as the history of that time. While there stop and play the 1920s Nickelodeon, which works at the drop of a quarter.
“Roy Rogers is my hero,” Roger explains as he points out piece after piece inside the museum related to his hero. A life size picture of Roy easily stands out among the gas pumps.
American Gas Pump Heaven Museum contains favorite memorabilia that remind him and visitors of the happy days of their youth. He has a little bit of everything and can’t think of anything that he really wants. But he always seems to be ready to make a deal on something that appeals to his fancy. Quite often he would point out a recent purchase and say, “I’m not sure what I’m going to do with this.”
You’ll definitely be surprised by the variety of items you see even from the outside. Since Roger is retired, he can’t be there all the time, but if the parking lot intrigues you, give Roger a call at (330) 343-6883. and he will find the time to stop down and unlock the door to a room filled with treasures of yesteryear. It’s what keeps him going!
The crow holds a special attraction to her as she feels it has a magical quality. It holds the magical key to the womb of fundamental energy where all possibilities exist. Crows live all around the world, reminding us that magic can be found everywhere. They often are associated with healing and the universal law.
Owl is Mindi’s dream-time guide helping to navigate the unconscious world. The Owl serves as the keeper of ancient wisdom and can see the secrets and agendas of others. The Owl is a prophet who can see, hear, and feel events before they transpire. 
Her dream catchers are up-cycled art with the center web being a doily, with a hand macrame hoop and fringe made with cotton twine and yarn. Dream catchers have been part of Native American culture for generations. They are usually hung by the bed at night to catch bad dreams before they disturb your sleep. There is a hole in the center to let the good dreams slip through.
Feathers are important in the Native American tradition also, as they are seen as gifts from the sky, the sea and the trees. Often a feather has a message as it lands on or near someone. It reminds them of a spiritual connection that we all have to our creator and with passed loved ones. The gift of the feather is represented by passion – passion for your gift from the Creator – Mindi’s passion being artistic vision.
Upon leaving the art show, a beautifully decorated Christmas tree glowed in the hallway. The Mound Museum Christmas tree is decorated with plants that were important to those prehistoric Native Americans living in the area. The people who built Grave Creek Mound probably grew small gardens, which included squash, sunflowers, pumpkins, gourds, and goosefoot – the decorations on this tree.
Gypsy Road Trip 