Speidel-Kepner House, 1287 National Road

 

 

 

 

 

 

The home of Hal and Gertrude List Speidel, built in hte early 1900s, stood at 1287 National Road. Speidel (1873-1931) was first associated with hi father Joseph Speidel's wholesale gtocery business and later became president of the Engineering and Equipment Company of Wheeling. A 1929 garden description of the Speidel property describes "a large lawn, fine old trees, lots of shubbery, surrounding a modern house of very handsome construction... The real beauty of the estate is in the rear where a formal Persian garden is entranceingly lovely. Flowers, flowers everywhere and especially bordering the walks which surround the swimming pool." 

 

Although those gardens are long gone, the Speidel name lives on. Local golfers now benefit from land donated to Oglebay Park by Joseph Speidel and named the Speidel Gold Course in his honor.

 

Wade Kepner (1902-1988) and his wife Martha Nay Kepner purchased the home in 1931 and lived there until 1989. Kepner was chairman of the board of Kepner Funeral Homes and is said to have established the first exclusive air ambulance in the United States in 1946. He was also quite active in community affairs, including serving as chairman of the city's first Planning Commission during the period when the downtown Market Plaze was established and as president of the Kiwanis Club when the Fresh Air Farm was built and when the club installed the Mingo Indian statue at the top of Wheeling hill. 

 

Twenty-first century additions to the hosue were complimentary to the original design. However, the house was demolished in 2011.

 

Text adapted from Walking Pleasant Valley by Jeanne Finstein and Judi Hendrickson.