The federal funds that helped pull the country out of the Great Depression came to a halt when America entered World War II.  Several of Oglebay’s key staff members joined the armed forces and, while activities did not stop, management was left in the hands of part-time employees.  Because of gas rationing, many area residents “discovered” Oglebay during the war years.

By 1945, Oglebay leaders faced a whole new set of problems; first and foremost, determining a way to come up with the funds needed to meet post-war demands caused by the thousands of service personnel returning to their Ohio Valley homes.  After much study and advice, a unique instrument was created — the Parks System Trust Fund — to be used as a repository for contributions and bequests for necessary improvements and facility development.  When the fund was incorporated in December, 1945, it thrust Oglebay and Wheeling Park into the forefront of progressive municipal recreation areas throughout the country.

Over the next decade, a number of facilities were developed through gifts from individuals and families to the trust fund; in the late 1940s, Har-tru tennis courts, riding stables, and the first winterized cottage; in the 1950s, more cottages, picnic shelters, a horse show ring, golf driving range, a tennis shelter, three-acre lake, a nature center, and the long-awaited Wilson Lodge.  When the lodge opened in 1957 it marked a turning point, for overnight, Oglebay shook its provincial image to become a comprehensive, year-round resort.

Oglebay’s rich tennis tradition started when several clay courts were built in the Crispin Center area in 1939, close to the original riding stables.  Don Budge, who became one of the finest professional players of his day, appeared in an exhibition match shortly after.  In the late 1940s, the courts at the expanded complex were converted to a Har-Tru surface. Tennis legend Arthur Ashe played in one of his first major tournaments at Oglebay – a juniors event – in 1961.

Oglebay’s picturesque Par-3 course and clubhouse were constructed adjacent to the driving range in 1962. It was the park’s first season-spanning sports center.  With the installation of snow-making equipment and a Pomalift in 1963, a skiing area was created for visitors and local residents.  Skiing flourished for several decades until it was discontinued in 1997 because of milder winters and aging equipment.  By the winter of 2005, however, a local committee raised enough money to purchase a state-of-the-art snowmaking system and triple chair lift in order to re-open the slopes.

Oglebay is proud of its year-round recreational opportunities and excellent overnight accommodations but its picturesque natural beauty is what makes the resort truly unique. We want to preserve this natural beauty for many more generations, and are committed to the development, implementation and execution of a Green Initiative.

Some of our efforts are easy to see – recycling receptacles at Wilson Lodge and the shelters, and a recycling drop area for cottage guests  – but many other efforts are taking place daily by every staff member at Oglebay.  All office paper, printer cartridges, cardboard, cans and plastics are recycled; we use environmentally-preferred products for cleaning and ice-melting; our lights are being replaced with energy-efficient CFL and LED bulbs; we have installed high-efficiency boilers, washing machines, dryers, shower heads and faucets; all food and beverage outlets recycle their fryer grease and use biodegradable, disposable cups; and new picnic tables and trail benches are made of recycled plastic. Even the furniture in our beautiful, new estate house is built from recycled wood!  

A committee of key personnel meets every month to research and discuss new ways to reduce our environmental footprint and we will continue to implement long and short-term stewardship programs.  For a complete list of our green efforts please visit www.oglebay-resort.com/green_flyer.pdf

Earl W. Oglebay died in 1926 and willed his beloved Waddington Farm to the people of Wheeling and its vicinity for as long as they “shall operate it for public recreation.”  Under terms of the will, the city was asked to accept or reject the bequest within three years.

For almost two years the decision was delayed, although a small staff of “borrowed” Extension Service workers from West Virginia University (WVU) moved in and initiated a grass roots, seasonal recreation program utilizing dozens of local volunteers.  The Wheeling Park Commission and city fathers met often to try to figure out a way to finance Oglebay. The Park Commission had been formed in 1925 to manage Wheeling Park, and any other parks acquired by the city of Wheeling, either by gift or purchase. Finally, in July, 1928, Waddington Farm was accepted as Oglebay Park as the final hurdle was resolved when Oglebay’s daughter, Sarita Burton Russel, offered funds to maintainthe property during its first year of public operation. 

With only modest funds for capital improvements, the park commission set out to develop Oglebay into an outstanding recreation area that would attract visitors from near and far.  Many of the farm buildings were put to immediate use for social and educational activities.  Rooms were rented to overnight guests, setting a precedent that Oglebay was more than a day trip. 

Just one new facility — the front nine of the Crispin Golf Course — was constructed before the effects of the stock market crash of 1929 tightened its grip on the valley.  The course was dedicated July 4, 1930.

Through the darkest days of the Depression, volunteer committees planned musical programs, nature study, dramatics, vespers, picnics, dances, gardening activities, day camps, and museum programs.  Extension staff members were assigned to work with each of these interest groups.  The Wheeling Symphony Orchestra actually started as an outgrowth of the music committee, delighting the public with concerts at the park as early as 1929.

Much of the credit for the growth of the nature program in the early years at Oglebay goes to the highly respected naturalist Alonzo Beecher Brooks.  A.B. Brooks, 1912 graduate of WVU, and chief game protector for the state, was one of the “pioneers” who started the activities program at Waddington in 1927.  His daily nature walks enriched the lives of thousands of men, women, and children who grew to love the outdoors because of their association with Brooks. 

When federal relief funds became available in 1936, a Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) camp of about two hundred local craftsmen was established in the beech woods in the heart of the park.  For three years, an intense building program was carried out with Works Progress Administration funds and CCC labor.  These skilled workers constructed cottages, nature trails and roads, picnic sites, tennis courts, the outdoor theater, a youth camp (Camp Russel),  and the entire Crispin Center area, including the swimming pool, Pine Room, and the second nine of the golf course. 

Oglebay’s first family cottages were constructed out of old wooden poles no longer used by a local utility company. Since the poles were of different lengths, there were no blueprints for these cottages.  Because of the demand, the first winterized cottage was built in 1949, followed by a dozen others during the 1950s.  Sledding and skiing on the golf course hills, and ice skating on the lake, provided winter recreation for cottage guests.

The America’s Future Trees Foundation (AFT) has been instrumental for more than half a century in keeping Oglebay and Wheeling Park two of the most beautiful recreation areas anywhere.  Founded by the late Oglebay heir Courtney Burton in the 1960s, AFT moved its headquarters to Oglebay in 1974 and, for many years, Burton matched contributions dollar for dollar.  Nearly 3,000 trees and shrubs were planted in the 1960s and 70s, following the establishment of AFT, and over the years, AFT has provided funds to invest in the planting of new trees and tree care. 

The trees installed in the 1960s and 1970s are declining and dying. Old age, disease, and pests, have taken their toll on the mature landscape and the Wheeling Park Commission (Oglebay’s governing board) has developed and is prepared to implement a comprehensive tree and landscape plan to meet the challenges that now threaten to destroy some of the beauty of the sweeping vistas and landscaping features that visitors have enjoyed for so long.

Today, AFT is housed under The Oglebay Foundation, but still operates in the manner it always has and still welcomes donations of any size. The Oglebay Foundation has launched a new campaign through AFT, with the goal to raise funds over the next few years to plan, manage, and care for the tree-covered grounds of Oglebay. The tangible attributes of trees and landscape plantings are easily measured. But equally important are the intangible pleasures which trees present in our daily lives. Trees enhance our lives, reduce our stress and make us feel connected with and to nature. Your contribution to America’s Future Trees Foundation, no matter how modest, will assure that future generations have the chance to enjoy the trees we plant today.  Call the Oglebay Foundation office at 304-243-4166 to request an AFT brochure and/or further information.

The Good Zoo at Oglebay is a gem of a facility and a unique player in the world of global wildlife conservation as shown by its re-accreditation by the prestigious Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA).

The independent accreditation process includes a detailed application and meticulous on-site inspection by a team of trained professionals. The inspecting team observes areas such as animal care, keeper training, safety (for animals AND people), educational programs, conservation efforts, veterinary programs, financial stability, risk management, visitor services, and more. Top officials are also interviewed at a formal hearing. An accreditation visit occurs about every five years, and only accredited facilities may be members of the AZA. Just 10% of the 2,000 licensed zoos in the US are accredited by the AZA. The mission of the AZA is to establish, uphold, and raise industry standards through self-evaluation, on-site inspection, and peer review.

Founded in 1924, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums is a non-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of zoos and aquariums in the areas of conservation, education, science, and recreation. AZA encourages you to look for its logo whenever you visit a zoo or aquarium as your assurance that you are supporting an institution dedicated to providing excellent care for animals, a great experience for you, and a better future for all living things. For more information, visit www.aza.com

Oglebay’s story, from a model farm/country estate in the early 1900s to today’s modern resort and conference center, begins in 1901 when Earl W. Oglebay, Cleveland industralist and Ohio Valley native purchased Waddington Farm. The name Waddington was given to the property in the 1850s by brewer George W. Smith in nostalgic memory of his English home Waddington Heath.  He constructed a number of the buildings that are still in use today and gained a reputation for his exceptional fruit orchards.

After Smith and his family fled the farm during the Civil War, it changed hands a number of times and much of the property was sold off.  During the quarter-century that Earl Oglebay was “master of Waddington” (1901-1926), he increased the farm to about the same acreage as the original land grant (750 acres).  Mr. Oglebay spared no expense or effort in turning the property into a beautiful country estate as well as a model farm. Although the Oglebays were in residence at Waddington during the summer months only, they enlarged and improved the farmhouse (now the Mansion Museum), adding “wings” on either side and broad porches known as colonnades.  Curious Wheeling residents would often ride up from town to view the improvements.

Mr. Oglebay’s Waddington was a “highly-developed” estate — with gardens and greenhouses, beehives, a piggery, poultry and sheep departments, dairy and creamery, warehouses, a power house and a blacksmith shop.  Waddington’s “main business” was its dairy operation.  According to a popular farm magazine of the day, Oglebay’s dairy herd was unsurpassed for producing quality milk with high butterfat content.

Mr. Oglebay also worked hard to improve the quality of life for rural families. Important research in soil cultivation and crop rotation was carried out at his farm, he arranged for the first agriculture extension agent to come to the county, and he supported development of the 4-H Clubs.  Mr. Oglebay believed passionately in the value of education and was generous in his support of West Virginia University (WVU) and his alma mater, Bethany College.

Residents honored Earl Oglebay as the “Most Useful Citizen of West Virginia” in 1915 as a feature of the state’s Panama-Pacific Exposition exhibit.  Several attempts were made to persuade him to run for the United States Senate, but Oglebay remained adamant in his decision not to run for political office, preferring to concentrate his efforts on the improvement of agriculture and education.  His greatest legacy, however, was yet to come.

There are fifty-four spectacular holes of golf to welcome you to Oglebay and a tradition of excellence that goes back more than sixty years.   Crispin’s front nine was the first recreation facility built at the Oglebay and the most recent is the intriguing Arnold Palmer designed Klieves Course at the Speidel Golf Club.  Add a sporty par-3 and driving range, and you’ll understand why Oglebay is the perfect golf destination.

 Until public links came to Wheeling, first at Wheeling Park, then at Oglebay, all courses were private.   Despite hard economic times, interest in play at the two park courses grew quickly.  It paralleled the phenomenal growth of public golf on the national scene in the 1920s and 30s, coinciding with and largely due to the immense popularity of the immortal Bobby Jones.

Crispin’s front nine was dedicated July 4, 1930. It was the first and last facility built at Oglebay before the Great Depression.  In 1938, after the influx of federal funds, the second nine of the rolling Crispin course, and a golf shop, were opened.

The Crispin course has seen many special moments.  Professional golfer Betsy Rawls drew the largest crowd to date when she presented a clinic and exhibition in 1952.  Arnold Palmer, playing Crispin for the first time in 1963, equaled the course record of 9-under-par during an exhibition match. 

Oglebay’s Caddy Camp was a unique part of the golf scene for seven decades.  Although caddies were used as early as 1930, the actual camp was constructed in 1939 on the site of the former Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) barracks in the woods near the main picnic area.  Up to forty-four young men attended camp each year, learning golf skills and techniques while spending the summer in a wholesome environment.  Demand for caddies fell off when golf cars became popular.  When Caddy Camp closed in the late 1990s, it was one of only two such programs left in the country.  It has been replaced with a “Golf Jobs for Juniors” initiative.

On the other hand, Oglebay’s junior golf program has grown steadily since it began in the early 1990s, assisted by and used as a focal point by the United States Golf Association.  More than 350 youngsters participate in the program each year.  Scholarships are available to those who might not otherwise be able to afford to participate, as they are for all youth sports programs at the parks.

The spectacular Speidel Course, designed by Robert Trent Jones, Sr., opened in the early 1970s after five years of planning and construction.  It was the first public course undertaken by the prestigious golf course architect, and he was enthusiastic about the challenge.  On one of his visits to Oglebay, Jones described the proposed layout as “a fair test of golf, with no tricks, but an easy bogey, hard par course.”

Although the front nine opened in 1970 and the back nine in late ‘71, there would be several more years of development and landscaping at the beautiful “monster course” on the hill.  The rolling terrain offers “natural gallery amphitheaters unsurpassed anywhere,” Jones said.  Amid excitement and anticipation, the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) paid a visit to Speidel in 1974 for the first Wheeling Classic. The tournament, later called the West Virginia Classic, drew a top field and thrilled spectators for eleven years. 

The beauty and intriguing design of the par-71 Arnold Palmer designed Klieves Golf Course at Speidel Golf Club completes Oglebay’s golfing picture.  “Because of the unique topography, it’s one of the most interesting golf courses we’ve ever designed,” comments an official of the Palmer Design Company.  Five holes are located adjacent to the Speidel Course, and thirteen holes are on the east side of the two-lane road that winds through the resort.  Designed with multiple tees, the course plays from 4,500 to almost 6,800 yards. The Harry C. Hamm Clubhouse, complete with an award-winning pro shop and grill room, serves both courses at the Speidel Golf Club.

As leaders, how many of us would rather use email, text, or a phone call to share important information with key people?  It is quick, easy, and avoids uncomfortable situations; however, too many leaders hide behind electronic messages and then wonder why results are dismal.  Sharing critical information “face to face” takes preparation, skill and intestinal fortitude.  Many leaders know it leaves them vulnerable to tough questions and/or comments.  Anyone can deliver the good news, but when it’s not what someone wants to hear, that’s when it gets difficult.  Not all messages are received in a positive way, plus you have to deal with frustration and resistance on the spot.  You have the choice to be an effective or a run-of-the-mill leader.

The question to ask is, “How important to the business is the topic and resulting action?”  When you can’t afford a critical message being misinterpreted, try your best to do it in person.  Nonverbal actions by the message receiver are nonexistent when electronic messages are used.   “Face-to-face” will allow you to see if the other person truly understands your message or if there is resistance to it.

An important way to confirm understanding of your message is to have the other person recap including the action needed.   By the receiver putting it in his or her own words, you have the opportunity to make sure your message was clear or to clarify any misinterpretations. 

A mental model for sharing important messages is: Who needs to know + what they need to know + who is best to tell them + how will it be delivered + deadline to do it + deadline for action.

Ask yourself what’s in it for you to use “face-to-face” communication and what’s in it for the receiver to hear it directly from you.  If it’s important that you deliver it in person, then it should be passed down the line the same way.  A virtual workforce can present a challenge; however there are electronic methods one can use.  Skype is an example of one of these methods.

The next time you have something important that needs to be shared, try going back to the basics of “face-to-face” communication if you want to make sure the message is received, understood, and acted upon.

Oglebay Resort and Conference Center in Wheeling is one of West Virginia’s top tourist attractions and the resort continues to expand and grow to meet the needs of today’s traveler. During the past decade Oglebay has invested millions of dollars into the expansion and renovation of facilities on its 1,700 acres to remain one of the state’s foremost resorts.

In 2006, construction was completed on a new, $15 million, 53-room sleeping wing at Oglebay’s Wilson Lodge. This new wing added five suites, 24 king rooms and 24 double queen rooms. Just two years later, another 12,000 square foot, four million dollar addition was completed at the lodge. This latest addition houses the West Spa on the first level, six premium guest rooms on the second level and an outdoor patio on the top level. The new additions to Wilson Lodge have the same exterior architectural style as the existing lodge, but the interior of the new lodge rooms are larger than the existing rooms and both the guest rooms and the spa feature updated furnishings. Demand for these contemporary rooms and spa services continues to be strong, and the new additions to the lodge are being enjoyed by individual and family vacationers, as well as meeting and conference groups.

The renovation and remodeling of the existing 212 rooms at the Wilson Lodge was completed in 2007. This renovation project also included technology upgrades to lodge operations and meeting rooms, and modifications to the lodge to meet Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements. Renovation of the lobby of the lodge was completed in April of this year.

Cottages are also highly-sought accommodations at Oglebay. Currently, there are 54 cottages at the resort, with two, four, six, or eight bedrooms. The Susan Wheeler Estate House is the newest addition to the cottage inventory at Oglebay. Completed last September, this 4,600 square foot facility is located in a private area overlooking the Speidel Golf Club at Oglebay. The comparable Palmer Estate House, completed in 2006, is located nearby.

Able to accommodate up to 30 people, three eight bedroom premium cottages were added just below Wilson Lodge in 2007. The estate houses and premium cottages have been especially popular with large families, golf groups and executive retreats.

This decade of growth at Oglebay began with the opening of the Arnold Palmer designed golf course in 2000. The newest course at Oglebay was designed to accommodate golfers on all skill levels and complements the existing championship course designed by the legendary Robert Trent Jones, Sr. These two courses, designed by premier golf architects, form the Speidel Golf Club at Oglebay. The number of guests booking golf packages that include overnight accommodations and the opportunity to play both championship courses has increased annually since the Palmer Course opening.

The Winter Festival of Lights, a holiday light show presented at Oglebay in November and December, continues to be as popular as when it started in 1985. The show has grown into one of the nation’s largest light shows, covering more than three hundred acres over a six-mile drive throughout the resort. The Winter Festival of Lights has been featured on the Travel Channel’s “Most Extreme Christmas Celebrations” and listed in the American Bus Association’s Top 100 International Events. In 2009, the show was named one of the top 10 best holiday light and tree shows by HotelsCombined.com, a leading hotel Internet search engine. Each year new light displays are added and existing displays are moved or redesigned to keep the show fresh. Since 2008 all new displays at the show have been created with LED lights and the existing displays are being converted to LED. LED bulbs are much more environmentally friendly than traditional light bulbs as they use 85% less energy and last five times longer. The Festival of Lights has become a holiday tradition for many families and the popularity of the show makes Wilson Lodge as busy in December as it is in July.

Oglebay – today – is a beautifully landscaped resort but its history of generous hospitality began more than one hundred years ago when it was the summer estate of Cleveland industrialist, and Ohio Valley native, Earl W. Oglebay. Mr. Oglebay’s summer home is now a museum and the gardens that surrounded the home in the early 1900s have been restored and are enjoyed annually by hundreds of thousands of visitors.

Oglebay is looking forward to the next decade and is proud to be one of the major contributors to the burgeoning tourist industry in wild and wonderful West Virginia.