Christian Hess House

Several years after Christian Hess built his house, a regional history described it as “a splendid brick structure with a thirty-three foot frontage, commanding a view of the river, and in point of architecture and attractive surroundings, second to few in this section.” The description still applies. The Hess house is a handsome Italianate building with prominent quoins defining the corners and a bold, bracketed cornice. The entrance bay to the left projects from the facade and is capped with a triangular pediment that amplifies the pedimented lintels above the first- floor windows and door. Inside, as befits a house built during the nation's centennial, the figure of Columbia is used prominently as a decorative motif. The Victorian Wheeling Landmarks Foundation also owns this house and opens it to the public.