Kate Quinn

1 Articles

After spending fifteen years working as a microbiologist in New Zealand, Kate Quinn became a teacher of biology. She returned to Wheeling in 1994 and became very interested in sharing Wheeling's history with audiences ranging from church groups to classes at West Liberty University. Kate has been a prolific writer having written for Goldenseal Magazine and the Upper Ohio Valley Historical Review, as well as contributing to several books. She enjoys finding obscure bits of local history which have been forgotten.

Archiving Wheeling Local History Researcher

Avalon on the Ohio

Kate Quinn September 18, 2015September 18, 2015 3 Comments 19276 Views

Wheeling’s Short-Lived Coney Island Amusement Park

by Kate Quinn and Seán Duffy

An Archiving Wheeling Partnership with Weelunk.
For more great Wheeling stories visit www.weelunk.com.

“Avalon will always be there for all men to find if they can seek the way thither, throughout all the ages past the ages. If they cannot find the way to Avalon, it is a sign, perhaps, that they are not ready.”― Marion Zimmer Bradley, The Mists of Avalon

No buildings are visible in this early 20th century view of the Sisters Islands from Martins Ferry.

What if I told you that you could see camels, ride a roller coaster, visit a German beer garden, fly to the North Pole in an airship, roller skate, dance, travel to Damascus, and take in Vaudeville shows all in the middle of the Ohio River near Warwood? Would you believe me? Well, during a long ago summer, you could do all of those things and more, on a magical little island dubbed “Coney.”