When you hear the phrase “tough as nails” it’s no wonder that West Virginians come quickly to mind.
There are many reasons for that.
Historically, we are a culture built on extreme self-reliance. Generations of Mountaineers had to clear dense forests, navigate unforgiving geography and deal with harsh weather.
But there is also the “Nail City” connection.
During the late 19th century, Wheeling was the nail manufacturing capital of the world. Nails were the backbone of the the region’s industrial pride, creating a link between Wheeling and the strength and durability of the nails produced there.
The Wheeling Iron and Nail Company in the northern end of the city began production with just 14 nail-cutting machines powered by steam engines in 1834.
Cut nails were much stronger than those made by blacksmiths, so they were vital for building houses, businesses and railroads. Wheeling had the only cut nail manufacturing plant west of Pittsburgh, so many of the pioneers heading west during that period used nails made here in West Virginia.
Wheeling was officially recognized as the “Nail City” in 1875 and nine years later at its peak, factories there produced enough cut nails to fill one and a half million kegs.
In that era, Wheeling was one of the wealthiest cities per capita in the United States, but the Great Nail Strike changed all that.
The Great Nail Strike began in May of 1885 and lasted 13 months. Factory managers adopted the Bessemer process; swapping out more expensive wrought iron with cheaper steel plate. Jobs were cut and mill managers reduced the wages of the skilled workers operating the nail-cutting machines.
The strike backfired. When Wheeling’s cut nails were unavailable for over a year, hardware dealers ran out of stock and the market shifted to steel wire nails, the kind we still use today.
This week is the anniversary of the Wheeling-La Belle Nail Company closing down in 2010, after 158 years of making nails in South Wheeling. At one point, this plant alone made about 40% of the nation’s cut nails.
Until the day it closed, that factory was still using some of the nail-cutting machines manufactured before the Civil War; adopting vintage technology to cut steel nails.
Five years after the plant closed, some of its contents were auctioned off, but the good news is that many of the original nail-making machines were reassembled and they’re on display at the West Virginia Independence Hall in Wheeling and the West Virginia State Museum here in Charleston.
What also remains is Wheeling’s legacy as the “Nail City” and a ‘tough as nails’ attitude that all West Virginians can continue to share.