Dan Hentorn Wetzel County Museum Curator and Sam Winer display the Winer’s Variety Store sign Sam donated to the Museum.

Last Thursday afternoon, In front of the Wetzel County Museum on south Main, Sam Winer donated the sign from his family’s Main Street variety store that opened its doors on August 28, 1911. Museum Director/Curator, Dan Henthron along with the museum’s summer intern Alex Carl were there to accept the 115-year-old sign.

Sam explained that 20 years ago the sign was found stored away in Logan Hassig’s attic. Sam’s grandfather, Harry Winer, came originally from Lithuania, and settled on the eastern side of Wetzel County in Littleton. He began as a peddler with samples of his goods on his back. He walked the ridges to sell to remote families on hill tops and up hollows.

Back in those days, residents lived in remote communities and travel beyond the town limits was difficult. Roads were mud and train tickets cost money.

Harry Winer spent many a day walking the ridges peddling his wares. Eventually he purchased a horse and became a mobile peddler around the Littleton area. During this time, he purchased a livery stable, started a variety store and built a home. For Sam’s grandparents and their new family, times were good.

Then in 1906 the Great Littleton fire swept through the community destroying most everything. Wood was the primary building material and businesses and homes were close together. When the fire began it was so fast-moving.

Sam stated, “They ran for their lives. Their home, and both businesses burnt to the ground.” “My grandfather was able to drive his forty head of horses from the barn and saved them. They scattered into the nearby woods.”

After the Littleton Disaster, Grandfather Harry moved his family to Wheeling. Three years later he moved the family and business operations to New Martinsville on Main Street and began once again. With the new business opening in 1911, the Winer’s Variety Store sold a little bit of everything to the local citizens. It was not an easy time for businesses on Main Street, the competition was strong and shoppers had to decide where to spend their money.

Main Street New Martinsville experienced its own fire that destroyed several businesses south of Harry Winer’s store. Fortunately, when the building was constructed a fire wall 18 inches thick was added on the south side. That wall prevented the entire block from being lost to the devastating blaze.

Sam’s grandfather Harry passed away in 1936. Then Sam’s father, Lyle Winer, took over the family business. The Winer business over the years was a true family operation, much as were others during those years. Brothers, sisters, aunts and uncles often worked in the downtown family operations. Lyle operated the business from1939 until 1966. It was at that time Carl Shoudis purchased the building and business.

Just up the street on the corner of the next block north was the Temple men’s store owned by Louis Winer, which he operated from 1938 to 1967. It was at that point he sold it to Sam in a joint partnership with Harley South. Sam worked in the family operations for 20 years.

The Winer family from 1900 until 1986 were major retailers in the community. Their businesses, and that of other well-known past businesses, Lohor’s, Winer’s, Temple News, Blacks Drug Store, Cormous Jewelry, and Jack and Jill’s shop were just a few of the businesses that made Main Street a thriving place.

Today on Main Street only three businesses have survived the many changes over nine decades. Quinet’s Restaurant and family business goes back into the 1930s. Rutenbergers has been a stable business for a great many years. And the Lincoln theater is still an active part of the community going back over one-hundred years. Buildings remain, but the businesses and families are gone. The memories are being preserved in the Wetzel County Museum.

“Unfortunately, things change, and those businesses, part of the town’s history, are now gone. That is why this sign, and the others in the museum will help to preserve our past.” said Sam Winer.

Dan Henthron explained that in the three years since he set about bringing the museum back to life, hundreds of items have been donated to preserve the entire county’s history. At one time there were seven districts in the county, today there are three. Inside the museum along the north and south walls, projectors have been installed. Each will project on screens the history of each district through pictures, letters, and historical facts.

A great deal of credit has to be given to those who have donated items. Dan Henthron and the museum staff have worked hard to assemble and catalog the items. In this way, the visiting public will be able to walk through each section, and view our county’s past. Thanks to the Winer family, and all those who have contributed to the preservation of Wetzel County.