Lanterns Part Two

 

This issue of the Journal by guest author Matt Cumberledge features information on the Nail City Lantern Company located in Wheeling, West Virginia. This issue is part two of Matt's overview of lanterns.

A Wheeling Industry

Dunkard Creek has often been an important part in the history of Greene County, an essential waterway, a way to navigate and connect to the outside world.   Follow Dunkard long enough and you’ll reach the Monongahela River, run it north to Pittsburgh and there you will find the Ohio River. It could easily be argued that the Ohio is one of the most important rivers in American History, second only to the Mighty Mississippi, and there, in Pittsburgh, the Ohio forms from the confluence of the waters of the Monongahela and Allegheny Rivers.   From Pittsburgh, one of the first major Cities you’ll come across on the Ohio is Wheeling West Virginia.

Wheeling, an old Town, first settled 1769 by Ebenezer Zane was originally called Zanesburg, a few other families would settle there as well, including the Wetzels, Shepherds, and McCollochs.   More folks would come to live in the area after the opening of the Northwest Territory, and it would become an important spot for those wishing to continue migrating westward.   In 1793, Ebenezer Zane would divide his land into lots, and Wheeling was officially born.

The Ohio River would be an extremely important part of Wheeling, allowing travel and easy access to Pittsburgh to the East and the Mississippi River to the west.  Like all River Towns the Ohio was Wheeling’s very lifeblood.  As time progressed, and the Industrial Revolution added a new layer of life to the region, the Ohio River would play an even more important role. 

Throughout the 1860s and 70s, industry would blossom in Wheeling, mostly along the banks of the Ohio, and the town would prosper.   Many individuals would find the opportunity to start business and forge a successful path for themselves in the ever-changing world of the late 19^th century.  One of these men was Archibald Woods Paull.

Paull was born in Wheeling on November 26^th, 1845, a son of prominent citizen and Judge, James Paull.  He received his early education at the Linsly Institute and later at Washington and Jefferson College, in Washington PA where he graduated in 1865.  After his schooling was completed, A. W. Paull began working in the Book and Stationary Industry that had long been established in Wheeling, however this is a pursuit that did not suit him well, so, in 1877 Paull would establish his own company, but in a completely different trade.   Nail City Lantern Company would be his business, Nail City being a common nickname for Wheeling as one of the major industries was the manufacturing of Cut Nails, it was often said at the time that Wheeling was the “Cut Nail Capital of the World.”  When the company was formed, it initially employed 20 individuals and produced primarily Hand (common use) Lanterns, Railroad Lanterns, Tin Capped Mason Jars and small incidental items.   At this time the company was located at 1212 Main Street in Wheeling WV, in a small four-story brick building (Figure 1).                                                                                                  

Figure 1. An Early Image of the Original Nail City Lantern Building

             Business for Paull would boom, and the Company would expand adding more                           employees and moving several times until 1892 when they would settle in their final location in              Wheeling at 2106-2116 Water Street (Figure 2).   The Company would remain here until 1956.   The 1890s were particularly exciting times for Nail City Lantern Company, several new models of Lanterns would be produced for the Market, a new innovative design, easy to stamp and assemble, and with a new mechanism to raise the globe.   This would be called the  “Crank Tubular Lantern,” a popular item at the time and one of the most desirable lanterns to be found by collectors in modern times. 

Joseph Bokanoski of Vernon Connecticut has been collecting Nail City Items for over 10 years and has amassed one of the best collections of Nail City Lantern Companies products known in existence today.  Joe’s collection includes Lanterns from all periods of the Companies History, Mason Jars, Meat Hooks manufactured by Nail City Lantern Company, Marked Crates and Boxes, Signs and Catalogs, and of course many examples of the Crank Tubular Lantern (Figure 2).  His collection and knowledge have been a huge source of reference for this article.

                        Figure 2. Bokanoski Collection of Nail City/Wheeling Stamping Items. 

Throughout the 19^th Century, the Company would prosper, in 1894, the name would change to Nail City Stamping, with Archibald W. Paull still president of the Company, but on December 2^nd, 1898, Paull would pass from this life, and the company would pass on to his son, Archibald Woods Paull II.   The Companies name would again change, no longer called Nail City Stamping, the company would now be known as Wheeling Stamping Company, though still housed in the same 4 story brick structure on Water Street where it has been for the previous six years.

Lantern Manufacturing would change, and simpler more affordable yet still high-quality lanterns would be created, and other tin stamped items were also regularly manufactured.   In WWI the company would make metal mess kits for soldiers on the front and may have possibly supplied our local troops that fought in WWI from Company K out of Waynesburg.

Still the company would thrive under the leadership of Archibald W. Paull II, who would remain in control of the company for the rest of his life.   His last great act would be overseeing the 1956 move of the company to the former Packer Trucking Company Building in the Warwood Area of Wheeling (Figure 3).   Archibald W. Paull II would pass on the 2^nd of December 1957, 59 years to the day after the death of his father.   Wheeling Stamping would survive for many more years however, and finally dissolved on September 4^th 1990.

                        Figure 3. Wheeling Stamping Building, Wheeling, West Virginia.

Products made by Wheeling Stamping, and especially in its early form Nail City Lantern Company are now highly collectable.  Nail City Lanterns can fetch large prices at auction and their Early Mason jars are very desirable amongst collectors, and sadly there are not an abundance of these items to be found, even locally in the region where they were manufactured.   But should you ever come across something marked NCL, WS or Wheeling Stamping, or even a Paull’s Lantern that was made by Wheeling Stamping Company, know that you have found an important and interesting piece of our regional history.

                        Figure 4.  A Nail City Lantern at the site where it was produced about 1896.

      

References:

Lanterns that Lit Our World, Volumes 1 & 2
Anthony Hobson 1991, 1996
Goldn Hill Press

Interview with Joseph Bokanoski
Vernon CT, 2025

FaceBook Group
Tubular Lantern Collectors

Website: Ontario Lantern, The Drew Goff Collection
https://www.ontariolantern.ca/

Website:  W. T. Kirkman Lanterns
https://lanternnet.com/