Craig Howell LATEST IN SERIES – Weirton officials were joined, Monday morning, by state Sen. Laura Wakim Chapman, R-Ohio, in unveiling the latest in a series of West Virginia monuments to be installed in Northern Panhandle communities. The monument, which notes the city's incorporation of 1947, is located at the Brooke-Hancock Veterans Memorial Park.

WEIRTON — Steel monuments depicting the state of West Virginia continue to pop up in communities up and down the Ohio River.

Monday morning, it was Weirton’s turn to unveil its latest addition, with officials gathering at the Brooke-Hancock Veterans Memorial Park.

“We thought this was the perfect site,” noted Weirton Mayor Dean Harris while kicking off a brief dedication ceremony.

Harris offered thanks to state Sen. Laura Wakim Chapman, R-Ohio, who received a Local Economic Development Assistance grant to fund the monuments.

Each one is shaped like the state of West Virginia, with a star denoting the community’s location and the date it was established — in Weirton’s case, 1947, the date of the city’s incorporation from the four unincorporated communities of Weirton, Hollidays Cove, Weirton Heights and Marland Heights.

The monuments weigh approximately 350 pounds each and are made of steel provided by Warwood Tool. The machining of the steel was performed by employees of TK Innovations.

Chapman said it was important to her to include Northern Panhandle businesses.

City Manager Mike Adams explained the project can be traced to a discussion in September, when Chapman and Charlie Reynolds from the Governor’s Office were in Weirton.

The idea is to have such monuments installed in various communities throughout the region, with Adams saying it is a similar approach to the “Almost Heaven” swings.

“It has kind of a tourism twist,” Adams said. “We can’t be more proud to have one here in Weirton and, more importantly, at the Brooke-Hancock Veterans Memorial Park.”

Locally, similar monuments already have been unveiled in New Cumberland and Beech Bottom, with others in the works.

Chapman noted the “neighborly” attitude of the people of Weirton, saying while she lives in Wheeling, she always feels welcome when in the city.

“I wanted to make sure this sign brought pride to the city,” she said, also offering thanks to Gov. Patrick Morrisey, the mayor’s office, the Weirton Public Works Department and the Weirton Parks Board. “I couldn’t have chosen a better location.”