Where History Meets Home
Welcome! We’re Madolyn, Ellery, Russell and Cissy, and we’re so excited to welcome you to Chapline House and to our story. This blog will be a place where we share the journey of how our family moved 2,000 miles across the country to chase a dream: restoring a grand old Victorian home and building a life rooted in history, adventure, and a deep sense of place.
Originally from sunny Pasadena, California, our family set off on a cross-country move that brought us to the charming city of Wheeling, West Virginia in 2021. Nestled along the Ohio River just an hour from Pittsburgh, Wheeling immediately felt like more than just a picturesque town; it felt like home.
You see, Wheeling holds family history for us. It was once a bustling center of steel, glass, and stogie manufacturing, and somewhere amid that energy and grit, past generations of the McGregor family lived, built businesses, and shaped their stories. One of which being The McGregor China Company, with a shop located on Market Street in Downtown Wheeling. There’s something powerful about returning to a place your ancestors once called home, especially when that place is steeped in Victorian charm and ready for its next chapter.
That chapter for us begins at Chapline House, an 1880s Italianate Victorian in the heart of the Chapline Row Historic District. With only two previous families having lived in it over the past 140 years, the house is brimming with character, quirks, and a whole lot of history. From its tall windows and intricate woodwork to the stories whispered by its walls, we knew instantly this was the home we were meant to revive.
This move wasn’t just about buying a home, however. It was about building something together as a family, and embracing the beauty of slow, intentional restoration, creating a legacy for us to leave behind. While we do work full time, our true passion project is right here: breathing life back into Chapline House and opening its doors to the world.
Our vision is big and a little romantic: we dream of transforming Chapline House into a bed & breakfast, a place where guests can step back in time and experience the opulence of Victorian living while enjoying the comforts of today. Whether it's sipping coffee in a parlor filled with vintage finds or exploring the renewed charm of Centre Market and beyond, our dream is for Chapline House to feel like a magical blend of old and new.
For the past few years, we’ve been sharing glimpses of this journey on social media as @ChaplineHouse, and have been blown away by the support and community we’ve found there. With over 55,000 followers and counting, it’s become clear that there are so many others out there who love old houses, restoration, and thoughtful design as much as we do.
This blog will go deeper. We’ll share the restoration successes (and failures), inspiration boards, historic tidbits, DIY adventures, room reveals, and maybe even a few hidden gems around Wheeling. Whether you're a fellow old-house lover, someone dreaming of a move of your own, or just here for the nostalgia, we're so glad you're with us.
Welcome to Chapline House!
