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Elberon: This beautiful suburb is the largest of all. It was started about five years ago with a population of about fifty, and it now has over five hundred inhabitants. It adjoins Parkersburg just beyond Thirteenth Street and extends out about one mile. Its buildings are all modernly built and with the very latest improvements. Within its boundaries it also has several grocery stores and meat shops. The street car stables are located in this suburb, which add greatly to its appearance and improvements. St. Mary’s Pike, which has just been fixed up and graveled, is now the finest suburban road in the county.
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Riverside: This suburb is next in size and is located on the bank of the world-famed Ohio River about two miles from Parkersburg. It was founded about three years ago, in which time it built up very rapidly. Within the past year nothing has been done to improve it on account of the flood last year, which injured it. Its population numbers several hundred. It has a very fine school-house and church which go to show how industrious its inhabitants are. Nevertheless, considering the many hardships it has had to endure, it will no doubt go on another boom and become the leading suburb. The two main features in the way of industries, which are within its boundary, are the Ohio River Railroad shops and the Excelsior Pottery.
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Dudleyville: Here is the next and finest of them all. It is a very new suburb, being only two years old, but judging from appearances it will be second to none in a very short time. The founder, Mr. John W. Dudley, has the finest suburban residence in the county as well as being the largest florist in the State. The residences which make up this suburb are all of modern build and very latest improvements. It is located about one and one-fourth miles from Parkersburg and has a growing population. Dudleyville and Elberon have the finest schoolhouse outside the city limits. It is a graded school with two teachers and an enrollment of about seventy pupils.
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Fairview: This is the next to the smallest and is located beyond the Fairgrounds (City Park). Its population is made up mostly of railroaders, being but a short distance from the B&O railroad shops. It has built up considerably within the past year, with very good prospects of becoming quite a village. It has a very nice church and school-house in which the people take a great deal of pride and interest.
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Edgewood: This is the last, but not the least, attractive for its residences are all very large and are handsomely built. It is the newest of the suburbs, but it is not far behind Fairview, and in the course of time it will no doubt be equal to most of the other suburbs, which we would like to see very much.
The Parkersburg Daily State Journal
Oct. 1, 1892
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The Wood County Historical Society works to preserve yesterday for tomorrow. For more information, contact P.O. Box 565, Parkersburg, WV 26102