Wheland Wing History & Accommodations
Wheland Wing is named after Edward and Minnie Wheland who were the 3rd owners of The Bear House property. Edward’s father was George Wheland, the founder and owner of the Wheland Foundry. George was part of the Civil War Union Occupation of Chattanooga. After the war, George returned to Chattanooga and started Wheland Foundry about 1 mile from The Bear House; it operated in Chattanooga from 1874 to 2003. They produced a variety of cast iron products, including big gun tubes for the Navy and other arms during WWll and later on automotive parts. Edward worked for his father at the Foundry and later took over his father’s position at Wheland Foundry.
Edward bought The Bear House property in 1904. In 1927 a fire started in the basement of the house from a coal furnace. The fire burned through the center of the house to the roof and destroyed the grand staircase. The Wheland’s decided to sell the house to its next owner instead of renovating. Edward and Minnie Wheland are laid to rest in the St Elmo Forest Hills Cemetery.
Wheland Wing:
- 2nd Floor of The Bear House, one of two wings, 1,100 sq. ft, completely private apartment.
- Total of 2 bedrooms: 1 king bedroom and 1 queen bedroom (both with own Smart HDTV)
- 1 Full bathroom with additional separate original shower room
- Hospitality Center with mini fridge, microwave and Keurig
- Dining for 4
- Seating area
- 2 Private entrances into Wheland Wing
- Fully stocked kitchen, living room and resource center
- Free high speed internet, EPB Fiber Optics
- Free onsite parking
Reservations for Wheland Wing:
http://bit.ly/WhelandWingTheBearHouse1890
