Parkersburg Jewish Community History
Jewish Families
Earliest Jewish families to arrive in Parkersburg were German Jews, Samuel Newberger & Charles M. Rauch. They arrived in 1853 and in June 1855, the first Jewish child in Wood County was born to the Rauch Family
Solomon Prager - "The Prager Prize"- award for male school students, 1st award given in 1886.
Ben Nathan - "Young Women’s Scholars Prize", $2000 trust for female school students. 1921
David H. Kahn - President of B’nai Israel Temple in 1949
Synagogues & Cemeteries & Other Sites with Jewish Interest
+B’nai Israel Temple - 1703 20th Street - Built in 1949
+Mount Olivet Cemetery - B’nai Israel Jewish Section - 23rd Street near City Park
+Prager Building - 3rd & Juliana - owned by early Jewish resident and businessman, Solomon Prager
+Hersch Mansion - United Woolen Mills. The former home at 9th & Juliana was used as a school for Catholic students from 1924 to 1949
Jewish-Owned Stores & Businesses
Broh’s Clothing Store - Market Street. Established in 1893 by the father of Ephriam Broh. He later moved to Huntington
Broida & Adams Ladies Outfitters - 427 Market Street & 515 Market Street
Embees’ Department Store - Margolis Brothers, branch store of the WV chain of stores
Goldenberg’s Furniture - Market Street. Started shortly after 1904 by two brothers of Abe Goldenberg who had opened stores in Somerset & Corbin, KY and whose family still operate them today.
Lasky’s, Inc. - 315 Market Street, Irving Laskey
Mister Bee Potato Chip Company - 512 West Virginia Avenue (2005) established ? By Leo Klein. Locations also in Cora, Dunbar, Huntington, Phillipi and Fairmont, WV
Nathan’s Shoes & Clothing - burned down in the 1913 fire and flood - 225 Anne Street - Store slogan was "Nathan’s Sells It For Less" - Benjamin Nathan
Harry Newberger & Co. Haberdashery - 531 Market Street
Myer Newberger & Co. Electrical Contractors - 316 Fifth Street
Old Market House - owned by Solomon Prager
M. Oppenheimer Clothing & Furnishings - 407 Market Street & 945 Market Street
Henry Rauch - The One Price Clothier - 233 Court Square
Reichart Furniture Co. - based in Wheeling with a branch in Parkersburg. Owned by the Levenson Family
Salinger’s Ladies & Men’s Furnishings - 233 Court Square. Later known as Gus Salinger & Co. Department Store, owned by Gus Salinger.
M.S. Thanhouser Clothing & Furnishing Goods - SW corner of Neal & Ann Streets, ca. 1874
United Woolen Mills - owned by W.A. Hersch, 317 Market Street, also known as "United Woolen Tailors"
Max Waxelbaum High Art Tailor - 217 Seventh Street
West Virginia Clothing House - Stern Brothers - 423-425 Market Street (ca. 1907)
currently owned and operated by Julius Stern & Margaret Grant Stern and located at 914 Market Street under the name "Stern Brothers, Inc." Also known ca. 1937 as "Stern Brother’s Credit Clothing"
Yunker Manufacturing - started in Point Pleasant, WV under the name "Nannette" and made baby clothing, then moved to Parkersburg and made kid’s clothing and also women’s clothing. The company was owned and operated by M/M Yunker , who fled Germany prior to the Holocaust. The company operated until the early 1980's after the death of Mrs. Yunker