Photo by Shelley Hanson Guitarist D David Stiles sings and plays guitar during the unveiling of the new steel sign at Garden Park on Thursday.

WHEELING — Officials gathered Thursday to unveil a new steel sign shaped like West Virginia at Garden Park in Warwood.

The sign, sponsored by Local Economic Development Assistance funds secured by Sen. Laura Wakim Chapman, R-Ohio, was designed by Warwood Tool and made via waterjet cutting by TK Innovations of Wheeling.

Cut into the steel is “Warwood, WV, Established 1911” and a star showing where Warwood is situated in the Northern Panhandle.

In addition to Chapman, also on hand for the event were Wheeling Mayor Denny Magruder; Wheeling City Manager Robert Herron; Wheeling Assistant City Manager Bill Lanham; Kim Yocke, purchaser and operations coordinator for Warwood Tool; Rob Taylor, senior vice president of Warwood Tool; guitarist D David Stiles; Wheeling resident Tracy Christ; and Chapman’s children Eloise, 8, and Jackson, 10.

Chapman said the sign weighs about 350 pounds.

“This was just another fun project in our area to celebrate our communities,” she said. “I’m so excited today that we are unveiling for Warwood because this is where all of the signs actually happened with Warwood Tool.”

Taylor noted the steel is an inch thick.

“The signs are 1-inch stainless steel and are hard to cut, but with a water jet you can cut them,” he said.

Yocke said Warwood Tool is proud of the sign project.

“It’s Warwood. It was founded by Henry Warwood. It’s pretty exciting,” she said. “These are beautiful signs. Everybody’s going to see when they come by.”

Taylor said there are three more signs to be installed across the region. He noted Charlie Reynolds, who works for the West Virginia Division of Highways, had a vision of what the signs should look like.

“He required that they be made out of stainless so they don’t rust. It was great to work with both of them,” Taylor said, referring to Chapman and Reynolds.

Magruder described the sign as special for the community.

“This is amazing for the neighborhood,” he said, adding the connection to Warwood Tool is also special.