Sometimes, even the classics need to change.

For many years, the Glassworks Grill and Ihlenfeld Dining Room at Oglebay Park’s Wilson Lodge have been popular dining destinations for tourists and locals alike. Yet, as Wheeling Park Commission President and CEO Bob Peckenpaugh has asked what guests would like to see at the lodge, there has been a common thread of a desire for more and different food options.

Peckenpaugh and other Oglebay administrators have heard those desires loud and clear, and in little more than a month, Wilson Lodge will welcome guests to new, high-quality restaurants to enjoy.

Among the new offerings will be the Trace Chophouse, providing an intimate dining experience with quality steaks and seafood. Then there’s the Skyline Kitchen and Bar, which transforms much of the space that used to be the Glassworks Grill and Ihlenfeld Dining Room into one single dining area offering a gastropub menu against the backdrop of Oglebay’s stunning vista.

Most importantly, while these restaurants are new, they are not abandoning what has made Wilson Lodge so in demand for so long. The Trace Chophouse is named for the “tracers,” the trailblazers who journeyed west along National Road. The restaurant will feature a hearth made of logs from the Zane family’s 18th-century home. The Skyline Kitchen and Bar will include the Ihlenfeld Room, which will honor the family’s philanthropy and also feature pop-up surprise menus.

The always-popular buffets will remain, but instead of tables and chafing dishes, they’ll be served on induction display units. It is obvious that Peckenpaugh and the rest of Oglebay’s brass have taken great care to maintain the link to Wilson Lodge’s history within the park and in the Ohio Valley. Peckenpaugh believes the lodge’s new offerings will keep locals at ease that the essence of what they have loved for so long will remain.

“I think through our consistent service levels, the wonderful people and staff that we have, and the new element of food that we’ll be presenting, I hope they feel like they’ve arrived at home,” he said.

The looks may be new, but the spirit of Wilson Lodge will still be strong.