A Toledo’s Attic Slide Presentation Bank Row Location: Foot of Madison Avenue, Toledo This two block strip of Madison Avenue was Toledo's financial district. On this corner in the summer of 1931, thousands of panicked depositors crowded to remove their savings from the city's banks. All but one bank closed their doors and liquidated in the Great Depression. Bicentennial Trees Location: Civic Center Plaza Text: This grove of trees was presented by the Standard Oil Company of Ohio in Celebration of the nation's Bicentennial. Bill of Rights and 10 Commandments Location: Adams and Erie Streets (located within yards of each other) The topic of numerous legal battles, the Ten Commandments monument has been in place for more than five decades. The monument was donated to the city Fraternal Order of the Eagles in 1957. Civil War Urn Location: Civic Center Plaza Text: Dedicated to the Memory of Our Fathers, 1861-1865. Erected by the Daughters of Union Veterans of the Civil War, Regiment No. 66. Dorr Street Location: Dorr runs from Washington St. West to the city limits Dorr Street was the commercial heart of the African American community until it was destroyed in a fit of "Urban Renewal" in the late 1960s. Residents were displaced amid promises to "rebuild" the community. Even today, thirty years later, much of the area remains empty grassy lots. Fort Lawrence & Port Industry Location: NE corner of Summit and Monroe Streets, Toledo This pioneer village, which was united with its downriver rival, Vistula, to be incorporated as Toledo in 1837, was platted by Cincinnati businessmen in 1817. The "Panic" of 1819 caused the enterprise to default. The village was re-platted in 1832. A two-story log warehouse along Swan Creek was the first important structure. The village was named for Captain James Lawrence, War of 1812 naval hero. Text: On the site, July 4, 1805, a treaty was concluded with the chiefs of the Ottawa, Chippewa, Pottawatomie, Shawnee, Muncie, and Delaware tribes. The Indians ceded their title to over 2.7 million acres in the Firelands, now Erie and Huron counties, and the Connecticut Western Reserve. Little else is known about "Fort Industry", which appears as a symbolic blockhouse on Toledo’s official seal and flag. General Steedman Memorial Location: Galena and Summit Sts. Carrick's Ford - Chickamauga - James B. Steedman, Major- General, U.S.V. - Born 1817, Died 1883 - Erected by W.J. Finlay, 1888. Government Center Location: In front of Government Center, Jackson Blvd., Toledo Text: After consolidation of the villages of Fort Lawrence and Vistula, the City of Toledo was incorporated in 1837. Originally named "Toledo" in 1833, the site became part of Ohio when the "Toledo War," a bloodless boundary conflict with Michigan, was resolved by Congress in 1836. Settlers were attracted by the commercial potential of the Maumee River, called "Miami of the Lake," and later the Miami-Erie Canal. With water and rail transportation, Toledo developed into a major trade center and world port. Before 1900, Toledo manufactured large numbers of bicycles and wagons, In this century, Toledo has become a major automotive manufacturing center. The glass industry was attracted to Toledo in 1888 by the discovery of natural gas south of the city. Since then, Toledo has been widely known as "Glass Capital of the World." Jeep Parkway Location: Jeep Pkwy, Toledo Text: BIRTHPLACE OF THE JEEP. In 1909, John North Willys moved the Overland Auto Co. from Indianapolis to the former Pope- Toledo plant on Central Avenue. As Willys- Overland, the company expanded its facilities and ranked second in annual auto production nationwide from 1912 to 1916. Here were developed and produced various models of the Overland, Willys-Knight, Whippet, Willys, and Jeep vehicles. In 1940, Willys engineer Delmar "Barney" Roos, developed a prototype for a rugged, lightweight vehicle for the Army. Production began in 1941. Of the 651,068 Jeeps produced during World War II, Toledo’s Willys- Overland Motors assembled 57% of them, one every 1 1/3 minutes. By the war’s end (1945) the versatile Jeep (General Purpose Vehicle) was known the world over. Memorial Hall Monument Location: Central Library, Toledo Text: This marker commemorates the old Soldier's Memorial Hall that stood near this site until the 1950s. Memorial Hall was built by the donations of Civil War veterans and included both a Civil War museum and a public meeting hall that hosted many famous speakers. Port of Toledo Display Location: Beneath the west approach of the Cherry Street Bridge Text: Toledo and the River - Ships and the River - People and the River This display has been developed through the courtesy of the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority. Text and graphics by the Institute for Great Lakes Research, Bowling Green State University. Design by Joseph Vecchio. Artifacts donated by Columbia Transportation Division/Oglebay Norton Company and Ninth United States Coast Guard District/Aids to Navigation. Richard T. Gosser Memorial Location: Ashland Avenue Text: Richard T. Gosser - Labor Leader - Vice President - U.A.W. - 1947-1962 River Walk-Central Plaza Location: Summit and Washington Sts. Text: The year 1817 marks Toledo's origin. In that year Cincinnati businessmen purchased land along the Maumee River and at the mouth Swan Creek and platted Port Lawrence in what was presumed to be the Territory of Michigan. The first important building was a two-story log warehouse, built near this spot on the west bank of the creek. A financial panic two years later caused the community enterprise to default. The village was replatted in 1832. A rival village of Vistula was established just downstream from Port Lawrence in 1833 by Benjamin Stickney and Edward Bissell. Both towns competed for growth and the lake trade. River Walk-Middle Grounds Location: Summit and Washington Sts. Text: The Middle Grounds served as the nucleus for Toledo's commercial development. In the city's early years it was first called the Middle Ground due to its location between Swan Creek and the Maumee River. Landfill expanded this area which was originally a narrow strip of land adjacent marshes. Docks, warehouses, grain elevators, and the city's train depot were all built on and along the Middle Grounds. There were even hotels, boarding houses and a church for railroaders and sailors. The historic Oliver House (1859) sets on the area's highest elevation. In 1840 the Hotel sight [sic] had been designated as Courthouse Square. The major means of transportation of the day, lake vessels, canal boats and railroads, all converged at the middle grounds creating an area of great commercial activity. The destructive 1883 flood changed the face of this area forever. The train depot was moved to higher ground and in time the area was relegated to use for rail yards and warehousing. Declining use of the Erie Canal, which terminated at Swan Creek, forced grain elevators to relocate upriver. By the 1880's this once busy commercial area fell into neglect and was all but forgotten. An attempt at residential development failed in the early 1990s. In 1997 Owens-Corning Corporation dedicated its corporate headquarters on the middle grounds with a dramatic contemporary building bringing new faces and a new life to the historic area. River Walk-Warehouse District Location: Summit and Washington Sts. Text: West of this site on can see a number of older buildings of varying size and design. This area, adjacent to downtown Toledo, served as a center for wholesale warehousing, storage, and shipping for many years. The growth of this area was largely due to the close proximity of Swan Creek which was commercially navigable at that time. This waterway also served as the northern terminus of the Miami and Erie Canal from Cincinnati until 1913, thus providing access for both lake and canal shipping. Major rail lines including The Clover Leaf Division of the Toledo, St. Louis and Western R.R. (later the Nickel Plate R.R.) offered, direct rail service to the major businesses and warehouses. An electric interurban line and trucking facilities also operated from the area. Swayne Field Location: Monroe and Detroit Avenues, Toledo Text: Swayne Field was the home field of the Toledo Mud Hens. Over this wall flew balls hit by many baseball legends. The Toledo Blade Location: Toledo Text: The Toledo Blade is the city’s oldest continuing business. The newspaper was first published on December 19, 1835, during the Ohio- Michigan boundary dispute known as the "Toledo War." The name is derived from that conflict and the famous swords of Toledo, Spain. A copy of the first edition and two gift swords from that Spain city are displayed inside the Blade Building. David Ross Locke, editor (1865-1888), made The Blade nationally known. Using the pseudonym, Petroleum V. Nasby, Locke gained fame for his satirical Nasby Letters and advocacy of social reforms. On May 1, 1927, President Coolidge assisted Paul Block, Blade publisher (1926-1941), by touching a gold key at the White House to officially start the presses at this location. The Toledo Zoo Location: The Anthony Wayne Trail entrance to the zoo The Anthony Wayne Trail, constructed in the 1930s, was built over much of the shared route of two canal systems: The Wabash and Erie, which joined Toledo with Indiana and operated from 1843 until 1874; and the Miami and Erie, which joined Toledo with Cincinnati and operated from 1845 until 1913. These development in the Maumee Valley were responsible for the creation of the Great Lakes port city of Toledo. Text: Now ranked among the country’s finest, Text: Hard hit as any city by the Great the zoo began in 1900 with one large Depression of the 1930s, Toledo benefited woodchuck in a box at Walbridge Park.