Toledo History

Toledo, the seat of Lucas County, sits on the northern border of Ohio at the western end of Lake Erie. This mid-sized city has long been known as "Frog Town" because of its proximity to what used to be the Great Black Swamp. However, early settlers devoted years to digging ditches and lining them with clay tiles, braving the elements and the disease-bearing mosquitoes, to turn the vast swamp into viable farmland. Toledo is also known for its glass industry, thanks to Edward Libbey and Michael Owens. Their innovations in glass manufacturing have earned Toledo the much more flattering nickname, "The Glass City."

In 1794, during the course of the Northwest Indian War, General "Mad Anthony" Wayne constructed Fort Industry near the site of present-day Toledo, at the junction of Swan Creek and the Maumee River. The war ended with the signing of the Treaty of Greenville in 1795, which stipulated that the 12 miles square around Fort Industry should be established as a reservation. Following the War of 1812, the U.S. Congress decided that this land should be surveyed and auctioned off. It was purchased by two companies who founded two separate settlements, Port Lawrence and Vistula. These two villages united in 1833 to form the town of Toledo.

In 1835, Michigan and Ohio went to war over the strip of land along Ohio's northern border (now known as the Toledo Strip). Michigan dispatched its territorial militia to enforce its claim, and Ohio responded in kind. Fortunately, the only shots fired were in the air, and the only injury was that of a Michigan deputy sheriff, stabbed for his part in the arrest of a partisan Ohio family. In the end, the federal government intervened and persuaded the armed forces to disband. In the settlement, the disputed territory was awarded to Ohio and Michigan was given the Upper Peninsula.

Today, Toledo is considered an important shipping and transportation center. The Port of Toledo, a natural harbor on the Maumee River, is one of the 25 largest ports in the U.S. and handles traffic from more than 1,000 vessels each year. Toledo has also maintained its status as a major manufacturing center, although recently this industry has been in a decline. Jeep, headquartered in Toledo since 1941, was the largest employer in the city until recently. That distinction now falls on the University of Toledo.

Despite its history as an industrial center, Toledo has a strong cultural tradition extending back to its earliest days. The Blade is Toledo's Pulitzer Prize winning daily newspaper, an institution since 1835. The paper first came to prominence during the Civil War era when David Ross Locke penned a number of satirical essays under the pen name Petroleum V. Nasby. President Abraham Lincoln was a fan of Locke's essays, and frequently quoted them. The Toledo Museum of Art is widely regarded as one of the finest in the world, with exhibits ranging from ancient Egypt to present-day U.S. and Europe. The museum, founded by glassmaker Edward Libbey in 1901, features several major collections of glass art. The Stranahan Theater and Great Hall hosts various performing arts including Broadway shows, ballets, operas, and the symphony. Other popular attractions include the world-class Toledo Zoo and the Toledo Botanical Garden. COSI Toledo, a hands-on science museum, provides families with more than 300 exhibits and ongoing educational programs.