What Toledo is known for

The city of Toledo is located in the Toledo Destination, which is in the northwestern part of Ohio. The city is known for its industry in glass and auto assembly. Because of this, it has the nickname "The Glass City."[1] Toledo is the county seat of Lucas County and was initially founded in 1833 as a part of Monroe County, Michigan Territory. Later, in 1837, it was incorporated into Ohio. The city is made up of 84.12 square miles, with 80.69 square miles of it being land and the remaining 3.43 square miles being water. The city stands at an elevation of 614 ft (187 m).[2] The population of Toledo was recorded to be 268,609 within the last year.[10] 

Within the city of Toledo are multiple experiences that tourists can participate in, some of which are the Toledo Zoo, Metroparks Toledo, the Toledo Museum of Art, Imagination Station, the Toledo Botanical Garden, the Toledo Lighthouse, the National Museum of the Great Lakes, the Toledo Speedway, and the Toledo Firefighters Museum[4]. Because of cities close proximity to Lake Erie, there are also options available for water activities. Some water pursuits include swimming, jet skiing, paddleboarding, wakeboarding, waterskiing, kayaking, and sailing.[7] Colleges and universities within the region are the University of Toledo, Davis College, the Mercy College of Ohio, Owens Community College, the Toledo Academy of Beauty, the Toledo Professional Skills Institute, and Tiffin University.[3] 

Another city located within the Toledo Destination is the city of Sandusky. Things to do in Sandusky are Castaway Bay, Cedar Point, the Eleutheros Cooke House and Garden, the Follett House Museum, the Kalahari Waterparks, the Lagoon Deer Park, the Merry-Go-Round Museum, and the Rusty Wallace Racing Experience.[6] Other activities within the area include the African Safari Wildlife Park, Port Clinton City Beach, Lakeview Park, the Miller Ferry, the Marblehead Lighthouse, and various restaurants.[5] 

Geography

The Toledo Destination is located in the northwesternmost corner of Ohio and goes along the border between Ohio, Michigan, and Indiana. The region is relatively small and has an overall rectangular shape. Within the area are multiple cities, the most well-known out of them being Toledo. The city of Toledo is 84.12 square miles in total. Around 80.69 of those square miles consist of land, while the remaining 3.43 square miles are water.[2] Other cities within the destination include Perrysburg, Defiance, Van Wert, Findlay, Fremont, Sandusky, and Bowling Green. Also within the region's borders are five different islands, specifically Catawba Island, Kelleys Island, South Bass Island, Middle Bass Island, and Isle St George. [3]

The surrounding landscape of the city of Toledo is relatively flat with fields, trees, other cities, and various bodies of water. Because of this, the temperature doesn't vary throughout the year massively. Instead, it ranges from an average low of about 26 degrees Fahrenheit to an average high temperature of around 75 degrees Fahrenheit. The city of Toledo receives rain throughout the year with the highest chance of rainfall in June. It does not snow within the destination, and is instead humid, especially in December. Temperatures often reach their lowest point in the middle of February and reach the highest in the middle of July or the beginning of August. Because of this, the best time to visit the destination is from the end of April to the beginning of July.[8] 

The Toledo Destination has landscapes ranging from fields to small forests to lakes and rivers. Because of this, many of the plants and animals that are indigenous to the area can vary depending on where in the region they can be found. Examples of plants in the area are skeleton fork ferns, fan maidenhair ferns, Caribbean pines, reticulate sennas, peacock flowers, calling card vines, horse-eye beans, and pigeon peas. Animals specific to the area include various types of opossums, West Indian manatees, northern tamanduas, northern silky anteaters, and various types of squirrels, monkies, rats, and mice.[9] 

History

Before Toledo became a city, the Toledo Destination was inhabited by the tribes of the Wyandot and by the people of the Council of Three Fires. The first European to find the area was Etienne Brule, who was a French-Canadian explorer. The French established trading posts in the area soon after Brule's exploration because of the advantage of fur trading. A trading post was established at Fort Detroit, settling a new area of land.[2] 

In 1795, the Toledo area was settled by European-Americans. After the American Revolutionary War was fought, regional tribes started what is now called the Northwest Indian War to push away American settlers. They were defeated in 1794 at the Battle of Fallen Timbers. A treaty was written in 1795 that allowed the United States to gain territory in Ohio. Because of this, European-Americans were able to settle the area.[2] 

Construction of the Miami and Erie Canal was authorized in 1824, along with the Wabash and Erie Canal extension later in 1833. At the time that it was built, there were no highways within the state, making it difficult for things to be shipped and delivered—a lot of small towns formed along the Maumee River, specifically on the northern shores. In 1833 the towns of Vistula and Port Lawrence merged and chose the name of Toledo, though the specific reason for it is still unknown.[2]

From 1835-1836 there was a nearly bloodless conflict between the Michigan Territory and Ohio in a war called the Toledo War. The war took place on a narrow strip of land from the Indiana border to Lake Erie. The strip was claimed by both Ohio and the Michigan Territory because of conflicting legislation concerning the state line between the Michigan Territory and Ohio. Militias and soldiers were sent to the strip from both sides but they never engaged. The only casualty was a Michigan deputy sheriff, who was stabbed in the leg with a penknife.[3]

During the first few decades after its settlement, Toledo was slow to expand. When the canal was built, new boats became too big to fit in the terminus in Manhattan. As a result, many of the canal boats started using Swan Creek, putting many of the Manhattan warehouses out of business. It also triggered a lot of movement to Toledo. By 1844, most of Manhattan's residents had moved out. Toledo continued to grow over the course of a few years.[3]

Toledo had a high industrial growth in the 1920s. As more time passed, the population and industry grew. However, because the city relied on manufacturing, it was hit hard by the Great Depression. Many projects helped to reemploy citizens in the 1930s. Thousands of African Americans came to Toledo to work in industrial jobs. Most of them took jobs on Dorr Street, which had a lot of black-owned homes and businesses.[3]