fm I TBRfiRY OF CONGRESS ilff 014 750 751 3 \ JUL ©CI.A614991 T By Way of Introduction HIS book represents the compiling of a series of news- paper advertisements describing the historic background of Toledo. School teachers and pupils and others interested in local history, have followed this series with such interest, that at their request, the brief history is put in this more permanent form. For some of the facts herein contained, we wish to express our appreciation to Nevin O. Winter's His- tory of Northwestern Ohio. Our Public Library is rich in volumes like this for those who desire a more extended knowledge of their city's history. The Toledo Savings Bank & Trust Co. Corner Summit and Jefferson Established 1868 Copyright 1921— The Toledo Savings Bank & Trust Co. A Short History of Toledo c |^VIQW*0F*0I/D*T0I^eD0,3PAirU Historic Toledo No. 1 Know Your City's History "VTO section of the country is richer ■^ in historic happenings and asso- ciations than Northwestern Ohio. What could be more appropriate than that her wondrous story should be briefly told by Toledo's original and oldest savings bank. Just a word, by way of intro- duction, about Toledo, Spain, after which our city is named. Toledo is one of the oldest cities of Europe, and was long noted for the fine swords made there. In the Toledo Blade counting room, today, can be seen on display, a fine pair of swords, the ancient Toledo Blades, presented to D. R. Locke, famous former editor of this paper. He was better known to the world as Petroleum V. Nasby, writer of the Nasby Letters, and was one of the original directors of this bank. In 1908, during the celebration of the Wamba festival, many of the traditions of Old Toledo, Spain, were revived in gorgeous pageantry, in the new and rapidly growing, Toledo, Ohio, U. S. A. L The Toledo Savings Bank & Trust Co. /£ Corner Summit and Jefferson Established 1868 A Short History of Toledo Historic Toledo No. 2 Indian Days TPHIS chapter of our brief Toledo ■■• history will take us up to the building of Fort Industry, the first habitation of white men in what is now Toledo. During the latter part of the 18th century there were about 7000 Indians in Northwestern Ohio. What is now Detroit Avenue was part of an old Indian road, leading from Detroit to Pittsburg. In this section some of the hottest fighting between the red men and the white took place, Near Toledo are the historic battlegrounds of Fallen Tim- bers and Turkey Foot Rock, reminders of the defeat of the Indians by Amer- ican forces under General Wayne, in 1794. These battlegrounds may be seen by anyone visiting the towns of Maumee or Perrysburg. It was the Indian warfare described above that led to the building of Fort Industry, on the site of which this bank began business 74 years later. Indian Days are commemorated in the names of some of our Toledo streets, such as Tecumseh, named after the great Indian chieftain of this section. The Toledo Savings Bank & Trust Co. Corner Summit and Jefferson Established 1868 A Short History of Toledo ~7 :vv •Mi- \j- AAV' ■ ^/3 tr > -». .'""«— * •"*%. — I**--. ^ •• ». TOLEDO IN 179** -.flour the Easterly Corner of Summit and tfrnro* 5ft Historic Toledo No. 3 Fort Industry HPHIS old blockhouse is of particular ■*■ interest to us in this series of To- ledo history talks, for two reasons. First, because it was the original habitation for white men on the loca- tion of what is now Toledo, and second, it was situated on the same spot where, in 1868, this bank began business. Fort Industry, according to John Gunckel's Early History of the Mau- mee Valley, was built by General Wayne, in August, 1794, as a stockade against the Indians. It was used afterwards as a trading post, until 1805, and really did not become a fort until 1813, when it was used by Gen- eral Harrison for the deposit of surplus ammunition, clothing, etc., while en- route to Canada. The location of the fort is marked today by the Fort Industry Block, on the northeast corner of Summit and Monroe streets. A well-worn wood tablet on the Monroe street side of the building, tells Fort Industry's history. The Toledo Savings Bank & Trust Co. Corner Summit and Jefferson Established 1868 A Short History of Toledo j^V-i^— -* 1 from a /*?ap /*7ae/e /n /834. $^oa//rig 7d/ec/o /'/? /V/c/i/gan Courtesy of 6bb*ft S Oottin ' Historic Toledo No. 4 The City Founded HPOLEDO is the combination of two ■*• early settlements, Port Lawrence and Vistula. There were other settle- ments such as Marengo and Gilead, but these soon gave up the struggle and were absorbed. Port Lawrence commenced at a point on the river, near what is now Lynn St. and ran directly west, crossing Madison near Ontario. It was located in 1817. In 1832, a dissatisfied faction with- drew and located a new plat a little further down the river, called Vistula. At a public meeting held in 1835, the two rival settlements merged, under the name of Toledo, suggested, it is said, by W. J. Daniels, who had been reading Spanish history. The map above shows Toledo (or rather Port Lawrence) in 1834, located in Michigan. In 1836, this territory was definitely awarded to Ohio, end- ing a bitter controversy known as the Toledo War. The Toledo Savings Bank & Trust Co. Corner Summit and Jefferson Established 1868 A Short History of Toledo Historic Toledo No. 5 Early Transportation 'T'OLEDO, one of the greatest rail- A way centers, has always been a pioneer in transportation. In 1843 the Miami & Erie Canal was opened for navigation. By 1848, 4000 canal boats cleared from Toledo, then a village of two thousand people. About the time the rival cities joined to form Toledo, in 1836, the first railroad west of the Alleghenies was built here, the Erie and Kalama- zoo, which ran from Toledo to Adrian "at a speed," says the Toledo Blade of that day, "of 20 miles an hour." In 1869, one year after this bank's founding, this line became part of the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern. The Wabash line was opened in 1855. The forerunner of the G. H. & D. was started in 1859, to Dayton; the B. & O. reached here in 1873, and a line to Columbus was completed in 1876. From those early days down to to- day, this bank has been a favorite with railroad men. The Toledo Savings Bank & Trust Co. Corner Summit and Jefferson Established 1868 A Short History of Toledo Historic Toledo 1 Tr/ntty ffi/scapa/ Cnvrcn, £. O/d f\>$t 0//f/cv S/te, 3 Boody /fovse, f Otd 'firrit C/ivrcK So/d JtAtu/s /*■£: Chwch. ^/«m on oU ' patttt/sif by *VM. rfachm.) (Used by permission of E. A. Machen, owner of copyright) npOLEDO was incorporated as a city ■*■ in 1837. It was really only a small village with an uncertain population, not exceeding 1200. The first mayor was John Berdan, whose descendants are still prominent in the commercial and social life of the city. In 1845 there was elected to the mayor's office a prominent Quaker and Abolitionist, Richard Mott, who was to be 23 years later, the first president of this bank. The industrial history of Toledo began during the 40's. The Milburn Wagon Works, to this day one of the city's chief industries, was established in 1847. The predecessors of the whole- sale house of Berdan & Company began business in 1836. By 1853 Toledo had a population of about 8500, and was already an im- portant grain center. Geographically, Toledo was divided into Upper Town, with fine residences on Monroe street, and Lower Town, with the best homes on Lagrange street. The first street railway company, operating horse cars, was organized in 1860. No. 6 Pioneer Days L The Toledo Savings Bank & Trust Co. Corner Summit and Jefferson Established 1868 A Short History of Toledo Historic Toledo No, 7 Toledo in the Civil War rOR 20 years prior to the Civil War " anti-slavery sentiment was strong throughout Toledo and Northwestern Ohio. A number of prominent Toledo citizens aided in the escape of negro slaves on their way to Canada. On April 15, 1861, three days after the assault on Fort Sumter, a call was issued at Toledo for patriots to gather at the Union Depot. Speeches were delivered by J. B. Steedman and H. S. Cummager, and by Morrison R. Waite. Enlistment here progressed rapidly. By 1862, 2143 men from Lucas County had joined the Union ranks. Among the Toledo and Northwestern Ohio men who particularly dis- tinguished themselves during the Civil War were: James B. Mc Pherson, James B. Steedman, John W. Fuller, Charles W. Hill, R. P. Buckland and Isaac R. Sherwood. It was only three years after the close of the Civil War that this bank began business during a period which very much resembled that following the close of the great World War. The Toledo Savings Bank & Trust Co. Corner Summit and Jefferson Established 1868 A Short History of Toledo ni iff I I.I I IltJ Historic Toledo No. 8 Post-Bellum Days 76/ado's F>//>c//>aV Bcs/rrass S/oc/t Jn 7>