Toledo, Ohio - March 12, 2011 - Sunny & Bright -> Gray, Cold, & Windy

 

All Photographs Copyright © 2011 by Robert E Pence

 

Lacking transportation alternatives, I drove to Toledo to attend an All Aboard Ohio meeting at Central Union Terminal. Afterward I set out to take some photos around the city.

 

The westbound Lake Shore Limited is due at Toledo at 5:55am. When I pulled up in front of the station about 9:30am, the train was sitting at the platform,

delayed by a track washout and detour in New York State.

 

 

 

 

Viewliner sleepers and a baggage car bring up the rear.

 

 

 

 

 

Saturday's New York Times, headlined with news of the 8.9 earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After the meeting, I picked a street and followed it to see where it went. The morning had started sunny and pleasant,

but by 11 0'clock overcast was building and the wind was picking up. The day quickly turned cold, damp, windy, and unpleasant.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The siren echoed through mostly-empty streets.

 

 

 

 

 

 

By the time I got to the Erie Street Market, the winter farmers' market already had closed for the day. The Libbey Glass Factory Outlet was open,

though, and doing a brisk business. I sought respite from the cold wind and found some things I liked, on sale.

 

 

 

 

From  the market I saw this imposing old building and went to check it out. The faded letters painted

on the bricks said "Fireproof Storage" but I wonder if it had an earlier, more interesting use. The design

reminds me of some late-19th century powerhouse buildings for large factories.

 

 

 

I had a flashlight in my pocket, and in younger, more reckless times I might have been tempted to explore. Now, not by myself.

 

 

 

A burnout next door.

 

 

 

This might have made the firefighters nervous.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Good Shepherd Catholic Church.

 

 

 

Been here long?

 

 

Nice!

 

 

 

 

 

Kessler Park, a pocket park off Main Street. The script above the arch says "Lucas County Power Station."

 

 

 

Former Movie Theater?

 

 

 

Acme Power Plant, inactive since 1993 and undergoing partial demolition. I'm not a fan of drive-by photography, but by this time I felt like I was on the brink of hypothermia,

notwithstanding multiple layers under a jacket that's usually resistant to wind.

 

 

 

 

 

That's all I can stand! I'll find a large hot coffee, and then I'm headed for home!

Nice set Rob.  I really like the NYT pic.

 

Nice. Thanks for posting.

 

"I drove to Toledo to attend an All Aboard Ohio meeting."

 

So sad. I can't blame you for driving, since there is no better way to get there, but it just feels so hopeless.

Thank you. I have taken your suggestion to improve my wording.

It strangely reminds me of west Texas with these photos.

 

Very cool!

The distinctive Robert Pence style.

Not having been to the Toledo passenger station, are there plans to keep it up in better shape - at least from the trackside? First impressions are always the ones that stick around the longest, and many cities have let their stations fall into disrepair. Not to nitpick, but the concrete is crumbling, there is unsightly brush on the hillsides, rust everywhere, and newspapers for sale (or to take?) in a shopping cart.

 

One of the better moves was the Cattletsburg, KY depot, which was in one of those 1970s Amshack stations, and was relocated to the former C&O Freight Depot in Ashland about a decade back. Nice and clean, with a modern interior, and a clean exterior. The old location was decrepit but maintained.

Wow...that was bleak.

It strangely reminds me of west Texas with these photos.

Hmm. Being familiar with both places, I'm trying to see the resemblance:

 

 

 

 

Not having been to the Toledo passenger station, are there plans to keep it up in better shape - at least from the trackside? First impressions are always the ones that stick around the longest, and many cities have let their stations fall into disrepair. Not to nitpick, but the concrete is crumbling, there is unsightly brush on the hillsides, rust everywhere, and newspapers for sale (or to take?) in a shopping cart.

 

One of the better moves was the Cattletsburg, KY depot, which was in one of those 1970s Amshack stations, and was relocated to the former C&O Freight Depot in Ashland about a decade back. Nice and clean, with a modern interior, and a clean exterior. The old location was decrepit but maintained.

I remember the lovely Catlettsburg depot; I changed from the Cardinal to the Hilltopper there in 1979. It must have been designed by the same architect who created South Bend's charming Amtrak station.

 

The newspapers had just arrived on the Lake Shore Limited, and hadn't yet been picked up by the intended recipient. If recipient is a local carrier/distributor, his/her customers got their New York Times a little late that morning.

 

Toledo Central Union Terminal is steadily being cleaned up and fixed up. It looks a lot better now than it did when I first saw it in 2008. Well, that wasn't really my first visit; the first time was when I took a train from Detroit's Michigan Central Station to Toledo about 1980. Conrail was using it for offices then and it was thoroughly trashed. The property now is owned by Port Authority of Toledo, and they've been working on it as funds become available, which isn't exactly an avalanche of money in Toledo's economy. The interior has had a first-class restoration and is in use by various municipal agencies as well as Amtrak. Amtrak is now in the former baggage room at track level, and only the platform nearest the station entrance is in use. Plans call for making repairs to the other platforms and moving Amtrak upstairs to the original main waiting/ticketing area in order to gain multi-platform access via the overhead concourse in preparation for the day when public support and demand for more trains will overwhelm the likes of Kasich.

 

The overgrown brush is on Norfolk Southern property, and neither the Port Authority nor Amtrak has any jurisdiction there.

 

The platforms need work, but much trash has been cleaned up and there's no tagging on or around the platforms and station building. Actually, it's in surprisingly good shape considering the long-term low level of utilization it has experienced. To see my photos from three years ago, including interior shots, go here.

 

Wow...that was bleak.

This time of year, the Lake Erie cities redefine bleakness. In the photos you can't see the 35-mph wind.

Did a neutron bomb hit? Were there any people around?

It strangely reminds me of west Texas with these photos.

Hmm. Being familiar with both places, I'm trying to see the resemblance:

 

 

 

 

It was probably the bleakness and clouds that reminded me sort of like Amarillo or Lubbock.

I can agree with that part. I only know Amarillo by reputation, and I'm fortunate to never have been there. The above photos were taken in the San Angelo area in 1963 while I was stationed at Goodfellow AFB just outside San Angelo, which overall was a pretty nice town that treated USAF people well. I had the misfortune to spend January 1965 TDY at Sheppard AFB, near Wichita Falls. Leaden skies, perpetual wind, and freaky skittish weather. One morning it snowed so hard I couldn't see across the street, with lots of thunder, and dropped about four inches of accumulation in about twenty minutes. Three hours later when I came out of the classroom building to go to lunch, the snow was gone and dust was blowing around. Dismal place.

 

Did a neutron bomb hit? Were there any people around?

All my Toledo photos were taken on Saturdays; that's when the All Aboard Ohio meetings are held. With the massive loss of manufacturing jobs and the annihilation of downtown retail, the urban core areas are desolate on Saturdays. The only exception is the beautiful public library, which gets a lot of activity. There are photos of the CBD and more of Central Union Terminal here.

The crazy thing is that these are nice parts of Toledo. The are much more bleak places in this city than this.

Did a neutron bomb hit?

 

Economically, yes.

Not having been to the Toledo passenger station, are there plans to keep it up in better shape - at least from the trackside? First impressions are always the ones that stick around the longest, and many cities have let their stations fall into disrepair. Not to nitpick, but the concrete is crumbling, there is unsightly brush on the hillsides, rust everywhere, and newspapers for sale (or to take?) in a shopping cart.

 

One of the better moves was the Cattletsburg, KY depot, which was in one of those 1970s Amshack stations, and was relocated to the former C&O Freight Depot in Ashland about a decade back. Nice and clean, with a modern interior, and a clean exterior. The old location was decrepit but maintained.

 

Toledo has big plans for its station, though not much money. Words cannot describe what the economy is like here. But give credit where credit is due. This is Ohio's top Amtrak station, and Toledo has pushed hard for more passenger rail. There is a lot more political support in Toledo than you find elsewhere in Ohio.

 

And if you think Toledo's train station is bad (it's really not, especially the late art deco lobby), check out the airport!

Wow, Robert, talk about a photo-essay...this is a real blend of urban decay, promising pockets of progress, and unrecognized future potential. Almost like a photographic metaphor for much of the nation these days. As for Wichita Falls, TX, (and Sheppard AFB) my spouse and I met there, graduated from Midwestern State U. and couldn't wait to get away from there fast enough in the early 1980's. I  wholely concur with your personal assessments of that place as well as the rugged panhandle towns. We did what most grads did back then: (and still do today) we moved to the booming Dallas-Ft. Worth area.  After 25 years of doing that gig, we're ready to start our next adventure in Cincinnati. (that is, whenever we can sell our home) Despite the discouraging 2010 census numbers, colder weather, and higher taxes, Ohio has appeal for some aging boomers like us who appreciate the beautiful old architecture and a slower pace in many places.  I love the railroading photos... railroading goes back 5 generations on my father's side; I too worked in the trade repairing railcars in my grandfather's (Evanston, WY) shop the 1970's. I still love the old depots, steam engines and the unique railroad atmosphere. That's one 19th century invention that has not been made obsolete... yet. Thanks for the photos.

And just an FYI, you're not going to find stuff like Good Shepherd in West Texas. :wink: Toledo is thoroughly Great Lakes, and this is why it looks like hell in winter (all the grit looks dirtier and bleaker in the cold, cloudy months). I actually get more of a Russia after WW2 vibe in these photos. And I feel more Russia when standing along the frozen Maumee River or Lake Erie.

Great pics by a talented photographer. RP, you actually make Toledo look more interesting than what it really is (no offense to Toledoans). I've been to Toledo 3 times, and the two times I went in the winter, it felt like I stepped back 20 years in time. Dayton and Toledo share a very similar feel IMO, although the neighborhoods are denser in Toledo with narrower streets.

 

 

And just an FYI, you're not going to find stuff like Good Shepherd in West Texas. :wink: Toledo is thoroughly Great Lakes, and this is why it looks like hell in winter (all the grit looks dirtier and bleaker in the cold, cloudy months). I actually get more of a Russia after WW2 vibe in these photos. And I feel more Russia when standing along the frozen Maumee River or Lake Erie.

 

From the outside, at least, Good Shepherd is in way better shape than many parishes in gritty neighborhoods. The windows are all intact and none are boarded over, even in the dome, and the grounds are well kept. I like the density there, too; the church isn't isolated in a sea of asphalt parking lots like so many. Something else I've noticed about those neighborhoods in Toledo is that, even though they're poor, sometimes impoverished, they're not trashy and slathered with tagging. They look like somebody must care a little bit. I've only been there on Saturdays in early or late winter, and I want to go visit some more on weekdays in warmer weather to see how things compare.

 

I was wondering, does Toledo have any area comparable to Columbus' German Village or Dayton's Oregon District, with historic buildings and homes that have been restored and are maintained, and with period-appropriate infill?

 

Great pics by a talented photographer. RP, you actually make Toledo look more interesting than what it really is (no offense to Toledoans). I've been to Toledo 3 times, and the two times I went in the winter, it felt like I stepped back 20 years in time. Dayton and Toledo share a very similar feel IMO, although the neighborhoods are denser in Toledo with narrower streets.

 

I don't get the same feeling from Dayton; I think there's a little more activity downtown, even on weekends, and Dayton doesn't feel quite so much like a near-abandoned big city. Toledo isn't without good stuff, though. The art museum and the zoo both are world-class, and I haven't visited either in many years. I plan to remedy that this summer. The public library is a gorgeous building on which the county commissioners spent a bundle, making necessary retrofits and updates while preserving its architectural integrity. When I saw it on a Saturday last November, a lot of people were coming and going.

Since you asked, I believe Toledo's Old West End is one of the largest National Register Historic Districts in the country. Locals please correct me if I'm mistaken.

Great pics by a talented photographer. RP, you actually make Toledo look more interesting than what it really is (no offense to Toledoans). I've been to Toledo 3 times, and the two times I went in the winter, it felt like I stepped back 20 years in time. Dayton and Toledo share a very similar feel IMO, although the neighborhoods are denser in Toledo with narrower streets.

 

I actually get the opposite feel.  Toledo is more "Great Lakes" than Dayton and has wider streets, particularly in the neighborhoods (ala Buffalo).  Dayton has wide thoroughfares (Keowee, Third, Main) but the residential streets are quite narrow.

There is a big difference between Toledo in the summer and Toledo in the winter. Toledo is much more alive in the summer and there can be considerable activity on the water. The culture is one that embraces warm weather and holes up inside during cold weather. I think it's the most extreme version of that in Ohio (to be fair, the wind chills are horrible). Toledo is probably like Dayton in the winter, but it's something different in the summer. Toledo has a long stretch of huge ethnic/drinking festivals and the water is utilized very well (4th of July in Toledo gets over 150,000 people and has a much better environment than Columbus). In winter, I have no idea who has more vitality (they both are weak), but I suspect Dayton does maintain slightly more cold weather activity. The joke in Toledo is that every business in the city is seasonal. Sadly, there is a lot of truth in that. There is not a place around here that doesn't slow in the winter, but at least it's not quite as severe as Ottawa County. Toledo is semi-reliant on seasonal business. Ottawa County is entirely reliant on it.

 

I was wondering, does Toledo have any area comparable to Columbus' German Village or Dayton's Oregon District, with historic buildings and homes that have been restored and are maintained, and with period-appropriate infill?

 

Since you asked, I believe Toledo's Old West End is one of the largest National Register Historic Districts in the country. Locals please correct me if I'm mistaken.

 

Correct. The Old West End is a larger restored area than Oregon District or German Village (and has some of the nation's most grand, jaw-dropping architecture), but we're talking apples and oranges. The Old West End has no commercial vitality and is further away from downtown. I think it's Ohio's prettiest neighborhood, but it's not the best neighborhood (from a functional standpoint). It's just not comparable to Oregon District or German Village. Better comparisons in Toledo would be neighborhoods closer to downtown like Vistula, Uptown, and lord willing someday, East Toledo along Main. All three of those neighborhoods in Toledo are hurting, though there have been rehabs scattered about. Some great rowhouses have been saved in Vistula along with some commercial buildings (meaning strong potential). And Mickey Finn's in Vistula is actually one of the city's more famous bars. Streets like Lagrange and North Summit are loaded with potential. I hope the North End can recover and become an Oregon District or German Village. The Main Street neighborhood in East Toledo has a ton of potential too, and it has some of the city's most famous concert venues like Frankies Inner City. Outside of nightlife? That seems to be a bigger struggle, though you see businesses that have survived here and there. Nothing in Toledo is comparable to Oregon District or German Village though. Toledo hasn't been able to support retail. It can support drinking. Based on what I know, Oregon District and German Village have strong retail scenes and wealth. People don't just go there to get drunk. The neighborhoods seem more protective of their image. In Toledo, it's "take whatever we can get." There are instances of nice indie bars being near violent shootout nightclubs and and pawn shops selling Saturday night specials. This is the culture of Toledo. The city is terrible at doing yuppie districts. Even the Warehouse District still has strip clubs near the Mud Hens (that one that did "Lapdances for Haiti" comes to mind). Sometimes I think it hurts the city's image, especially when outsiders visit the urban core. Every time outsiders take the time to get to know Toledo, they comment on how gritty, sad, poor, and scary it seems. I'll admit there's some truth to it. Toledo can be a depressing place, but most people see its potential. It is actually in much better shape than it should be when you consider what happened to its economy.

 

Toledo's Warehouse District (not the section by the train station, but closer to downtown) has seen a lot of rehabs and new bars. Still, retail is a problem. There are coffee shops, art galleries, and specialty shops, but the bread and butter grocery stores are not there (Erie Street Market was supposed to fill that hole). Overall, it still beats most cities in similar economic straits.

 

The Old South End is the largest Mexican barrio in Ohio, and surprisingly, some businesses are surviving along Broadway against the economic odds. But it will be a cold day in hell before this neighborhood becomes a yuppie district. Still, the potential is there. Toledo is a frustrating city because there are some streets with lots of potential like Broadway, Detroit Avenue, Monroe, and Sylvania Avenue, but they're not exactly the easiest places for gentrification to happen. I actually think East Toledo will come back before any of the neighborhoods along those streets do. East Toledo feels like it is finally hitting bottom. The location is perfect, and lots of density and structure is still there. It is actually one of the most intact slums in the Rust Belt. That's impressive given all the poverty and crime.

 

Great pics by a talented photographer. RP, you actually make Toledo look more interesting than what it really is (no offense to Toledoans).

 

None taken. Even people who love Toledo are honest enough to admit the city has gone to hell. The economy is the reason. It's tough to maintain the gentrification movement since the prime target market keeps moving away for better jobs. The Three C's are fighting a battle. Toledo is fighting a war.

 

Toledo's strengths are its wide-ranging ethnic diversity, summer festivals, food, harbor location, building stock, world class art museum, world class zoo, and world class library. Its weaknesses are everything else.

Great pics by a talented photographer. RP, you actually make Toledo look more interesting than what it really is (no offense to Toledoans). I've been to Toledo 3 times, and the two times I went in the winter, it felt like I stepped back 20 years in time. Dayton and Toledo share a very similar feel IMO, although the neighborhoods are denser in Toledo with narrower streets.

 

I actually get the opposite feel.  Toledo is more "Great Lakes" than Dayton and has wider streets, particularly in the neighborhoods (ala Buffalo).  Dayton has wide thoroughfares (Keowee, Third, Main) but the residential streets are quite narrow.

 

Toledo has some areas of extremely narrow residential streets in its historic parts (even the less dense Old West End has narrow streets, just larger setbacks than normal in Toledo). Parts of East Toledo and LaGrinka have residential streets that are pretty damn tight. The arterials in Toledo are somewhat "wide", but less wide than Buffalo or Columbus. Also noteworthy in Toledo is the narrowness of Madison and Huron in downtown. It gives it a dense, urban canyon feel. If anything, Toledo stands out for not having as much street widening as the norm on the Great Lakes. This is due to all the protests against it. Toledo gets a lot of credit in this area. It protested the waterfront proposal for I-75 and it protested destruction of the city through street widenings (excluding Dorr and Cherry of course). Toledo learned from some of the mistakes seen in other cities. Of course damage was done like you see in Detroit, Cleveland, and Buffalo (Dorr and Cherry are just heartbreaking), but it could have been worse. The city is more intact that its economy would suggest.

 

Most of Toledo's problems are directly related to its economy. Sprawl has been surprisingly limited (the least sprawled metro in Ohio by a good margin), and some of the slums are surviving against every rule in the book. They'd probably be long dead anywhere else. The census proved that no matter how bad the economy gets in Toledo, it somehow manages to maintain more population than it should. This city just might have a chance at urban recovery while avoiding the shrinking city models that are seen elsewhere in the Rust Belt. It's bleak, depressing, and very rundown, but dammit, it's fighting the good fight. Toledo is not throwing in the towel and saying, "We're going to be a smaller city. The suburbs won." Places using the shrinking city model are just giving up against the suburbs.

great thread -- very stark and wintery!

 

 

The Old South End is perhaps/recently the largest Mexican barrio in Ohio

 

edited that for you!  :wink: