Toledo is a city located in northwestern Ohio just south of the Michigan border. Situated on the western end of Lake Erie, the city serves as the county seat of Lucas County. Toledo is located near the intersection of three major Interstate highways: I-80, I-90, and I-75. Two other Interstates (I-280 and I-475) run through the city, which is also serviced by U.S. Routes 20 and 24; and Ohio State Highways 2 and 65. The city is home to the University of Toledo, one of the state's largest institutes of higher learning.
Toledo is in the midst of the Northwest Territory; a region which served as an early battleground between Indian tribes and settlers. The first settlement in the area was named Port Lawrence and was laid out in 1816 at the mouth of Swan Creek. In 1832 another settlement called Vistula was founded about a mile away. It took only a year before the two villages became consolidated into one. The name Toledo was chosen for the joint settlement, which became incorporated in 1837. Since that time, Toledo came to be known as the "Glass City" due to its prominence at the cutting edge of many innovations in the glass industry, including windows, bottles, windshields, and glass art. Several large glass companies (e.g., Owens-Illinois, Owens Corning, Libbey Glass) started in Toledo and have served as principal forces in the city's economy. The other major industry prominent in Toledo's history is automobile parts. Many large companies in this field, including Electric AutoLite, Questor, Champion Spark Plug, and Dana Corporation, began their operations in Toledo. The world-famous Jeep vehicles have been manufactured in the city since 1941.
Places of Interest in Toledo
Numerous cultural and recreational opportunities are available in Toledo. The world-renowned Toledo Museum of Art is home to the nationally recognized Glass Pavilion, a beautiful structure housing a priceless collection of glass art. The Toledo Zoo is nationally recognized as one of the most comprehensive in the nation and is home to the first hippoquarium. The Center of Science and Industry (COSI) operates a science museum whose permanent and traveling exhibits allow a hands-on approach to learning and entertainment. Music fans in the city have a wide variety of options to enjoy, including the Toledo Opera, the Toledo Symphony and the Toledo Ballet. Toledo's Valentine Theatre is over a century old and serves as one of the main components in the city?s downtown revitalization. Outdoor recreation can be found in any of the more than 100 parks owned and operated by the city. Fishing and boating are plentiful on both the Maumee River, which flows through Toledo, and on Lake Erie.
Toledo is the proud home of the Toledo Mud Hens, a Class Triple-A minor league professional baseball team affiliated with Major League Baseball's Detroit Tigers. The Mud Hens, one of Minor League Baseball's oldest teams, compete in the International League and play their home games at Toledo's Fifth Third Field. Another professional team in town is hockey's Toledo Storm, an affiliate of the National Hockey League's Detroit Red Wings. The Storm, who will soon be playing in a new state-of-the-art arena scheduled to undergo construction beginning in late 2007, compete in the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL). Collegiate sports can be found at the University of Toledo, home of the Rockets.
Major-league franchises reside about an hour away in the city of Detroit. The Detroit Lions have long been a staple of the National Football League (NFL) as have the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball (MLB). Basketball's Detroit Pistons (NBA) and hockey's Detroit Red Wings (NHL) are longtime residents of the Motor City, which is also home to the Detroit Shock, a team in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA).
The population of Toledo is approximately 332,943 (1990).
The approximate number of families is 142,125 (1990).
The amount of land area in Toledo is 208.689 sq. kilometers.
The amount of surface water is 8.962 sq kilometers.
The distance from Toledo to Washington DC is 407 miles. The distance to the Ohio state capital is 119 miles. (as the crow flies)
Toledo is positioned 41.66 degrees north of the equator and 83.58 degrees west of the prime meridian.
