Home To Jeep / Middlegrounds Metropark
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Because of its dependence on manufacturing, Toledo suffered high unemployment during The Great Depression. On the onset of World War II, Toledo industries began to focus on wartime production, and unemployment concerns disappeared. Toledo made a unique contribution to the war effort as the home of Willys-Overland Company, which started producing Jeeps in 1941.
Middlegrounds
Metropark
Once deemed uninhabitable
swamp, this 28 acres of land
has transformed many times.
Through the 1800-1900s trains
and canal boats traversed
this site carrying freight and
people at an astonishing rate.
Buildings sprang up on this site
to accommodate the grain,
lumber and passengers delivered
daily. However, floods, fires and
progress away from the Middle
Grounds lead to the site's decay
in the 1970s. Standing as a
dumping ground for many years
this site was purchased in 2006
by Metroparks utilizing a grant
from the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Coastal and
Estuarine Land Conservation
Program.
Did you know?
Middlegrounds Metropark
was named for the acreage
purchased in downtown Toledo
that was once the middle
ground between the rowdy
canalers and the
brawling railroaders.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Parks & Recreational Areas
this page online
Location. 41° 38.36′ N, 83° 32.116′ W. Marker is in Toledo, Ohio, in Lucas County. It is in Southside. Marker is on Ottawa Street, 0.2 miles south of Clayton Street (Ohio Route 52), on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 111 Ottawa St, Toledo OH 43604, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Bigger, Better, Quicker, Faster! / The Glass City (here, next to this marker); The Toledo Rotary: Service Above Self / Local and Global Actions (here, next to this marker); Ohio-Michigan War: A War Without Casualties / Canal Boom (here, next to this marker); Land in High Demand / Treaty of Fort Industry (here, next to this marker); Don't Let This Bridge Leave You In Suspense! (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); The Oliver House (approx. 0.3 miles away); Erie and Kalamazoo Railroad / Toledo As A Rail Center (approx. 0.3 miles away); Basset's Nut Co. (approx. 0.6 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Toledo.
Credits. This page was last revised on February 4, 2023. It was originally submitted on May 19, 2021, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. This page has been viewed 117 times since then and 11 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on May 19, 2021, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.
