Sylvania in Lucas County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
The Ability Center
Photographed By Grant & Mary Ann Fish
1. The Ability Center Marker
Inscription.
The Ability Center. . The Rotary Club of Toledo founded the “Toledo Society for Crippled Children” in 1920 to care for and treat children with disabilities, primarily those with polio. After a decade of fundraising and a substantial bequest from Edward Drummond Libbey, the Society opened a convalescent home in 1931 and moved to its own state-of-the-art facility in 1938. As the 1950s Salk vaccine reduced the prevalence of polio and the needs of Toledo’s disabled changed, the Society shifted focus to offer preschool care, adult rehabilitation, and independent living. The Society relocated to the 17-acre Monroe Street Campus in 1980 and adopted the name “The Ability Center of Greater Toledo” in 1990. The Ability Center proudly celebrated 100 years of “service above self” in 2020 and continues to create a disability-friendly Toledo.
The Rotary Club of Toledo founded the “Toledo Society for Crippled Children” in 1920 to care for and treat children with disabilities, primarily those with polio. After a decade of fundraising and a substantial bequest from Edward Drummond Libbey, the Society opened a convalescent home in 1931 and moved to its own state-of-the-art facility in 1938. As the 1950s Salk vaccine reduced the prevalence of polio and the needs of Toledo’s disabled changed, the Society shifted focus to offer preschool care, adult rehabilitation, and independent living. The Society relocated to the 17-acre Monroe Street Campus in 1980 and adopted the name “The Ability Center of Greater Toledo” in 1990. The Ability Center proudly celebrated 100 years of “service above self” in 2020 and continues to create a disability-friendly Toledo.
Erected 2022 by The Ability Center; Ohio History Connection. (Marker Number 69-48.)
Location. 41° 42.477′ N, 83° 40.305′ W. Marker is in Sylvania, Ohio, in Lucas County.
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Marker is on Monroe Street (Ohio Route 51) 0.1 miles west of Silvertown Drive, on the left when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 5605 Monroe Street, Sylvania OH 43560, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Photographed By Grant & Mary Ann Fish, July 30, 2023
2. The Ability Center building
Marker is visible to the left of the main entrance
Credits. This page was last revised on July 31, 2023. It was originally submitted on July 31, 2023, by Grant & Mary Ann Fish of Galloway, Ohio. This page has been viewed 44 times since then and 7 times this year. Photos:1, 2. submitted on July 31, 2023, by Grant & Mary Ann Fish of Galloway, Ohio. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.
