The Overland Smokestack

The Overland Smokestack. An Iconic Landmark. The Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority played an integral role in retaining the architecturally significant "OVERLAND" smoke stack that has been a highly visible feature of the Jeep Parkway property since 1915., The 100-foot stack is a prominent reminder of Toledo's local heritage and the relevance of the city's role in the industrial revolution as home to the longest running, continually operated manufacturing facility in the nation., The Overland Division of Standard Wheel Company began earning its place in Toledo's motordom history after John North Willys acquired and expanded the Pope-Toledo plant., From 1912 to 1918, the Willys-Overland Motor Company's success skyrocketed to rank as the second-largest producer of automobiles., John North Willys , Served as president, treasurer and general manager for Willys-Overland., In the first six years, he took the plant from nearly 250 employees to over 15,000, which not only shaped the area's industry, but also the neighborhoods in which the workforce lived., Before he began pioneering automobiles, Willys had a successful career in bicycles., Willys-Overland Administration Building c. 1915 , At 373 by 63 feet, and 120 feet high for seven stories, it was described as a skyscraper, and had five elevators. The Georgian revival style structure was built to be "fireproof" - using steel, brick, stone and terra cotta.,