by Steve Steel
The Toledo City Paper
Article published March 31, 2005
Here’s a quiz to find out how well you know historic Downtown Toledo.
If you didn’t do well on the quiz, rest assured that you are not alone.
"Many people walk through Downtown regularly and don’t realize that they are walking through history," according to Irene Martin of the Toledo-Lucas County Library’s Local History and Genealogy Department. "We want folks to be able to walk and learn Toledo history, to appreciate the buildings Downtown and connect with the people and events that have shaped Toledo, to give a sense of pride in our City."
To facilitate these goals, the Library partners with the Urban Affairs Center (UAC) of the University of Toledo. Together they plan to offer summer "walking tours" throughout Downtown. The tours began in 1980 "as a project of the Junior League," with tour guides trained at the Toledo Museum of Art. By 1983, many of the original guides were no longer available, so a new set was trained with the assistance of local historian Ted Ligibel, under the auspices of the UAC.
The tours, which will be held during lunchtime on Thursdays this summer from July through September, have now grown in popularity and diversity. "Tours meet at different sites and have different areas of focus, whether highlighting specific buildings, blocks or themes," said Barbara Burmeister, project coordinator at the Urban Affairs Center. Those themes include "Law and Order", which focuses on the Civic Mall, a commercial theme and "Play Ball", which highlights buildings around Fifth Third Field, plus many others. "We also can offer special tours for small groups if requested."
"We now have a number of tour guides, and will soon be training more," adds Martin. Guides, volunteers who go through training on local history, can supplement that training with their own investigation of their specific area of interest. “Getting the same tour with a different guide will give you an entirely different insight into Downtown history." A 22-page walking tour guide book has been published jointly by the UAC and the Library for those who can’t attend the Thursday guided tours. "The guide is for those who need a self-guided tour," according to Sue Wuest, UAC assistant director. "At $5 per copy, it has become something of a bestseller."
On the other hand, perhaps you are a Toledophile who is an encyclopedia of Toledo’s local history. Did you rattle off the answers to the Downtown history quiz with such confidence that you didn’t even need the bonus answer?
"We are looking for folks with knowledge of local history, or even those who just want to learn more, to become tour guides for the upcoming season," says Burmeister. Interested? Training will be held on April 13, 20 and 27 at the Downtown Library. Call Barbara Burmeister at the UAC at 419-530-3447. To purchase copies of the Downtown tour guide booklet call 419-530-3591.