Pounding pavement is pleasure for tour buffs

The University of Tolefo Alumni Magazine
Spring 2009

Frequent tour guides Judge James Jensen (righr) and Judge Rolf Scheidel

From the frog in the foor of the Lucas County Courthouse to the four-faced street clock at Fort Industry Square to the storied home of the famed Mud Hens, downtown Toledo landmarks bridge the centuries. Making sense out of the area’s history is as easy as taking a walk, thanks to guided tours organized by the UT Urban Affairs Center and the Toledo-Lucas County Public Library.

The schedule of summertime tours covers more than 50 buildings, bridges and architectural nooks of greater downtown, with experienced guides providing a running commentary. UT retiree Rosemary Schroeder and her husband, Harry, are two regulars who rarely miss the walks. "They’re just fantastic, sort of the secret nobody knows about," Rosemary says.

James Jensen (Law ’69), a judge in the Lucas County Common Pleas Court, volunteers as a guide for the tour that includes the Lucas County Courthouse (dedicated, as walker learn, in 1897 and designed by Toledo architect David Stine in the Beaux Arts Style). "It’s fun taking people through," he says. "I started here as a clerk of courts, fell in love with the building and ever since I’ve been researching it."

For the 2009 tour itinerary, contact the UT Urban Affairs Center: 419.530.3591 or uac@utoledo.edu.