The
Historic Old West End
of Toledo
THE LARGEST NEIGHBORHOOD OF RESTORED LATE VICTORIAN, EDWARDIAN, AND ARTS & CRAFTS HOMES
IN THE UNITED STATES
Vintage Photographs of Downtown Toledo Buildings, Streets, and People
All of these vintage photographs are of DownTown Toledo street scenes, theatres, office buildings, etc.
Vintage photographs from the Old West End of Toledo can be seen by going to
Vintage Photographs of the Old West End.
Vintage photographs of other areas of old Toledo can be seen by going to
Vintage Photographs of Toledo Homes, Buildings, and Streets.
Adams Street, west from Summit Street:
Historic Trinity Church still occupies the Northeast corner of Adams and St. Clair streets. To the right of the church can be seen Hudson's Department store which was on the corner of Adams and Summit Streets. Trinity Plaza now occupies the Hudson site. At the left in the photo, the corner of the Valentine Building is visible.
The Valentine stands across from Trinity Church on St. Clair Street. Although it has a St. Clair Street address it has been a fixture on the corner of Adams Street since it was built. This is a view of the St. Clair side showing the marquee of the theatre. Besides the theatre, the building housed many offices and ground floor retailers.
Kresge's 5 and 10 was in a white, terra cotta embelished building on the Southeast corner of Adams and St. Clair. It closed in 1971. Currently, the building is undergoing major renovation. This is a view looking south on St. Clair with Kresge's on the right. Looming in the background is the Owens-Illinois Building, built in the early 1930's on the site of the Boody House. All of the buildings in this view of St. Clair St. are gone, except for Kresge's and the O-I Building.
Here is a view of Adams street looking west across the intersection of Superior Street. The building on the right is the Dime Savings Bank. It's still there but now it has been clad in beige and green. Toledo had a lot of clocks on its downtown streets and two can be seen in this picture. Further down Adams can be seen the Paramount Theatre marquee and sign. This picture was taken from in front of the old Woolworth's, which is itself undergoing renovation.
Here is an old photograph showing the elaborate embellishments on the South and East facades of the Dime Savings Bank.
This unique photograph is of the southeast corner of Adams and Huron showing a corner of Lasalles Department store and the Paramount Theatre across Adams Street. The Paramount is advertising a "Gala Opening Today" on its marquee.
The Paramount was built in 1927 and occupied almost the entire block between Adams and Jackson Streets.
In 1965 the Paramount was taken down and a parking lot was put in its place.
A bus stop was at the corner of Huron and Adams, near Lasalles, and here you can see riders waiting for their bus. In the distance is the Huron Building which is near where Government Center is located today. A little closer near the center of the photo is a building at 421-423 Huron Street with a sign for "Emil Hoffman Furs." That building, and the sign, and most of the buildings in that block, exist today. The large building on the left, across Adams, is still there however the facade has been radically changed.
Here is another view of the bus stop from just about the same location. The Paramount sign can be partially seen at the left.
Lasalle and Koch Department Store was at the Southeast corner of Adams and Huron. No traffic lights in those days: A policeman handled the stop and go duties. Behind Lasalles can be seen the west side of the Spitzer Building.
Another photograph of the Adams and Huron intersection taken from the same spot as the above shot. What makes this photograph interesting is the horse and buggy coming up alongside the bus, which is stopped at Lasalle's. The bus seems to be a newer model than in the previous photo.
Heavy smoke billows from a 1949 fire on Adams between the alley and Erie Street. Those buildings are still there so apparently the fire was put out. The building at the lower left eventually did not fare so well - It caught fire in the 1990's and was razed. There is a McDonalds there now.
The original Lucas County Courthouse was at the Northwest corner of Adams and Erie Streets. A new courthouse was built behind and to the west of it and it was envisioned as being in a park-like setting. This photograph shows the nearly completed new courthouse behind the old courthouse.
A photo from about 1900 of the then new Lucas County Courthouse.
Across from the courthouse at Adams and Ontario was the Soldiers Memorial Building. The building cost $65,000 to construct and was ".....erected as a tribute to the memory of the soldiers who fought and fell on Southern battle-fields in defence of the Union flag." Construction was completed in 1886 and it was demolished in 1955.
Built next to the Soldiers Memorial Building at Adams and Michigan, the Masonic Temple was dedicated on June 6, 1905. This was the second downtown location for the Masonic Temple as the first building was destroyed by fire in 1901.The Masonic was demolished in 1955.
On the block between Adams, Madison, Michigan and Tenth streets, where the main Library now sits, was located the Central High School. Within its walls were accomodated the Toledo High School and the Toledo Manual Training School.
On the Northwest corner of Adams and Michigan at 902-10 Adams stood the The Schmidt, arguably one of the more architectually fascinating buildings in downtown Toledo. In this photo of the Michigan Avenue side of the building, The Lucas County Courthouse would be out range on the right, The Masonic Temple would be out of range on the left, and the grounds of Central High School can be seen on the upper left.
Another photo of the Schmidt Building, this time of the Adams Street side. The Schmidt was torn down and a parking lot built.
Across from the Library, at Adams and 10th Streets is this building. This is another white terracotta building somewhat resembling a two story version of the Kresge building. The 1912 City Directory lists the Starr-Hall Co. as occupants. The 1920 directory lists Bliss Auto Sales Co. Regardless of who occupied it, it is a beautiful building and you should drive right down to Adams Street and see it.....now!!
MORE DOWNTOWN PICTURES COMING SOON !!
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