Toledo, Ohio

Toledo is in the Northwest part of Ohio. The city is at the west end of Lake Erie, where the Maumee River meets the lake. The area of Ohio where Toledo sits is very flat and is known for its many farm fields.^[8]

Toledo was started as a village in Michigan in 1833. In 1835 and 1836, Ohio and Michigan both claimed to own the city and surrounding territory. Michigan gave up its claim and got the Upper Peninsula in exchange. In 1837, Toledo was made part of Ohio.^[9] The city first started growing because it was on a canal and had many railroads.

Later, Toledo became the home of factories and industry. The city grew much more in the 20th century and had its highest population in 1950. By the end of the century, factories closed and jobs were lost, causing Toledo to lose people. Its population in the year 2020 was 270,871.^[10]

The economy of Toledo is still based on factories and industry. Car assembly,^[11] glass,^[12] iron ore,^[13] oil refining, and solar panels^[14] are important parts of the area economy and provide many jobs. Also, many warehouses and trucking companies are in Toledo because of its location in the midwestern United States.

A large port on the Maumee River handles a variety of cargo, such as iron ore, grain, salt, and industrial equipment.^[15] It is the 5th largest port on the Great Lakes.

Toledo has many highways and railroads. Travelers can use interstate highways, Amtrak passenger trains,^[16] or the major airport near Detroit to get in and out of the area. Toledo is within a five-hour drive of major cities such as Toronto, Chicago, Columbus, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Indianapolis, and Cincinnati.

Toledo is well known for minor league sports.^[17] Teams such as the Mud Hens (baseball) and Walleye (hockey) draw many fans each year. The city is also very proud of its zoo,^[18] art museum,^[19] and parks,^[20] all of which are ranked among the best in the country.

Certain things are well known as being from Toledo, such as the famous restaurant Tony Packo's^[21] (made famous in the TV show M*A*S*H) and the Jeep brand of automobiles.^[22]

Toledo has a humid continental climate (Dfa in the Köppen climate classification). This means that the city experiences all four seasons and the weather has differences in temperature and rain/snowfall through the year.^[23]

In the winter, Toledo gets about three feet of snow through the season, and it can sometimes get very cold air from the north. In the spring, it gets warmer and a lot of rain can fall. The summer in Toledo can be hot and humid, with strong storms. Fall is more pleasant, with cooler winds and less rain.

• Jamie Farr, actor (M*A*S*H)
• Katie Holmes, actor
• Joe the Plumber, political activist
• Gloria Steinem, writer
• Jim Harbaugh, football coach
• John Harbaugh, football coach
• P. J. O'Rourke, journalist
• Anita Baker, singer
• Gene Kranz, NASA engineer
• Jim Jackson, basketball player