Indie Local History
In October of 1895 Fred and Alvina Behrendt took over operations of a roadhouse/tavern at the crossroads of what is now the intersection of Central Avenue and Holland-Sylvania Road, then called Rattlesnake Corners, or “The Corners,” for short. I won’t repeat here what has already been written about in great detail in 1895.
Continue reading ““Rattlesnake Corners” and Fred Behrendt.”
In 1987 Steve Mason from WRQN camped out on a billboard sign at Westgate. Seems like this was big deal at the time, but there is little discussion about it in the news archives.
This post was inspired by this recent RTM post, and by Ted Ligibel, who said in a July 23, 1989 article in The Toledo Blade about Art Deco building style and modernist homes in Toledo, “They really are classics and probably deserve to be researched.”
In Toledo, Ohio, there are several Modern-style houses designed by George Palm Jr. and built by B. V. Zamore (Zamore Builds, Inc.) during the 1930s. These homes reflect the then-popular International Style, an architectural movement that emerged in Europe in the 1920s and 1930s, championed by architects such as Le Corbusier, Walter Gropius, and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. The movement emphasized clean lines, flat roofs, smooth stucco exteriors over concrete block, and minimal ornamentation, creating a boxy, geometric, and distinctly modern aesthetic that was a sharp departure from traditional home styles.
Continue reading “Modernist Homes of the 1930s: George Palm Jr., B. V. Zamore and International Style in Toledo”
Mary Costello, born c1881 in Madison, Indiana, moved to Toledo in 1905 after being shot in the face in Louisville, Kentucky by her third and final husband. In 1930 Mary lived in “the slums” in the 300 block of Nebraska Avenue in Toledo and ran a “vice resort.” Anna Brierley was one of her “roomers.”
Dr. T.J. Williams medical building was located on the northwest corner of Bonsels Pkwy and Holland-Sylvania Rd. The property was purchased by Dr. Williams from Charles Kimple in November 1965. Kimple had owned the property since 1937. It assume the building was built between 1965 and 1969. June Njaims (retired 1992) was office manager for 29 years.
Joseph Batdorf used to live at 3403 Zone Avenue in Sylvania Township. It was difficult to miss the place when passing by as a kid on my bike because his entire yard was filled with salvaged materials, with the exception of the driveway. I believe I bought a chrome BMX bike frame from him one time for a few dollars. I suspect American Pickers would have loved to get a look at some of the things Joseph had in that yard.
