Barbara L Floyd

Toledo Barbara L Floyd

Lured by the prospect of a canal connecting with Lake Erie, eager developers settled in the Toledo area in the 1830s despite threats posed by the Black Swamp, Native Americans, and foreign occupiers. The area's economic potential led to the 1835 Toledo War between Michigan and Ohio.

Toledo incorporated in 1837. Its canals, railroads, and natural resources inspired Jesup W. Scott to proclaim Toledo "The Future Great City of the World." Such boosterism overstated the case, but Toledo did soon attract manufacturers of farm wagons, bicycles, and beer. And in 1888, Edward Drummond Libbey relocated his glass company to the city, creating a catalyst for other glass-manufacturing ventures. Toledo: The 19th Century illustrates the city's early struggles and eventual success as "The Glass Capital of the World."