New version of Toledo Talk

Lathrop House plans - "[A]rea residents gathered to hear details about renovation plans [by the Metroparks] for the historic Lathrop House. Information is being sought to help develop plans to restore the structure to its mid-1800s appearance."

"Charissa Wang Durst, president of Hardlines Design Co. of Columbus, who outlined preliminary plans for the four-phase renovation work, is interested in obtaining photographs showing the house, particularly the rear of the home, as it looked decades ago. The firm is the architect for the project."

"A questionnaire, available on the metroparks’ Web site, asks people to share their memories about the house. Completed surveys, which also seek public opinion about various aspects of the renovation work, can be sent by July 14."

"Plans call for the metroparks to offer educational programming about the house’s history. Estimated cost for the restoration project is nearly $1.2 million; of that, about $400,000 has been raised. Phase I exterior work is scheduled for 2007."

"Don Rettig, Jr., director of cultural and historical programs for the metroparks, said fund-raising is under way for Phase II, which involves restoration of the basement where fugitive slaves entered the house."
posted by jr to history at 1:18 P.M. EST     (4 Comments)

tags:   LathropHouse   Metroparks   Sylvania   history  

Related Topics
Lathrop House Sits...And Waits - December 30, 2005
Money for the Lathrop House - March 11, 2005
Lathrop House mess - October 24, 2003

Comments ...

I hope they can restore this house. We've traveled all over, most recently to John Rankins house in Ripley, OH. It's a piece of history.

The kids were pretty much astonished to see the house with the tiny place where the slaves hid. And all the steps down to the river and to stand there and realize that people crossed this river in the dark - in fear for their lives.

These places have to be preserved.
posted by katie82640 at 11:36 A.M. EST on Fri Jun 30, 2006     #

A comment I made in March 2005:

"Who cares if it was the Lathrop house or the Johnson house or the Williams house. The fact is the underground railroad did come through the Toledo area, right? That's what's important. Is there an underground railroad museum in Toledo? If not, then use the money to build a new structure from the ground up."

It's not 100% certain that the Lathrop House was used to transfer slaves to freedom, but that's not important. The Underground Railroad came through the Toledo area. That's fact, right? So why not build a museum on the Marina District land?

Too late. Someone in Ohio has beaten Toledo to the punch. Early this year, I heard ads on our local radio stations advertising the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center. It's located on Cincinnati's downtown riverfront.

A little info:

"The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center is a $110 million project on the banks of the Ohio River in Cincinnati. Opened in August 2004 it features three pavilions celebrating courage, cooperation and perseverance of oppressed peoples throughout history to current times."

"The National Underground Railroad Freecom Center explores a range of freedom issues, from American slavery to women's sufferage to modern child suffering and slavery. The museum enjoys an important position on the redeveloped Cincinnati riverfront. The grounds total four acres including two acres of park space, an amphitheater and the Wall of Remembrance commemorating people who have opened the doors to freedom."

So why couldn't Toledo have done that a few years ago? That question doesn't need an answer, but if you need an answer, Jim Jackson's comment in the Toledo Free Press last year is probably a good one:

"We're 10 years behind Columbus, 10 years behind Cleveland, probably about five to six years behind Akron … the mindset of Toledo has to change."

Some day, Toledo will be first with something among Ohio's big cities besides implementing a smoking ban.

The Toledo Area Metroparks will scrounge up a few hundred thousand dollars to renovate an old house in Sylvania, while Cincinnati builds $110 million project, downtown on its riverfront. Cincy proper isn't much bigger, population-wise, than Toledo. So how does this happen?

Instead of our city officials traveling to "exotic" places like San Antonio, TX, Mobile, AL, and Madison, WS for ideas for Toledo, why don't our officials visit Dayton, Cincinnati, Columbus's Short North, or even Flint for ideas?

And maybe the Underground Railroad museum idea on the Marina District land shouldn't be written off just yet. So Toledo's version won't be as elaborate as Cincy's, but building one on the Marina District land seems right. Hell, move the Lathrop House down there and build the museum around that.

Toledo's project to build an Underground Museum on the Marina District land could be led by former Mayor Jack Ford. He has served the public for many years. He has plenty of contacts in politics and business. He knows how to handle tough budgets. Yeah, I know he's teaching at BGSU, but Jack could lead the project, if Czarty's Army would permit it.
posted by jr at 12:52 P.M. EST on Fri Jun 30, 2006     #

I think, not positive, that Toledo was part of Africa Rd. that ran through Ohio. A most famous part of the underground railroad.

You know if Ford has a fiscal policy that's worth while someone ought to look at that.

I said (and many kicked me for it) that if I were the President the first thing I'd have done would be to bring Pres. Clinton (him not her - hehehe) back and make him the economic czar. He had a great fiscal policy.
posted by katie82640 at 01:13 P.M. EST on Fri Jun 30, 2006     #

Speaking of Jim Jackson, he and Jack Ford had a bit of a business/political relationship. Maybe Jackson could invest in Ford's project of building an Underground Railroad museum in the Marina District.
posted by jr at 03:11 P.M. EST on Fri Jun 30, 2006     #

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