Photo book depicts history of East Toledo at Work

We all have a book inside us waiting to be written.

Ron Mauter’s book emerged three years ago after reviewing a family history that dates back to the 1870’s when his Grandmother Trudeau’s family of 15 settled in East Toledo.

“They had a lot of old pictures in shoe boxes and I was thinking there’s a story behind these photos,” he said

One photo was of the Manhattan Iron Company, which in 1863 built a large furnace on the Maumee River. The company inspired the name of Ron’s neighborhood--Ironville. Other photos depict the many factories that employed thousands of immigrant workers including the Hungarians who, by 1900, founded the bustling Birmingham community.

Ron has worked 37 years as a mailer for the Toledo Blade. He is not a writer, so he went in search of one. That led to East Toledo’s premier historian Larry Michaels.

The two spent three years collecting and identifying more than 300 photos. Their new book, East Toledo at Work: A History of Business & Industry of East Toledohit the book shelves two weeks ago.

The 218-page book is more a collection of photos, than stories. For many of you, the stories will be the personal ones you conjure up when you see these buildings, many of which have been razed. If you’re 45 or older, this visual trip through the past will not only awaken personal memories, it will touch you with sadness. In 1950, there were 650 firms doing business in East Toledo, many of them industrial companies. They paid working wages for hard working men and women. Today, there are 300 companies, the lowest number since the turn of the Twentieth Century.

There are photos of once-thriving factories like national Malleable Casting Company, American Shipbuilding Company, Interlake Iron and Gulf Oil Refinery. There’s also a rare photo of the Nitrate Plant built by the United States Government as a munitions plant. It was to employ 10,000. But, the armistice was signed to end World War I and the partially-completed plant operated for only a short time. It was demolished in the 1920s to make way for the Toledo Port facilities.

There’s an ample collection of pre-industrial revolution photos. These include the Louis Bihn Wagon Shop, a business dating back to the 1860s and the Kopf Hotel, built by a Civil War veteran in the 1880s.

Other noteworthy photos depict the Klondike Oil Well, horse-drawn delivery wagons, streetcars, the Oliver Stevens Octagon House and the horse-drawn delivery team of Koerber’s Brewery.

Those who grew up in the 1950s will enjoy the many photos of corner gas stations and convenient stores. Naturally, there’s a photo of Cal Gettings’ Sunoco station at Starr and Dearborn, which in the late 1980s was the oldest continually operated Sunoco station in the country. And, you’ll remember taking your date to the Tivoli Theatre or the Frostop Root Beer Drive-In.

Sparking these memories excites Mauter more than the attention the book is receiving.

“I love the reaction I get from people. I didn’t do this for the fame, the glory or money. It’s a labor of love,” he said. “I’m an East Sider. I wanted to share it. I love it when someone says they love the book. It makes you feel good. Makes you feel like everything you put into it was well worth it.”

Larry Michaels feels the same. He has written or co-written a number of books on such subjects as East Toledo’s architectural treasures, its involvement in the Civil War and Peter Navarre. His East Side Story: People and Places in the History of East Toledo, is now in its fourth printing. He’s noticed more reader involvement with this book. “With this book, you can put yourself in the pictures,” he said.

The book is the first planned effort to celebrate the 200 th anniversary of East Toledo, Michaels says. Peter and Robert Navarre settled here in 1807. Future events include a picnic at Navarre Park, Peter Navarre Days and a reunion of early settler families.

East Toledo is undergoing a remarkable transition. Land for The Marina District has been cleared, the Veterans Glass City Skyway is nearing completion, the Starboardside Condos are occupied and more than 50 new homes are being built. Preserving the rich heritage of this city within a city has been Larry Michaels’ mission. This tribute to working class East Toledoans is a welcome addition to our local history.

You can but the book for $15 at The Andersons, Borders Books, A J’s Carryout, Island Variety or Collins & Parker, or by mail by calling Larry at 419-697-5550 or Ron at 419-698-0964. Add $5, for shipping and handling.