East Toledo Neighborhood Map

Originally known as Utah, East Toledo was late to develop in comparison to the downtown Toledo area across the Maumee River. By the 1870s, land developers had begun to plat land in East Toledo for development. Growth was slow for East Toledo until the Cherry Street Bridge, a toll bridge built in 1865, was purchased and reconstructed by the city, linking the area to the rest of Toledo for free. Once this vital connection was established, East Toledo began to grow rapidly. Industry was quick to locate in East Toledo, whose undeveloped land adjacent to the Maumee River and access to downtown Toledo provided an unmatched enticement. With these industries and factories came factory workers. These people, wishing to live close to their place of work, provided the bulk of the present residence. Each of these pockets of residence in East Toledo can still be seen today in the form of the many small neighborhoods, including Hi-Level, Ironwood, the Woodville-East Broadway Area, the Miami-Oakdale-tracy Area, the Peter Navarre Triangle, and the Main-Euclid-Starr Area.

Although some of these industries are long gone, East Toledo remains as an established residential neighborhood, with homes dating to just after the turn of the century. Many homes in East Toledo are moderately sized catalogue houses, which are houses commercially built by contractors who obtained their designs through mail order kit companies. The architectural styles of these houses reflects the popular styles of the time, including Arts and Crafts, Cape Cods, and Neo-Colonial designs.

East Toledo has more than its share of parks in comparison to the rest of Toledo’s neighborhoods. International Park, winding along the Maumee River, is a counterpart of downtown Toledo’s Promenade Park. This grassy area is ideal for fishing, walking, or jogging. It also is host to a volleyball court and a set down restaurant. Navarre Park, just off of Woodville Road, offers a baseball diamond, basketball and tennis courts, and trails for walking or jogging. Navarre Park is also one of the only two parks in Toledo that has enough hills for sledding in the winter. Ravine Park, the second largest community park in the city, provides recreation for residents in the northern portion of East Toledo.

East Toledo is also home of the Toledo Sports Arena, home of the Toledo Storm, a professional hockey team. The arena is also used to hold major concerts and expositions. The S.S. Will B. Boyer Maritime Museum, a 617 foot freighter that has been restored to promote Toledo’s port heritage, is docked next to International Park.

Transportation, unlike in the 1870s, is not a problem for residents of East Toledo. Interstates 75 and 280 offer speedy access throughout the Toledo Metropolitan Area. The Anthony Wayne (Route 2) and Cherry Street Bridges provide a connection to downtown Toledo. Route 2 continues east toward Maumee Bay State Park, a scenic location on the shore of Lake Erie. Woodville road, running southeast, leads to the Great Eastern Shopping Center and the Woodville Mall, just beyond Toledo’s city limits.

Homes in East Toledo, based on 1990 census data, average between $25,000 and $50,000 in price, and have an owner occupancy rate of 52%. Almost 30,000 people reside in East Toledo, and their average annual household income, based on 1990 census data, is around $22,000.