Toledo’s Old West End: Museum Neighborhood Stroll

(10 reviews)

Toledo, Ohio audio tour: Toledo’s Old West End: Museum Neighborhood Stroll

This is a 2.4mi walking tour

It takes an average of 120 mins to complete.

Toledo, Ohio

The United States

$8.99

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About the Tour

Embark on a captivating journey through Toledo's Old West End Museum Neighborhood, where a treasure trove of architectural marvels awaits your discovery.

Venture through the charming streets of the western section of Old West End, renowned for its stunning array of Victorian, Edwardian, and Arts and Crafts residences. Among the highlights is the former home of Toledo's glass pioneer, Edward Drummond Libbey, and his wife, Florence Scott Libbey. Their legacy in shaping Toledo as 'The Glass City' is unmistakable, especially as they generously donated the grounds for the world-renowned Toledo Museum of Art.

Other highlights of this tour include:

The grandeur of the Edward Ford Mansion, boasting an Italianate design adorned with exquisite, glazed brick and terra cotta accents.
The opulence of the Bartley Mansion, a magnificent Châteauesque masterpiece commissioned by the affluent Toledo grocer Rudolph A. Bartley in 1905.
The splendor of the nearly 40-acre campus of the Toledo Museum of Art, featuring six buildings, ranging from Neoclassical to Art Deco to contemporary architecture, green space, and a sculpture garden.
Tillinghas/Willys House, a Tudor-style home of vast proportions, medieval detail, and stories that can't be made up.

Led by your knowledgeable hosts, award-winning history author Tedd Long, and Dr. Ted Ligibel, Director Emeritus of Eastern Michigan University's esteemed Historic Preservation program, this stroll promises a captivating blend of history and architectural splendor. Dr. Ligibel's extensive expertise, dating back to his tenure with the Landmarks Committee of the Maumee Valley Historical Society in 1974, adds depth and insight to your exploration that you won’t hear anywhere else.

Step back in time and immerse yourself in the rich tapestry of Toledo's Old West End, a neighborhood steeped in history and adorned with architectural gems. Join us on this unforgettable journey through one of the world's most esteemed museum neighborhoods in the United States.

This tour is part of a three-part series that explores the enchanting Old West End Historic District, available exclusively on the VoiceMap app.

Tour Producer

Tedd Long

15 tours

Hi, I’m Tedd Long—history geek, storyteller, and creator of HolyToledoHistory.com. My passion is uncovering the fascinating, funny, and sometimes jaw-dropping stories that shaped Toledo and the Maumee Valley.

Whether you’ve lived here your whole life or you’re visiting for the first time, you’ll hear things that make you say, “I never knew that!” From forgotten gangster hideouts to remarkable riverfront landmarks, I’ll take you beyond the obvious and reveal the city’s hidden history.

My tours blend rich storytelling, local legends, and insider tips—like the best spots for a cold drink, a great meal, or the perfect photo. Every route is designed so you can explore at your own pace, with VoiceMap-guided stops that bring the past to life right where it happened.

Come walk or drive with me through history. You’ll leave with a deeper appreciation for this place—and maybe a few stories of your own to share. Let’s go explore!

Preview Location

Location 20

The Libbey House | 2008 Scottwood

Let's pause here right after we turn right and round the corner at 2008 Scottwood so I can tell you about the Libbey House on our right.

This structure combines the irregularity of the Shingle style and the symmetry of the Classical. The attic gables, granite foundation, w... Let's pause here right after we turn right and round the corner at 2008 Scottwood so I can tell you about the Libbey House on our right.

This structure combines the irregularity of the Shingle style and the symmetry of the Classical. The attic gables, granite foundation, wrap-around porch, and bow windows are contrasted by the Classical style used in the unpatterned upper walls and delicate 18th-century details.

Situated on a large double lot overlooking the Toledo Museum of Art, the nearly 10,000-square-foot home was built for Toledo glass pioneer and museum benefactor Edward Drummond Libbey and his wife Florence. It was designed by architect David L. Stine in a combination of shingle and colonial revival style and completed in 1895 after two years of construction.

The 18-room home features a granite and shingle exterior with a large wrap-around veranda; a curved two-story bay; and the date "1895" is highlighted on the south side of the house.

Nearby are several very old copper beech trees that were transplanted by Mrs. Libbey from the fashionable grounds of her father's estate on Monroe Street, which the Libbeys donated as the site for the Toledo Museum of Art.

The interior grandeur of this home begins in the 30-foot reception hall highlighted by a cherry wood grand staircase featuring a large stained-glass bay. Flowing off the reception hall is a music room, a mahogany parlor, and an ornately paneled dining room accented by 10 hand-carved lions' heads. Repeated throughout the house are dentil, egg and dart, and bead and reel moldings; and doric, ionic, and Corinthian order columns.

Prominent throughout the home are cherry, oak, and mahogany hand-carved woodwork; pillars; mantles; stained, leaded, and curved glass windows; and built-in bookcases. One of the many fireplaces features hand-painted Delft tile imported from the Netherlands. The third floor, which originally housed the staff, has been converted to bedrooms and an office.

Bathrooms in the home feature pedestal lavs, oversized claw tubs, and a marble shower with full-body spray. Other interesting features of the home are the underground wine cellar and many of the original gas light fixtures, most of which have been converted to electric.

Ok, let’s keep moving while I tell you more. Continue straight.

In 1983, the residence was named a National Historical Landmark because of Mr. Libbey's contributions to the glass industry in the United States.

Florence Scott Libbey was the daughter of Maurice A. Scott and the granddaughter of Jessup Scott, who donated the land on which the University of Toledo was built and for whom Scott High School was named.

Sometime after Mr. Libbey's death in 1925, Mrs. Libbey vacated the house. From 1938, the year Mrs. Libbey died, until 1940 the house was vacant. Dr. Herbert C. Weller bought the home from the Libbey Estate in 1941. He sold it in 1966 to the Toledo Society for Crippled Children – we know that group as The Ability Center, today. From 1979 to 2006, the home served as a single-family residence. In 2005, after a challenge from Ted Ligibel to get involved during a Leadership Toledo tour, I was honored to serve as the co-founder of the Libbey House Foundation, which bought the home and is managing it today as a historical venue. You can learn more about the Libbey House at www.libbeyhouse.org.

Continue down Scottwood. There are some beautiful homes up ahead. Read More

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Major Landmarks

The Libbey House
Toledo Museum of Art
Ford Mansion
Bartley Mansion
Libbey House
Toledo Museum of Art
Old West End

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Getting There

Route Overview

VoiceMap tours follow a route from a set starting point. It’s how we give turn-by-turn directions and tell a story greater than the sum of its parts.

Start location
2445 Monroe St, Toledo, OH 43620, USA
Total distance

4km
Final location
OH-51, Toledo, OH 43604, USA
Distance back to start location

72.38m

Directions to Starting Point

Our tour will start in the parking lot behind Parkwood Professional Building at Parkwood and Jefferson.

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Tips

Places to stop along the way

I'd plan to set aside a day to visit the Toledo Museum of Art but you may want to stop by the TMA Cafe for a bit to eat while on our tour.

Best time of day

Early mornings and afternoons are a great time to tour the Old West End. Summer evenings are nice too.

Precautions

Toledo is like most other cities around the world, in that if you are sensible and take a few common-sense precautions, you should be fine. You probably don't want to lug around a large camera on this two-hour stroll but certainly bring along your phone to take some shots and share with your friends.

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“This app has become my go-to app for audio tours. I pretty much use it for every trip and it works wonderfully. I highly recommend VoiceMap for travelers to truly experience cities.”

App Store Review

“Great app. walk around at your own pace, stop where you want, move on or speed up when you want. Read the script before you go or during the commentary, speed it up or replay it. Repeat the tour whenever you like.”

Google Play Store

Questions and Reviews

4.9 / 5

10 Ratings

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