Ted Ligibel Collection, MSS-087

The Ward M. Canaday Center

for Special Collections

The University of Toledo

Finding Aid

Ted Ligibel Collection, 1906-94

(Bulk dates: 1985-94)

MSS-087

Size: 6 lin. Ft.

Provenance: Received from Ted J. Ligibel, former research associate of Urban Affairs Center, University of Toledo on February 14, 1995.

Access: Open for All Files, Except Two Files. (Closed Files have been removed from the Collection. Written Permission Must Be Made to the Director of the Ward M. Canaday Center for Special Collections)

Related Collections: Ted Ligibel Historical Glass Collection, MSS-207.

Copyright: The literary rights to this collection are assumed to rest with the person(s) responsible for the production of the particular items within the collection, or with their heirs or assigns. Researchers bear full legal responsibility for the acquisition to publish from any part of said collection per Title 17, United States Code. The Ward M. Canaday Center for Special Collections may reserve the right to intervene as intermediary at its own discretion.

Completed by: Sandra L. DuVal Bell, February 20, 1997

Reformatted by: Arjun Sabharwal, February 19, 2010

Biographical sketch

Ted J. Ligibel was born in 1949. He is a descendant of early northwest Ohio settlers, the Machen family, for whom a street near Scott High School is named. Ligibel grew up with a landmark in the family. A. Rensch & Co., importers, has been using the same building on 607 Monroe Street since 1882. The firm, run by Ligibel’s mother, has belonged to her family for over a century.

Ligibel received a Bachelor of Science degree in human ecology and anthropology from the University College at the University of Toledo in 1972. Ligibel began his historical preservation career in 1974 when he joined the Maumee Valley Historical Society, where he worked in the landmarks committee. He was chairman of that committee until 1984.

Ligibel continued his education at Bowling Green State University, where he received his Master of Arts degree in American Studies in 1981. While pursuing his M.A, he served northwest Ohio as a state historical preservation officer. He first became well-known locally during this time, as he fought the demolition of historic downtown Toledo buildings. He held the post from 1976 to 1982. After budget cuts eliminated funding for the preservation officer position, Ligibel oversaw historic acquisitions for the Toledo-Lucas County Public Library and helped write two books: Lights Along the River, which is an architectural guide to the Maumee River Valley, and Island Heritage - A Guided Tour to Lake Erie’s Bass Islands.

Ligibel came to the University of Toledo in 1986 and assumed the position of research associate in historical preservation and resource planning with the University’s Urban Resource Center. Ligibel’s post was funded by UT, under contract with the City of Toledo, as part of a project in which Ligibel developed curriculum materials in historical preservation. Furthermore, Ligibel assisted the city’s community development department in identifying and documenting historic buildings in Toledo neighborhoods. In late 1985, Ligibel further took on instructing duties in the University of Toledo’s history and geography and planning departments, and took the post of research associate at the University’s Urban Affairs Center.

While at the University of Toledo, Ligibel conducted numerous studies and architectural inventories of homes, buildings, churches and landmarks of the city. He also gave numerous talks and walking tours of UT’s campus, and held seminars concerning the University and the surrounding Toledo area. In particular, Ligibel gave a series of free public lectures on the role of historic preservation in the revitalization o f downtown areas.

It was not until the mid-1980s, though, that community leaders listened to Ligibel’s pleas to save downtown landmarks. In the 1970s and early 1980s, during a period when Toledo was in a rush to revitalize an ailing downtown, Ligibel fought unsuccessfully to save more than a dozen historic structures from the wrecking ball. Particularly Ligibel was noted for his studies of the city’s working-class areas. This was indicative of his commitment to broad based preservation.

Furthermore, Ligibel’s theories on urban preservation won him growing respect within the national preservation movement. He has been asked to serve on key committees for the National Trust for Historic Preservation. When the trust held its 1991 convention, Ligibel led discussions regarding the twenty-fifth anniversary of the national Historic Preservation Act. Also, Ligibel was one of the principal organizers of the Historic Neighborhood Council (HNC) which was formed in 1988 to develop a “blueprint” for preservation activities in Toledo’s historic neighborhoods. As Ohio adviser to the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Ligibel worked to nominate the homes for the National Register of Historic Places.

Ligibel received recognition for his accomplishments. Former mayor Harry Kessler nominated Ligibel for an award from the Toledo Metropolitan Area Council of Governments. In 1987, Ligibel was awarded the Chairman Emeritus Award from the Toledo Metropolitan Area Council of Governments, recognizing contributions to community development through his activities in historic preservation. Ligibel further received one of the eight public education and awareness awards from the Ohio Historic Preservation Office of the Ohio Historical Society. He received this award in 1989 for his role in increasing public awareness of the importance of preserving the historic and architectural resources of Toledo and Northwest Ohio. Also the Toledo newspaper, The Blade, invited Ligibel to write a series of articles on historic buildings.

Ted J. Ligibel, Toledo’s leading preservationist, left the University of Toledo in September 1991 to take the teaching position of associate professor of historic preservation at Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti.

Scope and content note

The Ted J. Ligibel Collection contains two series. These series comprise of Personal Papers and Printed Materials.

The Personal Papers Series contains syllabi and required class assignments instructed by Ted Ligibel. (Box 1) Adult Liberal Studies, Architectural Regionalism, Historic Preservation Planning, Historic Resource Survey and Urban Visual History Planning are all courses that Ligibel taught. (Box 1) In his 1989 Historic Resource Survey Planning course, the class produced Historic Resource Surveys and Developmental Reports for three historic areas in Toledo, namely the Warehouse District, the Historic South Side and East Toledo. In his Urban Visual History Planning course, Ligibel had his students conduct a Historic Resource Inventory of structures in Birmingham. His historic inventories helped residents, community leaders and city officials establish priorities for restoring and preserving the area’s historic buildings.

Also included in this series are personal papers concerning committees, conferences and interests. Ligibel participated in committees such as Family Service of Northwest Ohio and Image 2000 Design which contain pamphlets, brochures and reports. Ligibel was also part of the National Docent Symposium Conference held at the Toledo Museum of Art. Particular interests of Ligibel include materials pertaining to the Bicentennial Celebration, in which Ligibel took an active role in local celebration activities and Junior Achievement, where Ligibel was on the selection committee of the Northwestern Ohio Business Hall of fame selection committee. (Box 1)

The rest of the collection is composed of the series Printed Materials, which are organized by the sub-series of news clippings and student papers.

Newspaper clippings, both original and photocopied, comprise of a large part of this collection. Clippings date from 1906 to 1994 and particularly deal with specific buildings and individuals in Toledo, Ohio. Newspaper clippings are organized by location or region in Toledo and the surrounding area. (Box 1-3) The clippings sub-series contain the Toledo Magazine which consists of an article written by Ted Ligibel. (Box 1)

Student papers also are organized by location. This sub-series contains reports students completed in Ligibel’s classes. The reports focus on various architectures in the Toledo and surrounding area. Some of these papers are accompanied with Ohio Historic Inventories (OHI’s) and include attached pictures of the structures students researched. (BOX 3-4) Notably, favorite places for students to examine were areas such as Downtown Toledo, Old Orchard, Old West End, and the West Side.

Box-Folder Inventory

BOX FOLDER SERIES ITEM

1 1 Personal Papers: Classes Adult Liberal Studies, 1986-88

1 2 Personal Papers: Classes Architectural Regionalism, 1987

1 3 Personal Papers: Classes Architectural Regionalism, 1988

1 4 Personal Papers: Classes Architectural Regionalism, 1988

1 5 Personal Papers: Classes Historic Preservation Planning, 1986

1 6 Personal Papers: Classes Historic Preservation Planning, 1986

1 7 Personal Papers: Classes Historic Preservation Planning, 1987

1 8 Personal Papers: Classes Historic Preservation Planning, 1987

1 9 Personal Papers: Classes Historic Preservation Planning, 1987

1 10 Personal Papers: Classes Historic Preservation Planning, 1988

1 11 Personal Papers: Classes Historic Preservation Planning, 1989

1 12 Personal Papers: Classes Historic Preservation Planning, 1990

1 13 Personal Papers: Classes Historic Preservation Planning, 1991

1 14 Personal Papers: Classes Historic Resource Survey, 1987

1 15 Personal Papers: Classes Historic Resource Survey, 1988

1 16 Personal Papers: Classes Historic Resource Survey, 1989

1 17 Personal Papers: Classes Historic Resource Survey, 1990

1 18 Personal Papers: Classes Historic Resource Survey, 1991

1 19 Personal Papers: Classes Overheads (Indian Hills &Individual)

1 20 Personal Papers: Classes Urban Visual History Planning, 1986

1 21 Personal Papers: Committees Family Service of N.W. OH, 1989-90

1 22 Personal Papers: Committees Image 2000 Design, 1990

1 23 Personal Papers: Committees Image 2000 Design, 1990-91

1 24 Personal Papers: Conferences Nat’l Docent Symposium, 1986-87

1 25 Personal Papers: Interests Bicentennial Celebration, 1986

1 26 Personal Papers: Interests Bicentennial Celebration, 1986

1 27 Personal Papers: Interests Bicentennial Celebration, 1987

1 28 Personal Papers: Interests Bicentennial Celebration, 1987-88

1 29 Personal Papers: Interests Five Points Association, 1990

1 30 Personal Papers: Interests Junior Achievement, 1987

1 31 Personal Papers: Interests Junior Achievement, 1988

1 32 Personal Papers: Interests Junior Achievement, 1989

1 33 Printed Materials: Clippings Toledo Magazine, 1990

Article written by Ligibel

1 34 Printed Materials: Clippings Beaches, 1906-10

1 35 Printed Materials: Clippings Bedford Township, 1994

1 36 Printed Materials: Clippings Bowling Green, 1984

1 37 Printed Materials: Clippings Bridges, 1906-88

1 38 Printed Materials: Clippings Buildings, 1906-89

1 39 Printed Materials: Clippings Buildings, 1906-1990

1 40 Printed Materials: Clippings Buildings, 1991-94

1 41 Closed File (Removed to Range 4)

1 42 Closed File (Removed to Range 4)

1 43 Closed File (Removed to Range 4)

BOX FOLDER SERIES ITEM

2 1 Printed Materials: Clippings Buildings; downtown Toledo

2 2 Printed Materials: Clippings Buildings; downtown Toledo

2 3 Printed Materials: Clippings Buildings; downtown Toledo

2 4 Printed Materials: Clippings Building Permits

2 5 Printed Materials: Clippings Central Toledo, 1990-Milburn Hotel

2 6 Printed Materials: Clippings Churches

2 7 Printed Materials: Clippings Construction

2 8 Printed Materials: Clippings Dixon Block

2 9 Printed Materials: Clippings Downtown Toledo

2 10 Printed Materials: Clippings Downtown Toledo

2 11 Printed Materials: Clippings Downtown Toledo

2 12 Printed Materials: Clippings Downtown Toledo; Birckhead Place

2 13 Printed Materials: Clippings Downtown Tol.; Valentine Theater

2 14 Printed Materials: Clippings Downtown Toledo; Vistula

2 15 Printed Materials: Clippings Downtown Toledo; Vistula

2 16 Printed Materials: Clippings East Bay Shore

2 17 Printed Materials: Clippings East Toledo

2 18 Printed Materials: Clippings East Toledo

2 19 Printed Materials: Clippings East Toledo; Birmingham

2 20 Printed Materials: Clippings East Toledo; Ironville

2 21 Printed Materials: Clippings Fayette, Ohio

2 22 Printed Materials: Clippings Fremont, Ohio

2 23 Printed Materials: Clippings Grand Rapids, Ohio

2 24 Printed Materials: Clippings Henry County; Hamler, Ohio

2 25 Printed Materials: Clippings Holland, Ohio

2 26 Printed Materials: Clippings Hospitals

2 27 Printed Materials: Clippings Indian Hills

2 28 Printed Materials: Clippings Indian Hills

2 29 Printed Materials: Clippings Individuals

2 30 Printed Materials: Clippings Individuals

2 31 Printed Materials: Clippings Infrastructure

2 32 Printed Materials: Clippings Libraries

2 33 Printed Materials: Clippings Lima, Ohio

2 34 Printed Materials: Clippings Lyons, Ohio

2 35 Printed Materials: Clippings Maumee

2 36 Printed Materials: Clippings Monclova

2 37 Printed Materials: Clippings Neighborhood Housing Services

2 38 Printed Materials: Clippings North Toledo

2 39 Printed Materials: Clippings North Toledo; Lagrange

2 40 Printed Materials: Clippings North Toledo; Manhattan

2 41 Printed Materials: Clippings Northwood

2 42 Printed Materials: Clippings Old Orchard; Hopewell

2 43 Printed Materials: Clippings Old Orchard

2 44 Printed Materials: Clippings Old South End

2 45 Printed Materials: Clippings Old West End

2 46 Printed Materials: Clippings Old West End

BOX FOLDER SERIES ITEM

2 47 Printed Materials: Clippings Old West End

2 48 Printed Materials: Clippings Old West End

2 49 Printed Materials: Clippings Old West End

2 50 Printed Materials: Clippings Oregon

2 51 Printed Materials: Clippings Ottawa Hills

2 52 Printed Materials: Clippings Parks

2 53 Printed Materials: Clippings Perrysburg

2 54 Printed Materials: Clippings Point Place

2 55 Printed Materials: Clippings Railway

2 56 Printed Materials: Clippings Real Estate Gen. Tax Inquiry

2 57 Printed Materials: Clippings Rossford

2 58 Printed Materials: Clippings Schools

2 59 Printed Materials: Clippings South Toledo

2 60 Printed Materials: Clippings Spencer Township

2 61 Printed Materials: Clippings Springfield

2 62 Printed Materials: Clippings Suburbs

2 63 Printed Materials: Clippings Sylvania

2 64 Printed Materials: Clippings Sylvania

3 1 Printed Materials: Clippings Tiffin

3 2 Printed Materials: Clippings Toledo, City of

3 3 Printed Materials: Clippings Uptown

3 4 Printed Materials: Clippings Warehouse District

3 5 Printed Materials: Clippings Warehouse District

3 6 Printed Materials: Clippings Warren-Sherman, 1989

3 7 Printed Materials: Clippings Waterville

3 8 Printed Materials: Clippings Westmoreland

3 9 Printed Materials: Clippings West Toledo

3 10 Printed Materials: Clippings West Toledo

3 11 Printed Materials: Clippings West Toledo; Ottawa Park

3 12 Printed Materials: Clippings West Toledo; Ottawa Park

3 13 Printed Materials: Clippings West Toledo; Univ. Toledo

3 14 Printed Materials: Clippings Whitehouse

3 15 Printed Materials: Clippings Wood County

3 16 Printed Materials: Student Papers Adrian, Michigan, 1988

3 17 Printed Materials: Student Papers Architecture, 1987

3 18 Printed Materials: Student Papers Architecture, 1988

3 19 Printed Materials: Student Papers Art Deco, 1988

3 20 Printed Materials: Student Papers Bancroft Hills, 1991

3 21 Printed Materials: Student Papers Bancroft Hills

3 22 Printed Materials: Student Papers Blissfield, Michigan, 1988

3 23 Printed Materials: Student Papers Bowling Green,1987

3 24 Printed Materials: Student Papers Bridges

3 25 Printed Materials: Student Papers Clubhouses

3 26 Printed Materials: Student Papers Columbus, Ohio

3 27 Printed Materials: Student Papers Curtice, Ohio, 1987

3 28 Printed Materials: Student Papers Downtown Toledo

BOX FOLDER SERIES ITEM

3 29 Printed Materials: Student Papers Downtown Toledo

3 30 Printed Materials: Student Papers Downtown Toledo

3 31 Printed Materials: Student Papers Downtown Toledo

3 32 Printed Materials: Student Papers Downtown Toledo; St. Pat

3 33 Printed Materials: Student Papers Downtown Toledo; Boyer

3 34 Printed Materials: Student Papers Downtown Toledo; Valentine

3 35 Printed Materials: Student Papers Downtown Toledo; Vistula

3 36 Printed Materials: Student Papers Downtown Toledo; YWCA

3 37 Printed Materials: Student Papers Dundee, Michigan, 1991

3 38 Printed Materials: Student Papers East Toledo

3 39 Printed Materials: Student Papers East Toledo

3 40 Printed Materials: Student Papers East Toledo, 1987-88

3 41 Printed Materials: Student Papers East Toledo; Weber Block

3 42 Printed Materials: Student Papers Fast Food Restaurants, 1988

3 43 Printed Materials: Student Papers Fire Station, 1988

3 44 Printed Materials: Student Papers Frank Lloyd Wright, 1988

3 45 Printed Materials: Student Papers Grand Rapids

3 46 Printed Materials: Student Papers Grand Rapids, 1990

3 47 Printed Materials: Student Papers Harvard Terrace, 1987

3 48 Printed Materials: Student Papers Indian Hills, 1990

3 49 Printed Materials: Student Papers Indian Hills, 1991

3 50 Printed Materials: Student Papers Lambertville, MI, 1986-90

4 1 Printed Materials: Student Papers Manhattan, 1990

4 2 Printed Materials: Student Papers Marblehead, Ohio, 1988

4 3 Printed Materials: Student Papers Marion, Ohio, 1987

4 4 Printed Materials: Student Papers Maumee, 1987-90

4 5 Printed Materials: Student Papers Maumee, 1991

4 6 Printed Materials: Student Papers Maumee Valley, 1978-88

4 7 Printed Materials: Student Papers Maumee Valley, 1988

4 8 Printed Materials: Student Papers Maumee Valley, 1988

4 9 Printed Materials: Student Papers Maumee Valley (photos)

4 10 Printed Materials: Student Papers Monroe, Michigan, 1986-88

4 11 Printed Materials: Student Papers North Toledo, 1987

4 12 Printed Materials: Student Papers North Toledo; Manhattan

4 13 Printed Materials: Student Papers Old Orchard, 1987

4 14 Printed Materials: Student Papers Old Orchard

4 15 Printed Materials: Student Papers Old Orchard, 1991

4 16 Printed Materials: Student Papers Old Orchard

4 17 Printed Materials: Student Papers Old West End, 1972-87

4 18 Printed Materials: Student Papers Old West End, 1987

4 19 Printed Materials: Student Papers Old West End, 1987-89

4 20 Printed Materials: Student Papers Old West End, 1989-90

4 21 Printed Materials: Student Papers Oregon, Ohio

4 22 Printed Materials: Student Papers Ottawa County, 1990

4 23 Printed Materials: Student Papers Perrysburg, 1986-89

4 24 Printed Materials: Student Papers Perrysburg, 1990

BOX FOLDER SERIES ITEM

4 25 Printed Materials: Student Papers Providence Township

4 26 Printed Materials: Student Papers Railway; TA&W

4 27 Printed Materials: Student Papers Sandusky, Ohio

4 28 Printed Materials: Student Papers Schools

4 29 Printed Materials: Student Papers South Toledo; Lenk’s Hill

4 30 Printed Materials: Student Papers Swanton \ Whitehouse

4 31 Printed Materials: Student Papers Sylvania, 1986-89

4 32 Printed Materials: Student Papers Sylvania

4 33 Printed Materials: Student Papers Texas, Ohio, 1990

4 34 Printed Materials: Student Papers Warehouse District, 1987-89

4 35 Printed Materials: Student Papers Waterville

4 36 Printed Materials: Student Papers Wauseon

4 37 Printed Materials: Student Papers West Toledo, 1987

4 38 Printed Materials: Student Papers West Toledo; Firefighter

Museum, 1987

4 39 Printed Materials: Student Papers West Toledo, 1991

4 40 Printed Materials: Student Papers West Toledo; Univ. Toledo

4 41 Printed Materials: Student Papers Westmoreland, 1987

4 42 Printed Materials: Student Papers Wood County, Ohio

Perry Township, 1987

4 43 Printed Materials: Student Papers Wyoming, 1989

Yellowstone Natl. Park

(LOCATION NOTES MAY BE PLACED IN FOOTER)

NOTE:

R-4 = Range 4

* = oversize cabinet, drawer

^ = oversize area

** = locked file cabinet