St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Downtown Toledo

My feeling on this complex are mixed. Overall, it's very nice. However, there's an imbalance.

This is what the church looked like, originally. It was an excellent design, while now it's merely a good design. As much as I like half-timbering, I really wish they'd left well enough alone. I'll admit that, when Hahn and Hayes added a new facade in 1954, they did a good job. Much better, in fact, than the usual product of that decade of insanity and inanity. That doesn't quite make up for the fact that the original design, built in 1868, was better.

Why was the facade changed? Well, aside from the fact that it was a decade when the majority of the people who made any major decisions were bloody feckin' idjits, they wanted it to match the parish house that had been built next door. The parish house is why I have mixed feelings.

It's, quite simply, one of the best Gothic buildings in Toledo. Leave out two or three churches and it's the best.

Gardner Building, Downtown Toledo

The Gardner Building, built in 1893, was one of the first large structures to use reinforced concrete. The reinforcing rods weren't even being produced, yet, so they used railroad rails.

I could say a lot about this one, but it'll have to wait until I'm in better health.

Former Presbyterian Church, Broadway, Old South End

St. Patrick's Church, Warehouse District

The lighting fixtures date back to the 1920's.

Russell Building, Broadway, Old South End

I'm not sure of the address, but this is between Knapp and Logan. The first floor's been mucked up, but above that the brick is a good color and the stonework's nice.

Joy to the friggin' world.

Cathedral of Our Lady, Queen of the Most Holy Rosary

Toledo Harbor Lighthouse

Stebbins Street, Old South End

Stay tuned. More posts this evening.

Interesting

There's an article in The Blade about the actor Rene Auberjonois. His father was a Blade correspondent and his mother was Princess Laura Murat, a descendant of Napoleon's sister Caroline and her husband Joachim Murat, who was made puppet King of Naples by his brother-in-law.
One of the Murats married George Washington's grandniece.