St. Lucas' Lutheran Church, Old South End

There was an art exhibit at St. Lucas' yesterday, perfectly timed for a stop on my way back from Mass. I knew if I made the right noises, I'd get an opportunity to have a look around. I'm glad I did. Overall, I'd say this is the most beautiful Protestant church interior I've seen in Toledo.

I'm afraid neither of the pictures I took does justice to this wonderful font. It's a gem.

More tomorrow.

St. Lucas Lutheran Church, Old South End

Jones Junior High School, Old South End

Trouble in Lima

More evidence that Lima has a serious problem with its police force. The council needs to wake up and realize it's time to fire the chief, as a first move.
I've never understood why the reviews of complaints are handled by police officers, instead of by civilians. That's a recipe for a whitewash.

This Just In

On Saturday, Feb. 2nd, Jim Duffy will speak at Sandusky Library, about his book "Victim of Honor," which is about John Y. Beall and a conspiracy to free prisoners from the Johnson’s Island Prison during the Civil War.

There's more information at Sandusky History

Broadway and Western, Old South End

Quote of the Day

"Ohio is the apotheosis of Americanism. The middle west begins with Indiana, the east with Pennsylvania, the south with Kentucky, and, surrounded by these sits Ohio, one of the richest spots on earth. Its contribution to music, art, literature and the theatre is far greater than any two states in the nation."

—Louis Bromfield

Faith Lutheran Church, South Avenue

Very impressive. It may be simple, but it's one of the three or four best Protestant churches I've seen in Toledo.

Photos by SheriYS.

Super Duck?

Have a look. He's more impressive than most of what passes for "superstars" these days.

New Hope United Methodist Church, Airport Highway

I really don't know what to make of this, but I like it. Never saw contrasting colors of brick used quite this way before.

Good windows.

Photos by SheriYS.

St. Joseph's, Vistula Historic District

Peter Navarre

War of 1812 scout and early settler of East Toledo.

Former "Church of Christ Scientist", Old West End

Interesting building. I'll post more on it some other time.

There's a good article at The Blade about the one percent for art program. I may not always agree with their choices, but few ( Except anyone brain dead enough to listen to WSPD ) would question the good done by the program.

St. Martin de Porres, Bancroft Street

Bancroft Street

I'm not sure what sort of church this is, since I took the picture in passing. The part on the right is a good example of its type. The part on the left isn't.

The Lunatic Fringe in Toledo

No, I'm not talking about the talk show hosts at WSPD ( Though if the shoe fits.... ).
I'm talking about Herbert C. Holdridge. I can't even begin to describe this one. Have a look.

Day Off

I have an appointment two bus routes away. Of course, everything's two bus routes away, since most offices aren't located downtown, and the other way on this route goes to Southwyk.

Frida Kahlo's Cousins' House

I've misplaced my notes on this, so I'll have to post another picture with the details, in a day or so. However, the part of its history that makes everyone I mention it to perk up is the fact that it belonged to relatives of the Mexican artist Frida Kahlo, through her German father.

It's now used as offices for the Mercy Healthcare System.

They've done a good job with it.

Buck Rogers Comes to Toledo

Ah, yes. Everyone complains about the 60's, but fails to remember just how completely loony the 50's were. So were the late 40's. Here's an example.
Some troop of performing jackasses, who thought they knew the future commissioned Norman bel Geddes to redesign the whole damn city. See that at the bottom. They'd have bulldozed the whole Old South End to build an international airport. What about the people who lived there? In the late 40's and through the 50's, people didn't matter. You can't let a little thing like people stand in the way of progress. Besides, after all those old eyesores in the Old West End were bulldozed, they could all move to nice modern apartments. If you'd called it a brave new world, the "civic leaders" who came up with this exercise in vandalism would have taken it as a compliment.
What's always interested me about this period is the fact that the bozos never noticed the contradiction. We'd just defeated Hitler, then turned right around and started up the bulldozers to give us "urban development" that always ended up looking like a modified form of Albert Speer's plans for Berlin.

Another Self-Inflicted Black Eye for Ohio

Not good. Mr Richey has gone home to a free country and told the press the truth about American prisons. You know, we used to get indignant about Turkish and Mexican prisons, back when America valued human rights. Of course, we'd also have been horrified by our military using any form of torture, back then.
It's time to start going back to the attitudes of those days. Let's start with the easiest part, putting a stop to judicial murder. Then we can do something about abortion, instead of just listening to Republicans pay lip service to their supposed "pro-life" credentials.

Immaculate Conception Chapel, St. Vincent Mercy Medical Center

Jones Junior High, Old South End

I'm not sure what this little outbuilding was used for, but there's an identical one on the other side of Broadway. They're very simple, but someone went the extra mile on the brickwork.

Jones Junior High, Old South End

Broadway & Eastern, Old South End

Interesting use of an odd shaped lot. Notice the parapet.
That's not an empty storefront, by the way. The windows were covered when it was converted to an apartment.

I like the little porches, still with their tile roofs.