“GLMS 2 - Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority.” Finding Aids. BGSU University Libraries, 1 Oct. 2019, lib.bgsu.edu/finding_aids/items/show/718. Accessed 25 Mar. 2023.
This collection contains the minutes, correspondence, reports, contracts, and other documents of the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority and its predecessor, the Toledo Port Commission. The latter body was founded in 1922 to encourage and prepare Toledo for the opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway. The collection details the fight for the Seaway and the efforts of the various port governing bodies to develop the port of Toledo and turn it into a major port on the Great Lakes. The dates for the collection are 1895 to the present.
The collection was donated to the Center for Archival Collections in 1970 by William C. Beckett, Manager of Statistics for the Port Authority. No restrictions exist on the research use of this collection.
This register was prepared by Robert Dunkelberger in February 1985.
Agency History
The realization of Toledo as a contender in the world-trade market was first considered in 1897 as a result of a proposal to adapt the St. Lawrence River for heavy seagoing vessels. To ensure the city's place in an obviously lucrative future, the Toledo Port Commission was founded by the Chamber of Commerce in 1922 to act in an advisory capacity. The volunteer Commission served a fundamental role in the establishment of guidelines for facilities, growth, trade potential, motor and seaway traffic, and was instrumental in creating capital to finance surveys and construction.
Between 1897 and 1955, the Toledo Port Commission underwent many changes. The Port Commission disappeared when the city ordinance (No. 368-41) passed on July 28, 1941, establishing a twelve member Port and Harbor Commission with jurisdiction over all matters relating to the port harbor, with powers to make recommendations to the Toledo City Council on all matters germane to the development and improvement of the harbor rules and regulations concerning the use of the harbor, and other harbor related matters.
Over the next fourteen years, many of the changes that were made anticipated the fundamental reorganization of 1955. On June 10, 1946, the name was changed to the Toledo Port Commission,, but more importantly, the membership of the commission was altered to permit the appointment of four of the nine members by the Lucas County Commission. Another minor restructuring of the Toledo Port Commission was made by council action on May 23, 1949, and the name was changed to the Toledo-Lucas County Port Commission. In 1955 the name was changed back to the Toledo Port Commission.
The Ohio Senate bill 193, which the Ohio Legislature passed on June 21, 1955 and became sections 4582.01-16 of the Revised Code of the Laws of Ohio, made possible a fundamental reorganization of the Toledo Port Commission by enabling the formation of port authorities that transcended existing political subdivisions. The Toledo City Ordinance 427-55 made possible the establishment of a port authority in cooperation with Lucas County, thus paving the way for the creation of the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority.
The Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority maintains permanent offices at One Maritime Plaza in Toledo, Ohio, and is governed by a nine-person board of directors. The Port Authority today has broad powers including the right to issue bonds; to exercise the right of eminent domain; to purchase, construct, and lease docks and terminal facilities; to publicize and promote the port; to operate airports; and to levy taxes for its own purpose upon voter approval.
Scope and Content
The material in the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority Collection spans the years from 1895 to the present. The material before 1950 is primarily concerned with the St. Lawrence Seaway, whereas that dated after 1950 pertains to the operation of the Port Authority and construction completed completed at the port.
The collection contains a number of minutes of meetings from 1922-1937, and a virtually complete set from 1946 to the present. The minutes, especially after 1946, contain the dates of the meetings, members present, brief synopses of issues before the board of directors, basic policy decisions, and monthly budget reports (after 1970) which contain detailed information on receipts and expenditures. Also included with procedural material are ordinances, proposals and resolutions involving the city of Toledo and its role in developing the port.
The correspondence covers the years from 1925-1973, with a large part of it from 1955 and 1956. The letters before 1955 deal primarily with support for the St. Lawrence Seaway and ideas on the potential of the port of Toledo for maritime trade. The correspondence during 1955 and 1956 pertains to the establishment of the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority. The weakness with the correspondence is that there is little after 1956 and none since 1973.
The collection contains three subject files. They involve George Hardy, the St. Lawrence Treaty, and construction at Presque Isle. George Hardy was a great supporter of the port of Toledo and the St. Lawrence Seaway until his death in 1946. This file contains his correspondence, speeches, and newspaper clippings about his efforts on behalf of Toledo. The St. Lawrence Treaty file contains statements in support of a treaty between the United States and Canada for the construction of the St. Lawrence Seaway. The third file deals with the five stages of construction at Presque Isle between 1958-1967 that became Port Authority Facility No. 1. This contains the contracts, correspondence, bids, reports, and change orders that were used during the construction.
There are a number of reports found in the collection. These include annual, board and committee, economic, engineering, monthly, Port of Toledo, and statistical reports. These reports cover what the Port Authority has done each year since 1960, what the economic potential for the port is, what occurred at the port of Toledo for each month from 1947-1955, what the history of the port and its development has been, and the import and export figures for the port during the years from 1964-1975. With the exception of the annual reports they do not run to the present.
The literary productions found in the collection include articles, booklets, magazines, histories, newsletters, sailing schedules, and speeches. These pertain to the promotion of the port and its history. The newsletters provide information on the activities of the Port Authority and are the only literary productions to run to the present.
The collection contains few legal documents, most notably acts, bills, contract documents, and agreements. The acts and bills are those by the city of Toledo, the Ohio Legislature, and the Congress of the United States that affected the Port of Toledo. The contract documents deal with construction at Maumee Bay Marina and maintenance dredging in the harbor. The agreements are between the City of Toledo and various groups and primarily involve land transfers.
There are only a few financial documents found in the collection. These include financial statements from companies interested in construction work at the port and documents detailing minimum wage votes for union workers.
The collection does contain a large number of newspaper clippings from 1920-1968 that pertain to the St. Lawrence Seaway, promotion of the port, and the Port Authority. A great many clippings are from 1954 and 1955, and these deal with the formation of the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority and the controversy around it.
A detailed and fairly complete part of the collection are the drawings and blueprints showing the construction at Presque Isle. Most of the plans are included in addition to those for construction at Maumee Bay Marina and Cullen Park. Included in this part of the collection are charts showing farm product production and maps of Toledo showing planned port construction.
Printed materials in the collection include pamphlets and brochures used for public relations and advertising the Port of Toledo. Included with this are lithographs of classic sailing ships used for advertising purposes.
The final section of the collection contains photographs taken during the construction at Maumee Bay Marina in 1961.
MINUTES 1922 to the present Arranged chronologically The minutes are of meetings of the Toledo Port Commission and the board of the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority. Attendance records are included from 1946-1955 and agenda material and budget reports from 1976 to the present. The minutes contain reports, resolutions, and proposals presented during the meetings. They are complete with very few exceptions from 1946 to the present.
MINUTES FROM ASSOCIATIONS AND COMMITTEES 1928-1961. Arranged chronologically. The minutes are of groups connected with the Port Commission and the Port Authority. The minutes contain business conducted, discussions held, and decisions made.
COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP LISTS 1933-1961. Arranged chronologically. Contains names and addresses of members of committees and other groups.
ORDINANCES 1931-1955. Arranged chronologically. These are almost all from the City of Toledo and pertain to various aspects of the operation of the Port Commission and the Port Authority.
PROPOSALS 1928-1941. Arranged chronologically. These deal with suggestions concerning the Port of Toledo, such as the establishment of a Department of Port Development, a Port District Act for the State of Ohio, and Port Authority for Toledo.
RESOLUTIONS 1923-1957. Arranged chronologically. This contains resolutions regarding the Seaway Treaty and construction by city groups, the state and federal government. This also includes resolutions adopted by the Toledo Port Commission, Toledo City Council, and the Toledo Port Authority. The majority of the resolutions were presented in 1955 and 1956.
CORRESPONDENCE 1925-1973. Arranged chronologically. The correspondence through the 1940s deals primarily with the operation of the Port of Toledo and the proposed St. Lawrence Seaway. A large part of the correspondence is from 1955 and 1956 and pertains to the business affairs of the Toledo Port Commission and the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority.
GEORGE HARDY FILES 1922-1967. Arranged into four categories and chronologically within. These files are divided into correspondence, newspaper clippings, speeches and statements, and miscellaneous. The material in the files deals with George Hardy and his efforts to develop the Port of Toledo and the St. Lawrence Seaway. Almost all of this material is dated before his death in 1946.
ST. LAWRENCE TREATY FILES 1919-1940. Arranged into two categories and chronologically within. These files are divided into statements and miscellaneous. They include opinions and debates concerning the treaty between Canada and the United States on the Seaway, a copy of the original treaty, and the results of the senate vote in 1934.
PRESQUE ISLE CONSTRUCTION FILES 1958-1967. Arranged chronologically. This file covers the five stages of construction that occurred on Presque Isle at Port Authority Facility No. 1. These stages are divided by contract. Included with the contract documents are correspondence, contractor's bids, progress reports, change orders, and payment estimates.
ANNUAL REPORTS 1947 to the present. Arranged chronologically. Contains a brief summary of the year's activities, general statistics on imports and exports, and a financial statement.
BOARD AND COMMITTEE REPORTS 1931-1956. Arranged chronologically. Contains reports on boards and committees involved with the Port of Toledo, such as the State Water Conservation Board of Ohio, the Maumee Watershed Conservancy District, and committees within the Port Authority.
ECONOMIC REPORTS 1961-1963. Arranged chronologically. These reports consist of three different studies: a traffic and freight cost study, a transportation study, and a commodity study on machinery. They were compiled for the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority. These reports are market studies of trade and the economic potential of the Port of Toledo.
ENGINEERING REPORTS 1944-1968. Arranged chronologically These reports pertain to the construction at Maumee Bay Marina and at Presque Isle, detailing what was to be constructed at these sites. Also included are miscellaneous reports involving construction at the Port of Toledo.
MONTHLY REPORTS 1947-1955. Arranged chronologically. These reports include activities and events that concern the Port of Toledo. Also included are port statistics for the month.
PORT OF TOLEDO REPORTS 1924-1965. Arranged chronologically. Contains reports and studies dealing specifically with the Port of Toledo, involving development, trade, future potential, and construction of facilities to enhance the port.
STATISTICAL REPORTS 1931-1975. Arranged chronologically. These reports contain statistics for the Port of Toledo. They contain a breakdown of commerce by commodity imports and exports, registry of overseas vessels, vessel arrivals and departures, and city bridge openings. Included in same reports are water depths and comparative rankings of major U.S. and Great Lakes ports. Almost all of the reports are for the years 1964-1973.
MISCELLANEOUS REPORTS 1932-1964. Arranged chronologically. These reports pertain to a variety of subjects, such as annual conventions, the unfairness of the Interstate Commerce Act, and unbalanced land rate structures.
ARTICLES 1921-1970. Arranged chronologically. Contains articles, editorials, and press releases involving the Port of Toledo and the St. Lawrence Seaway.
BOOKLETS AND MAGAZINES 1928-1965. Arranged chronologically. They pertain to Toledo and its port, detailing what the port is doing and plans for the future.
HISTORIES AND PORT FACTS 1928-1972. Arranged chronologically. Contains information about the history of the Port of Toledo and its governing agencies, plus facts about the port.
NEWSLETTER 1956 to the present. Arranged chronologically. Contains statistical information on tonnage and number of vessels using the port, general news items involving the port and Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Seaway shipping, and general information on the activities of the port's governing body.
NOTES ON THE PORT OF TOLEDO 1940-1957. Arranged chronologically. Contains discussions, notes, resumes, and other papers involving the Port of Toledo. Some also involve public relations, meetings, duties of the assistant general manager, and exhibits on the port.
SAILING SCHEDULES 1964-1979. Arranged chronologically. Contains a list of ship arrivals and departures with destination, none of the shipping line, and the name of vessel and date of arrival or departure.
SPEECHES 1911-1970. Arranged chronologically. These speeches deal with the development or promotion of the Port of Toledo, the St. Lawrence Seaway, and the Great Lakes.
ACTS, BILLS, AND AMENDMENTS 1925-1968. Arranged chronologically. This file contains various legal documents concerning the Port of Toledo. They originated with the City of Toledo, the Ohio Legislature, and the Congress of the United States.
CONTRACT DOCUMENTS 1960-1968. Arranged chronologically. These documents pertain to the construction at the Maumee Bay Marina and maintenance dredging of the harbor. They contain the plans and details of the work to be completed.
COURT FILES 1903-1956. Arranged chronologically. This file contains documents detailing several court cases and hearings involving the Toledo Port Authority.
PETITIONS AND AGREEMENTS 1937-1956. Arranged chronologically. This file contains a petition in favor of a Port Authority Enabling Act, in addition to agreements involving land transactions between the City of Toledo and various groups, such as the Pennsylvania Railroad Company and Harrison Marina.
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND DOCUMENTS 1934-1963. Arranged chronologically. Contains financial statements involving companies interested in construction work at the Port of Toledo in 1960. Also included are miscellaneous financial documents concerning the Port of Toledo, plus several minimum wage rate documents involving wages paid to union workers.
NEWSPAPER CLIPPINGS 1920-1968. Arranged chronologically. This file contains a large number of clippings, almost all from Toledo newspapers, most notably the Toledo Blade and the Toledo Times. The articles before 1950 pertain to the St. Lawrence Seaway and port development, while those after 1950, mostly from 1954-1956, deal with the activities of the Port Authority.
FARM PRODUCT AND EXPORT CHARTS 1895-1940. Arranged chronologically. Contains maps showing greatest areas of farm production for various crops during different years. Also contains charts showing amount of farm products exported for a series of years.
DRAWINGS AND BLUEPRINTS 1955-1968. Arranged into four categories and chronologically within. This oversize material is divided into categories of drawings and blueprints detailing the construction done at Maumee Bay Marina, Cullen Park, and Presque Isle. Included are plans for maintenance dredging and test borings that had been conducted.
PORT OF TOLEDO MAPS 1934-1963. Arranged chronologically. These maps show various parts of the Port of Toledo and what construction or other development was planned for those areas. These areas include Maumee Bay Marina and Presque Isle.
PUBLIC RELATIONS AND ADVERTISING PAMPHLETS AND BROCHURES 1958-1982. Arranged chronologically. Contains pamphlets and brochures advertising the benefits of using the Port of Toledo for shipping goods.
LITHOGRAPHS OF CLASSIC SAILING SHIPS 1972. Arranged chronologically. These lithographs of ships were distributed by the Port Authority to promote the Port of Toledo.
PHOTOGRAPHS OF MAUMEE BAY MARINA CONSTRUCTION 1961. Arranged chronologically. Contains photographs of construction done at Maumee Bay Marina in 1961
Box 16: Correspondence; George Hardy; St. Lawrence Treaty
Folders
1-4 Correspondence, 1955-1973 5 George Hardy: correspondence, 1922-1967 6 George Hardy: newspaper clippings, 1927-1959 7 George Hardy: speeches and statements, 1928-1946 8 George Hardy: miscellaneous, 1928-1967 9 St. Lawrence Treaty: statements, 1932-1940 10 St. Lawrence Treaty: miscellaneous, 1919-1934
Public relations & advertising pamphlets and brochures, 1958 - 1982
Lithographs of classic sailing ships, 1972
Photographs of Maumee Bay Marina construction, 1961
Box 29: Oversize Material - Drawings and Blueprints
Maumee Bay Marina, Cullen Park, Riverside Park, 1955-1967
Presque Isle construction: stages 1-5, 1958-1966
Maintenance dredging, 1963-1968
Test borings, 1957-1964
Commodities shipped from Port of Toledo, 1923
Box 30: Clippings
Folders
A.A.P.A. (American Association of Port Authorities)
Ad Club
Advertisements, Legal
Advisory Board
Agents
American Propeller Co.
American Ship Building Co.
American Ship Building Co.
Andersons, The
Aquarama
Army-NDTA-Great Lakes Detachment
ATTCA
Blade-Sunday Column
Blade--Sunday Column
Board of Directors
Bond Sale
Bridges
Burns Ditch
Cargill, Inc.
Cargo, Misc.
Cargo, Misc.
Cars
Canada
Canals
CBS Radio, Goerner
Channel, 27 foot
Chamber of Commerce
Chicago
Civil Defense
Claims
Cleveland, Misc.
Cleveland, Misc.
Cleveland, Misc.
Cleveland, Steve Blossom
Cleveland, Steve Blossom
Cleveland, Steve Blossom
Cleveland, Pat Garling
Cleveland, Pat Garling
Box 31: Clippings
Folders
C & O
Coal
Coast Guard
Corps of Engineers
Containerization
Council of Lake Erie Ports
Cranes
Customs
Detroit
Detroit
Display
Donley Rate Study
Dredging
Dredging
Duluth
Economic Factors
Edison
Editorials
Erie , Lake
European mission, Publicity Clips
European Trip
Exhibits
Federal Maritime Board
Federal Transportation Commission
Fire Boat
First Ship 1961
First Ship 1963
First Ship 1964
Flood Control
Foreign Flag Shipping
Foreign Ships
Foreign Ships
Foreign Trade Zone
Foreign Trade Zone
Foreign Trade Zone
Free Time
Grain
Great Lakes - General
Great Lakes--General
Great Lakes--General
Great Lakes Basin
Great Lakes Commission
Great Lakes Governors' Conference
Great Lakes, Open for Shipping
Ice
Ice
Import-Export
Import-Export
Import-Export
Industrial Development
Industrial Development
Industrial Development
Industrial molasses
Interlake Iron
International Association of Great Lakes Ports
I.C.C.
International Cooperation Association
Box 32: Clippings
Folders
Journal of Commerce
Labor
Labor
Labor
Labor
Labor
Lake Carriers Association
Lake Erie Watershed
Legislation, 1961
Legislation, 1963
Legislation, 1964
Letters to the Editor
Marina
Marine Casualties
Maumee River
Merchant Marine
Mid-States
Military Cargo
Military Sea Transportation Service
Monroe
Mooring
National Defense Transportation Association
Naval Reserve
Navy
Navy
New York
New York Barge Canal
Northwestern Ohio Export Development Council
Oil
Ore
Organizations
Ottawa River
Passenger Lines
Pilots & Pilotage
Pleasure Boating
Police Harbor Patrol
Pollution
Pollution
Port Authority, General
Port Authority, General
Port Authority, General
Port Authority, General
Port Authority, General
Port Authority, Ohio Act
Port Miscellaneous
Ports, Great Lakes
Ports, Other than Great Lakes
Ports, Other than Great Lakes
Port of Toledo
Box 33: Clippings
Folders
Port of Toledo, General
Port of Toledo, General
Port of Toledo, General
Port of Toledo, General
Port of Toledo, General
Presque Island
Propeller Club, The
Promotion
Promotion
Promotion
Purdey, Louis C.
Purdey, Louis C.
Rail Merger
Railroads
Railroads
Rail-Water Corporation
Rates
Rates
Rates
REA (Railway Express Agency)
Rossford Ordnance Depot
Seaman's Service Organization
Seaway, General
Seaway, General
Seaway, General
Seaway, General
Seaway, General
Seaway, General
Seaway, General
Seaway, General
Seaway, General
Box 34: Clippings
Folders
Seaway Corporation
Seaway Opening, 1961
Seaway Opening, 1962
Seaway Economics
Section 22
Senate Sub-Committee
Ships, kinds
Ship Arrivals
Ship Building
Ship Casualties
Ship Casualties
Ship Lines
Ship Lines
Staff, Port Authority
Staff, Port Authority
State Department visit
Steel
Strike
Strike
Strike
Strike
Tariffs
Toledo Area, General
Toledo Area, General
Toledo Area, General
Toledo Area Development
Toledo Harbor
Toledo Marine Terminals
Toledo Oversea Terminals
Toledo Transportation Club
Toledo Trucking Association
Tolls, 1963
Tolls, 1964
Trade Missions
Trade Routes
Tugs
Box 35: Clippings
Folders
1. Urban Renewal 2. U.S. Corps of Engineers 3. Visitors 4. Visitors, Port of Toledo 5. Volkswagens 6. Wall Street Journal clippings 7. Water 8. Water Levels 9. Willys Jeep 10. World Trade 11-22. January - December, 1961 23. End of Season, 1961 24-35. January - December, 1963 36. End of Season, 1963 37-48. January - December, 1964 49. End of Season, 1964