TOLEDO (WTOL) - When Edward Drummond Libbey moved his entire glass factory and workers from Boston to Toledo back in 1888, little did anyone know what he was really bringing to the city. And what he’d leave behind.
The factory of course is still here 130 years later, in the same place in north Toledo, still producing Libbey glass.
Within years, Libbey would continue to expand his horizons of glass, making bottles with inventor Michael Owems and later making sheet glass with Edward Ford in the new community of Rossford. Libbey’s vision and ambition would help make Toledo synonymous with the glass industry and thus, we became the “Glass City” or “Glass Capital of the World”.
The Libbey future in Toledo would also include a courtship and marriage to Florence Scott, the daughter of University of Toledo founder, Jessup Scott. Shortly after the wedding vows were exchanged, the Libbey’s decided to settle in Toledo most prestigious new neighborhood, The Old West End, just west of downtown Toledo.
It was there at Scottwood and Woodruff, where Libbey worked with renowned Toledo architect David Stine to build a three-story, 18-room house where the Libbey’s would call home for many years.
“People should be proud that Libbey chose Toledo and he made it what it is today,” is the earnest opinion of the Libbey House Foundation President Robert Zollweg.
He recently retired from Libbey after 48 years with the company, many of them as its creative director.
Zollweg said he’ll continue to carry out Libbey’s vision.
“I’m proud to be carrying on the Libbey legacy,” he said.
Zollweg is one of many Toledo residents who are eager to help preserve this 10,000 square foot home. A home that was built in 1895 and contains many of the special features the Libbey’s had built into the house.
Zollweg points to some ornate tile around the fireplace in the dining room which he said was personally selected by Mrs. Libbey while in the Netherlands. Each tile depicts a different landscape scene. Above the fireplace are several wood carved lion’s heads and in the wall next the fireplace is Libbey’s personal safe. It was locked a few years ago by mistake and no one has been able to get it opened.
The house is the only home in Toledo that is designated a National Historic Landmark. Mainly because of its historical significance as the home of the larger-than-life Libbey family. And while the yellow shingled home is beautiful at first glance, some things needs fixing.
Zollweg said the plumbing needs to be updated, and the furnace boiler is on its last legs.
“This house takes a lot of effort, a lot of work,” said Zollweg.
That’s the purpose Thursday night of an end of the year holiday extravaganza fundraiser.
Folks came to tour the 18 room, 10,000 square foot home built in 1895 at 2008 Scottwood Avenue
The fundraiser is hoping to raise enough money to take down an original oak tree on the front lawn that is mostly dead and threatening to damage the front porch roof if it’s blown over in a storm.
First time visitors are mesmerized by the place.
“Spectacular. I wish they still looked like this,” said Greg Cutcher.
Greg’s wife Robin agreed.
“The woodwork. The bathroom tile. Everything is absolutely beautiful,” said Robin.
And planned renovation work will keep it that way.
The house was recently painted.
Plumbing and heating repair work is next to maintain its splendor for new visitors.
One of things that visitors to the home can find on the walls is a gallery of old photos of the Libbey factory and workers. Zollweg said the photos were being thrown out at the plant a few years back and he furloughed them from the dumpster.
They are now prominently displayed in the second floor foyer. Zollweg now hopes that the Foundation can continue to rescue this grand home in the Old West End from the insults of time and keep it open for citizens of the area to enjoy for years to come.
Mr. Libbey owned the house until his death in 1925.
It’s the only signifigant surviving architectural artifact associated with his life.