Welcome to episode two of Brain Drain, a Midstory podcast that explores the city of Toledo through the eyes of the people who’ve left it behind. In this episode, we explore Toledo’s efforts to create an exciting and social urban scene.
In 1973, John Denver sang a song about Toledo to an estimated 30 million viewers of the Johnny Carson show. It was not flattering. “Saturday Night in Toledo, Ohio, is like being nowhere at all” goes the first line. What follows describes a place where there is nothing to do except “sit in the park and watch the grass die,” where the sidewalks are rolled in by 10 p.m. and where “great entertainment” is watching “the buns rise” in the bakery.
At the time, John Denver’s song “Rocky Mountain High” occupied the number three spot on the pop charts, and news of his bruising new ballad made its way to Northwest Ohio, where some Toledoans were offended.
Toledo’s mayor told the press that the song was “offensive as hell.” Blade reporter Tony Gearhart called Denver “a no-account slanderer” and “a furrow-browed, demon-eyed, nothing-is-sacred pop singer.”
But for other Toledoans, the song struck a chord. Several letters to the editor published in the Blade said the song wasn’t a “dastardly lie” like Gearhart described it. “Let’s face it, Toledo is not the Excitement Capital of the country,” one letter said. “Life in Toledo is a drag,” said another. “If it’s not going to see Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, there’s nothing to do at my age except listen to the bees buzz by.”
Denver said he’d never heard from anyone who was offended by the song. “Former Toledoans have come up to me after the show and laughed about it. And they all say it’s true,” he said.
At the time, several recessions, urban renewal projects and a mass exodus to the suburbs had left Toledo’s once bustling center desolate and lacking the restaurants and entertainment venues that once gave it life.
A lot has changed since those times. In the past two decades alone, there has been a major renovation of the riverfront, a five-year development plan and the arrival of the ProMedica headquarters. By all reports, a lot has improved.
But still, the legacy of “Saturday Night in Toledo, Ohio” lives on. Toledo is still not known for being an “Excitement Capital” of the nation or even Ohio. Despite all the changes, many are still frustrated that downtown Toledo is not more than it could be. For many, it’s a reason they want to pull up their stakes and head elsewhere.
To learn more about Toledo’s downtown scene, explore the gallery below.
Brain Drain 2
“Saturday Night in Toledo, Ohio”
“Saturday Night in Toledo, Ohio”
Did you know that John Denver wrote a song about his visit to Toledo?
Click here to listen to the impression that he — and many others — had of this city.
Using the slider on the right, compare these two photos of Toledo’s iconic riverfront view in 1915 and in 2025.
Before and After: Aerial Views of Downtown
Before and After: Aerial Views of Downtown
Take a bird’s-eye view of downtown Toledo in 1993 and 2025.
What do you observe?
Homes Built Downtown
Homes Built Downtown
It wasn’t only commercial buildings that became sparser downtown over the decades: the number of new homes constructed also became fewer.
In fact, the majority of homes downtown were built prior to the 1940s.
Toledo's Downtown Population
Toledo's Downtown Population
While the city has made an effort to bring more people downtown to live, work and play, Toledo’s downtown population has only seen marginal growth over the past decade.
Downtown Toledo’s Population by Age
Downtown Toledo’s Population by Age
So, who are the Toledoans living downtown?
According to age demographics, those freshly out of college — ages 20-24 years — and young professionals — ages 25-29 yrs — make up nearly 17% of the downtown population. Meanwhile, those in their 50s and 60s make up nearly 30% of the downtown population.
Brain Drain 2
“Saturday Night in Toledo, Ohio”
“Saturday Night in Toledo, Ohio”
Did you know that John Denver wrote a song about his visit to Toledo?
Click here to listen to the impression that he — and many others — had of this city.
Using the slider on the right, compare these two photos of Toledo’s iconic riverfront view in 1915 and in 2025.
Before and After: Aerial Views of Downtown
Before and After: Aerial Views of Downtown
Take a bird’s-eye view of downtown Toledo in 1993 and 2025.
What do you observe?
Homes Built Downtown
Homes Built
Downtown
It wasn’t only commercial buildings that became sparser downtown over the decades: the number of new homes constructed also became fewer.
In fact, the majority of homes downtown were built prior to the 1940s.
Toledo's Downtown Population
Toledo's Downtown Population
While the city has made an effort to bring more people downtown to live, work and play, Toledo’s downtown population has only seen marginal growth over the past decade.
Downtown Toledo’s Population by Age
Downtown Toledo’s Population by Age
So, who are the Toledoans living downtown?
According to age demographics, those freshly out of college — ages 20-24 years — and young professionals — ages 25-29 yrs — make up nearly 17% of the downtown population. Meanwhile, those in their 50s and 60s make up nearly 30% of the downtown population.
Stay tuned for more deep dives in our following episodes.
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