An initially peaceful protest was named “Battle of Toledo” once it became fatal. Nearly 85 years ago, a federal labor union of the American Federation of Labor began to strike against the Electric Auto-Lite company. An arrest of an organizer and four strikers initiated a five-day battle. During this battle, members of the Ohio National Guard and several thousand strikers clashed. Two strikers were shot down by National Guardsmen from a nearby bridge, and many others were injured. This photo shows a civilian and officer carrying a man near the Electric Auto-Lite plant during the strike. The strike began on April 12, 1934, and ended on June 3, 1934. The historic strike, which was during the Great Depression, led to widespread unionization in Toledo and influenced federal laws allowing the right to unionize. It played a major role in the evolving United Automobile, Aerospace, and Agricultural Implement Workers of America. The 600,000-square-foot factory played an important part of Toledo history. It prospered after the strike until 1960 when Chrysler Corp. discontinued being a customer. Once closed, the factory suffered from multiple vandalism incidents.
The Blade/Katie Rausch
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The Abracadabra of Roger Stark, Temperance, leads a line of tightly grouped boats as they fly their spinnakers at the start of the Governor's Cup Course of the Mills Trophy Course at the 2017 Invitational Mills Trophy Race near the Toledo Harbor Light in Lake Erie, Friday, June 9, 2017.
The Blade/Andy Morrison
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Boats sail under a dramatic sky during the start of the 2017 Invitational Mills Trophy Race.
The Blade/Andy Morrison
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Lt. Pete Traver can't cover Tabari Triplett, 11, as he plays football with some friends from the neighborhood Monday, June 5, 2017, after Toledo firefighters had extinguished a blaze at a house on Cherry Street in Toledo. Battalion Chief Brent Wettle said the fire was reported at about 8:15 p.m. Monday evening in the 3300 block of Cherry Street, and caused an estimated $50,000 in damage. No injures were reported and the fire was under control within half an hour. The Red Cross was contacted to provide aid to seven residents of the house.
The Blade/Katie Rausch
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Jonathan Milbrodt, Collections Curator, Toledo Botanical Garden, left, shows some of the Lathrop Company volunteers poison ivy. Areas with swaths of the vine had been marked off, as in the photo, but it is also present in small amounts in the garden. Employees and their family members from The Lathrop Company volunteer for various renovation and landscaping projects at the Toledo Botanical Garden in Toledo, Ohio on June 9, 2017.
The Blade/Jetta Fraser
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A baby duck at Nature's Nursery on June 6, 2017. The animal rehabilitation facility has approximately 300 baby animals in their care.
The Blade/Amy E. Voigt
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Bowling Green State University art education sophomore Brittney Baldwin paints her section of a mural at East Broadway and Vinal Streets in East Toledo on Wednesday, June 7, 2017.
The Blade/Kurt Steiss
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Drummer Dalton Harp and guitarist Riley Cook perform with their band Colour Rise during Toledo Music Fest at SeaGate Centre, Saturday, June 10, 2017.
The Blade/Andy Morrison
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Jacobi Romaker, 5, jumps around plants in the park as Brett Romaker, 7, and Jane Romaker, 9, stand nearby after the rededication of Riverside Park in Perrysburg, Ohio, on Thursday, June 8, 2017.
The Blade/Kurt Steiss
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Terri Kirtos, left, and John Kirtos, right, of Sylvania, take a spin around the Olander Park lake on their new stand-up paddle boards on June 11, 2017.
The Blade/Amy E. Voigt
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Marcus Clark and his son Josiah Clark-Cisneros entering the Maumee River. Above them are the Anthony Wayne Bridge, commonly called also known as the High Level Bridge, and a Middlegrounds footbridge. Marcus Clark and his son, Josiah Clark-Cisneros, 5, of Walbridge, take off from the kayak cove at Middlegrounds Metropark in downtown Toledo, Ohio on June 11, 2017. They rented the kayak from River Lures Kayaking which is onsite Thursday-Sundays plus holidays through Labor Day.
The Blade/Jetta Fraser
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African elephants Twiggy, left, and Louie reach for a treat at the Toledo Zoo, Tuesday, June 6, 2017.
The Blade/Andy Morrison
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Artist David Cuatlacuatl paints a figure representing the Immaculate Conception on a mural being painted at The Immaculate Conception Church outreach center Wednesday, June 7, 2017 in South Toledo. The mural, designed by Mr. Cuatlacuatl, also features likenesses of Vicente Guerrero and Miguel Hidalgo, key figures in the Mexican War of Independence. It is being painted by BGSU students under the direction of Mr. Cuatlacuatl.
The Blade/Dave Zapotosky
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A construction worker in a cherry picker casts a shadow on the ProMedica parking garage under construction on North Summit Street in Toledo on Wednesday, June 7, 2017.
The Blade/Kurt Steiss
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Toledo resident Brandon Ham, Sr. dives into the pool during adult time at Rolf Park Pool in Maumee, Ohio.
The Blade/Lori King
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Forestry workers Paul Auler, left, and Todd Wuertz after planting a tree near the former Toledo Police department horse barn. Workers from the City of Toledo Forestry department planting Zelcova trees along South St. Clair St. on Toledo, Ohio on June 5, 2017.
The Blade/Jetta Fraser
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Dave Deenik and Kerry Kapaku let loose during the Swing Dance Competition to benefit the historic preservation of the Toledo Club, Saturday, June 3, 2017.
The Blade/Andy Morrison
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Bedford's Jake Dunnett spots a fly foul ball during the Division 1 regional semifinals between the Bedford Mules and Plymouth Wildcats at Dearborn Edsel Ford High School in Dearborn, Mich., on Saturday, June 10, 2017. Bedford won 6-2.
The Blade/Kurt Steiss
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Bedford's Bryce Mugler pitches during the Division 1 regional finals between the Bedford Mules and Saline Hornets at Dearborn Edsel Ford High School in Dearborn, Mich., on Saturday, June 10, 2017. Saline won 9-4.
The Blade/Kurt Steiss
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Fans reach for a foul ball during game between Toledo and Indianapolis at Fifth Third Field in Toledo, Ohio.
The Blade/Lori King
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The Mud Hens' Efren Navarro slides home in the bottom of the first inning in the Tuesday, June 6, 2017, baseball match up against the Indianapolis Indians at Fifth Third Field in downtown Toledo.\
Blade/Katie Rausch
The Mud Hens' Brendan Ryan nabs a ball in the top of the first inning in the June 7, 2017, baseball match up against the Indianapolis Indians at Fifth Third Field in downtown Toledo.
The Blade/Katie Rausch
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The moon rises as fans of the Mud Hens watch the game from the roof of Hensville in the top of the fourth inning in the June 7, 2017, baseball match up against the Indianapolis Indians at Fifth Third Field in downtown Toledo.
The Blade/Katie Rausch
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Whiteford's on-deck batter, #4, Nathan Bauman, welcomes teammate #33, Andrew Toda, who scored in the sixth inning. The ball had gone past the catcher, allowing #34, Conner Hoogendoorn to score before Toda. Lakers' #16, who is not on the roster. The Whiteford Agricultural School Boys Varsity Baseball team (W) defeats the team from Our Lady of the Lakes (L) in the penultimate game of Michigan High School Athletic Association Regional 31-4 baseball tournament in Ottawa Lake, Michigan on June 10, 2017. They go on to play in the final.
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Whiteford pitcher Lindsey Walker and teammates leave the field after defeating the Lakers in the semifinal championship. The Whiteford Agricultural School Girls Varsity Softball team (W) defeats the team from Our Lady of the Lakes (L) in the penultimate game of Michigan High School Athletic Association Regional 31-4 baseball tournament in Ottawa Lake, Michigan on June 10, 2017. They go on to play in the final.
The Blade/Jetta Fraser
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Whiteford #4, Katie Lipp, celebrates her grand slam home run as she crosses the plate in the first inning of the championship game. Whiteford #48 is Karsyn Berns-Moore. Also cheering is #32, Madison Durden, second from left, who scored on the HR.
The Blade/Jetta Fraser
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