ABOUT
THE FOUNDER
Who am I?
I’m Erin, an archaeologist who’s evolved into a preservationist and small real estate developer. Mother of one child, one cat, one dog, married to Greg, living in Toledo, Ohio. I have a B.A. in Economics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and an M.A. in Anthropology, Historical Archaeology from Western Michigan University. I am the founder and principal of Toledo Revival (more on that below). I’m also a co-founder of Preserve Toledo, a non-profit supporting historic preservation in Toledo and Northwest Ohio through education, advocacy, and action. Finally, I am one of the newest board members of Heritage Ohio.
Why do I do what I do?
Since I was very little I’ve been drawn to things that are old and the stories attached to them, made up or true. And mysteries. Now I dig up clues, in archives, in walls, from the ground sometimes still too (archaeologist first) to help write the histories of places and things. I get to see that they’re understood and preserved for the future. And in the process of working on my own old home and my real estate development projects, I get to play with my preoccupation since early adulthood, design, at all levels: object, room, building, site, neighborhood, city. It’s been a winding path, but I couldn’t be more thrilled to have arrived “here”, including Toledo, Ohio.
Why Toledo?
Because, to use a metaphor, I’m a little seed who landed in the right dirt. I’ve never found myself in a place with more opportunities to make real change for someone who does what I do. I want Toledo’s past, present and potential for the future to be known and appreciated. I want to highlight not just the “greats” (buildings and people), but also the vernacular and the underrepresented. I want my work to improve the historical fabric of the city and the lives and experiences of ALL living, working, playing, and visiting here.
THE COMPANY
What’s Toledo Revival? Toledo Revival started as an Instagram account to tell and illustrate the story of my 1923 Tudor Revival in South Toledo and life in general. It became my heritage resource consulting and real estate development company. Beyond my home, Toledo Revival now includes several other historical properties in the Middlegrounds District of downtown Toledo that are in the process of beginning their next chapter. It also encompasses the research, documentation, and management services that I offer for all manner of historical built environment and material culture.
