US 20: Toledo Ohio and Toledo Oregon

I suppose with a road as long as US Route 20 that it’s bound to have cities that share the same name show up along the route. But a name like Toledo may not be one that first one that comes to mind.

Toledo, Oregon

On the western end of US 20 (also called the Corvallis-Newport Highway) is the city of Toledo, Oregon, first settled in 1866. It is less than 10 miles away from the Pacific Ocean, which also puts it very close to the western terminus of US 20 in Newport. The city’s web site lists the population as 3,680. It appears that US 20 through the city of Toledo is an old section of the route that was in use between 1917 and 1971, before the current bypass was created. The old section is still known as US 20, but as a business route. More information about the US 20 Route through Toledo, Oregon can be found here.

Toledo, Ohio

Much farther east is the larger city of Toledo, Ohio. It is situated on the Maumee River and the western end of Lake Erie, and is the fourth largest city in Ohio with a population close to 300,000. It is also known as the “Glass City” due to an extensive history in all facets of the glass industry, from everyday items like windows, bottles, and fiberglass, to the more specialized art glass. The Toledo Museum of Art (not on US 20) has a large collection of glass works. In addition, there are many glass companies who got their start in Toledo Ohio, such as Owens-Illinois, Owens Corning, Libbey, and many others.

With its location on Lake Erie, Toledo Ohio is a very popular destination for fishing and water sports, but also serves as a port for industry. More information about Toledo Ohio can be found here.


The US Route 20 Blog homepage can be found here.