Northwest Ohio has always attracted its fair share of politicians, and during presidential election years, visits from candidates seeking the presidency are not uncommon. But in 1940, something less common happened: A major political party nominated a business leader with little to no political experience as its presidential candidate. And one of the first big campaign stops that candidate made in Ohio was in the city of Toledo. Shown in this Toledo Times archive photo dated Oct. 2, 1940, Republican presidential candidate Wendell L. Willkie is beaming to a crowd of about 22,000 enthusiastic spectators packed into Courthouse Park in downtown Toledo.
THE BLADE/TOLEDO TIMES
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Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton speaks during a campaign stop at Martin Luther King, Jr. plaza in Toledo, Monday, October 3, 2016.
The Blade/Andy Morrison
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Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton at Martin Luther King, Jr., Plaza.
The Blade/Andy Morrison
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Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton waves to supporters during a visit to Toledo.
The Blade/Andy Morrison
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Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton speaks during a campaign appearance at the Martin Luther King, Jr., Plaza.
The Blade/Amy E. Voigt
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Gloria Steinem, left, says "hello" to Ellin Stoots in Bowling Green via smartphone. Stoots' granddaughter, Kylee Gregg, right, holds the phone. Gregg, a junior at Bowsher High School, says that she and her grandmother had gone to hear Steinem last year for Authors!Authors!, but had not been able to speak with her. Gregg says her grandmother has taught her a lot about feminism.
The Blade/Jetta Fraser
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Nolan Johnson, 2, and his father Erik Johnson, of Waterville, tour the vendors during the 40th Annual Applebutter Fest in Grand Rapids on October 9, 2016.
The Blade/Amy E. Voigt
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Evan Mobus, 7, of Grand Rapids, takes his turn to stir the apple butter during the 40th Annual Applebutter Fest.
The Blade/Amy E. Voigt
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Apple dumpling sundaes during the 40th Annual Applebutter Fest.
The Blade/Amy E. Voigt
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Members of CRAFT-Citizens' Resistance at Fermi 2-mark the meltdown at the Enrico Fermi Nuclear Power Plant, now known as Fermi 1, 50 years ago with music and information at Loranger Square in downtown Monroe, Michigan on October 5, 2016. Michael Keegan, of Monroe, and a member of the Coalition for a Nuclear-Free Great Lakes, left and on the ground, holds a chair for Jim Sherman, from Waterford, Michigan, and a member of CRAFT, as Sherman puts hangs a flag on the pavilion. At right is Jacob Honas, of Monroe.
The Blade/Jetta Fraser
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Imagination Station employee Dhruv Sengar walks through the new LEGO exhibit Friday, October 7, 2016, at Imagination Station in Toledo, Ohio.
THE BLADE/JEREMY WADSWORTH
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The bus for Republican Vice Presidential candidate Mike Pence arrives in to Rossford in Rossford,Ohio on October 7, 2016.
The Blade/Amy E. Voigt
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Republican vice presidential candidate Mike Pence greats supporters.
The Blade/Nick Thomas
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Work continues at the new Promedica Headquarters in downtown Toledo, Wednesday, October 5, 2016.
The Blade/Andy Morrison
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The Cardinal Stritch mascot cheers on its team during the Bet the Farm robotics competition at the Stroh Center at Bowling Green University.
The Blade/Lori King
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The Port Clinton team carries their robot during the Bet the Farm robotics competition parade at the Stroh Center at Bowling Green University on Saturday, October 8, 2016.
The Blade/Lori King
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Vince and Nancy Diguglielmo of Sylvania enjoy a warm fall day Thursday, October 6, 2016, at Olander Park in Sylvania, Ohio.
THE BLADE/JEREMY WADSWORTH
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Ivan Rzeszotarski, 3, of Erie, Michigan, touches the tooth of an excavator bucket during an event called "Things That Go" at Levis Commons on October 7, 2016. Event goers were able to see, touch and hear farm machinery, emergency vehicles, commercial equipment, sport-utility vehicles and off-road vehicles.
The Blade/Amy E. Voigt
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Henrik Harris, 3, of Bowling Green pretends to drive a tractor.
The Blade/Amy E. Voigt
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"At first I thought it was all a dream. I thought Joscelyn and Johnny were just going to walk in the door," Josianne Thomas said of her two children, who were murdered in 2015 by her daughter Joscelyn's boyfriend. Josianne survived being stabbed more than 12 times by the same teenage boy who took the lives of her children, who were 16 and 14 at the time of their deaths. Now she lives with the guilt of having survived, even as she cares for her remaining children, twin girls Hailey, center left, and Tiffany, right, then 3 years old, with the help of her father David Page, left. "Sometimes I wish I would have just died. It would have been easier," Josianne said.
The Blade/Katie Rausch
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Dozens of silhouettes representing murdered women, each bearing the name and description of an individual, are unveiled at the Northwest Ohio Silent Witness Project Unveiling Ceremony October 4 in Maumee. Sponsored by the Women's Center at Bowling Green State University, the annual event is held to remember the girls and women in Lucas County who have been killed by intimate partners or stalkers in the past decade. Each woman has a silhouette unveiled with a volunteer to read their story aloud. This year, Joscelyn Jones, Josianne Thomas' 16-year-old daughter, was included among the women.
The Blade/Katie Rausch
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The Fiberglas Tower is pictured Friday October 7, 2016, on N. St. Clair Street in Toledo. Representatives of the Eyde Company, owner of the building, announced their plans to renovate the building Friday morning.
The Blade/Dave Zapotosky
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Andy Stafford of Sarasota Fl. waves a Trump for President flag while supporters wait for an appearance from republican vice presidential candidate Mike Pence outside of the Rossford Recreation Center on Oct. 7, 2016.
The Blade/Nick Thomas
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Graham Johnson does the heavy lifting as his daughter Emese Johnson, 4, keeps her eyes on the Maumee River after they land their kayak at Middlegrounds Metropark in downtown Toledo, Ohio on October 4, 2016. They live in Toledo.
The Blade/Jetta Fraser
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Students and staff from the Maritime Academy of Toledo aboard the Mariner 1 motor past the freighter Federal Nakagawa as it heads up the Maumee River, Wednesday, October 5, 2016.
The Blade/Andy Morrison
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Don Young, with Off Contact Productions, installs an enlarged image of Hiroshi Yoshida's "Carp in a Pond" ("Ike no koi") in downtown Toledo, Ohio on October 4, 2016. The color woodblock print, created in 1926, is the gift of Hubert D. Bennett to the Toledo Museum of Art. Young and Off Contact Productions are both in Toledo.
The Blade/Jetta Fraser
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Wayne's Evan Brown (1) is hoisted up by a teammate after scoring in the second quarter of the Friday, October 7, 2016, football match up at Bowling Green.
The Blade/Katie Rausch
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Waite senior Kareem Wiltshire plays the Waite Indian mascot during a football game against Rogers Thursday, October 6, 2016, in Toledo, Ohio.
THE BLADE/JEREMY WADSWORTH
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Waite DL LaMarcus Neal stops Rogers WR Jerimiah Peacock during a football game October 6 in Toledo.
THE BLADE/JEREMY WADSWORTH
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Patrick Henry HB Donny Johnson (21) runs the ball against Swanton during a football game October 7 in Swanton. Patrick Henry defeated Swanton 35-28.
THE BLADE/JEREMY WADSWORTH
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Patrick Henry DB Triston Novak (15) and Swanton Jonathon Shanks (6) chase a fumble.
THE BLADE/JEREMY WADSWORTH
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Alden Hirschfeld skates in on net during practice as the Toledo Walleye began training camp October 3.
Blade/Jetta Fraser
University of Toledo senior running back Kareem Hunt is brought down by Eastern Michigan senior defensive back Ikie Calderon (7) in the first half of the football game at Rynearson Stadium in Ypsilanti on October 8. UT would go on to win 35-20.
Blade/Nick Thomas
University of Toledo junior running back Terry Swanson vaults over Eastern defensive back Vince Calhoun in the first half.
Blade/Nick Thomas