Archived News | Greater Toledo Heritage and Horizons

2025

GTHH Launches Beaver Mitigation Effort at Wallace Pond

December 6, 2025

Greater Toledo Heritage and Horizons (GTHH), working in collaboration with Lewis County and following guidance from the Cascade Forest Conservancy, has launched an urgent beaver mitigation project at Wallace Pond after renewed activity caused fresh damage to several trees.

GTHH board members installed protective wire fencing over the weekend to discourage the beaver from remaining in the area and to protect remaining shoreline trees. These non-lethal measures remove the easy food sources currently attracting the beaver and may help encourage natural relocation. If needed, GTHH will coordinate with Lewis County and wildlife agencies on potential relocation options consistent with regional practices.

GTHH is also working with Lewis County on a longer-term plan to remove dead or compromised trees and evaluate potential replacement plantings. All GTHH activities at Wallace Pond are reviewed and approved by Lewis County before action is taken.

A youth group may join the project, once the emergency phase stabilizes, helping with added tree protection, habitat monitoring, and restoration work.

GTHH extends special thanks to The Home Depot in Chehalis for donating fencing, posts, and paint that made this rapid response possible.

Updates will be posted at www.gthh.org.

GTHH Officially Receives 501(c)(3) Determination from IRS

November 19, 2025

Greater Toledo Heritage and Horizons (GTHH) has been formally recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)(3) public charity under IRC Section 170(b)(1)(A)(vi). This milestone affirms our mission to serve the Greater Toledo region through heritage preservation, STEM education, environmental restoration, and community-centered planning.

Donations to GTHH are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law, with GTHH's tax-exempt status effective July 10, 2025. This status allows supporters, partners, and grantmakers to contribute with confidence and positions GTHH to expand its work across all program areas.

What This Means

Eligibility for private, public, and federal grant opportunities
Tax-deductible contributions for donors
Strengthened capacity for STEM initiatives and natural resource stewardship
Improved ability to support long-term revitalization efforts in the Toledo region

We are grateful for the dedication of our Board of Directors, early supporters, and community partners who helped bring us to this point. The determination letter will now be included in grant applications, partnership materials, and organizational documentation.

To support the next phase of our work, please visit our Donate page.

Preserving Our Story ~ Building Our Future.

📰 Student Water Testing News Release

October 24, 2025

GTHH Sponsors New Student Water Quality Testing Initiative

Greater Toledo Heritage and Horizons (GTHH) is excited to announce a new partnership supporting hands-on environmental education in our community. Working with the Toledo School District, GTHH is sponsoring the relaunch of a teacher led and student conducted water quality testing program, helping to reintroduce a valuable science learning opportunity that had previously been discontinued due to funding constraints.

To equip this initiative, GTHH is partnering with EarthEcho International, an environmental education nonprofit founded by Philippe Cousteau Jr., whose mission is to build a global youth movement to protect and restore our ocean planet.

GTHH will purchase and provide user-friendly water quality test kits to local students and teachers, creating hands-on opportunities for real-world STEM learning and environmental engagement.

🌍 Global Connections Through Local Learning

EarthEcho’s Water Challenge Program is designed to empower the next generation to become the water scientists, stewards, and advocates that will protect our planet. Through this program, local students and teachers will receive, in addition to the water quality test kits, curriculum support designed to build real-world STEM skills and allow the teachers and students to connect with others in the global community for beneficial learning and sharing.

💧 Data to Inform Future Pond Restoration

The student water quality testing will provide basic information about conditions in Wallace Pond, which will help to inform future cleanup, restoration, and stewardship planning for the site.

This initiative reflects GTHH’s broader mission to promote education and environmental stewardship through youth-centered, community-driven efforts. GTHH will support program coordination, volunteer engagement, and logistics to ensure a safe and impactful experience for students and educators alike.

Stay tuned as this program launches. This news release is approved by Greater Toledo Heritage and Horizons (GTHH) and EarthEcho International.

Introducing the Steamboat Toledo Tribute — History & Original Ballad

October 2, 2025

We’re excited to unveil a new tribute page celebrating the Steamboat Toledo — our town’s namesake. It features an evolving historical narrative drawn from period newspapers, books, and archives, plus an original ballad by Lawrence F. Davidson.

This is living history: we’re actively researching the Toledo’s routes, crew, community ties, her 1878 launch and 1885 lengthening, and the events that shaped her story. As better sources surface, we’ll refine details. If you have photos, clippings, corrections, or memories to share, please reach out!

Update: We’ve also connected with a present‑day descendant of Joseph Kellogg. We hope to enrich the tribute with family knowledge and any surviving records that add clarity to the Toledo’s story.

You’ll also find links to the tribute throughout our site — here’s a quick link to jump in:

Read the Tribute →

Note: Because historical records can be incomplete or conflicting, some details may be updated as new sources are verified.

GTHH Launches Funding Campaign

Community-led nonprofit begins fundraising for its operations and first community project with board-backed startup support.

September 2025

We have launched our fundraising efforts for our first two projects. Initial startup costs were covered personally by our founding board, with a small individual recurring donation towards GTHH operations.

While our nonprofit does not pursue local fundraising so as not to compete with existing 501(c)(3)s, we are seeking grant support and broader philanthropic partnerships beyond the local area. No developers, corporations, or outside entities are funding this effort.

Projects Page Updated for Improved Clarity

August 31, 2025

Our website was offline for maintenance this morning while we refreshed our Projects Page to make it easier for the community and supporters to find clear information about what projects we currently have in process. The page now highlights our two active efforts:

Organizational Startup & Capacity Building ~ building the foundation that allows Greater Toledo Heritage and Horizons to operate effectively, meet compliance standards, and carry out community projects responsibly.
South County Park (Wallace Pond) Campaign ~ a focused effort to secure the park through the county surplus property process and address urgent repairs so families can enjoy a safe, clean, and welcoming community landmark. Our details page for the South County Park has also been updated with the types of repair and maintenance that is anticipated.

Our other ideas and concepts have not been removed ~ they are now located on a dedicated Future Possibilities page, where they can be viewed separately. This change was made to improve clarity and avoid confusion, while keeping everything accessible to the public.

Lewis County News Highlights Wallace Pond Discussion

August 27, 2025

The Lewis County News recently covered the community discussion about the future of Wallace Pond, describing it as a “beloved but long-neglected community landmark” and noting Greater Toledo Heritage and Horizons’ plan to restore it for local families. We appreciate the paper’s thoughtful coverage of this important conversation.

Community Vision Presentation — Now Available Online

August 15, 2025

Our narrated Community Vision Presentation is now available to watch on our website. In about 30 minutes, you’ll hear the story of our shared heritage, the vision for Toledo’s future, and the next steps Greater Toledo Heritage & Horizons is taking to move from planning to action.

Watch the Presentation →

GTHH Launches New Website to Share Vision and Projects

August 10, 2025

We’re proud to announce the official launch of the website for Greater Toledo Heritage and Horizons (GTHH) at www.greatertoledoheritageandhorizons.org (also accessible via www.gthh.org).

This new platform highlights our mission to preserve Toledo’s historical character while building a vibrant future through community-led revitalization.

On the site, you’ll find:

Detailed descriptions of current and future community development projects
Opportunities to get involved or donate
Updates on local engagement, planning efforts, and public presentations
A gallery of concept images and renderings showing the future of Old Town, Wallace Pond, and more

We’re also launching our presence across major search engines, including Google and Bing, so that our story — and Toledo’s — reaches as many people as possible.

In the News: GTHH Featured in The Chronicle

August 9, 2025

Greater Toledo Heritage and Horizons was recently featured in The Chronicle for its community presentation to the Toledo City Council, outlining the nonprofit’s mission and long-term vision for revitalizing the region through heritage preservation, recreation, and civic planning.

You can read the full article here:
The Chronicle: GTHH Unveils Long-Term Revitalization Project

The meeting marks an important step in establishing community awareness and building momentum for the nonprofit’s growing initiatives.

Now a Member of the South Lewis County Chamber of Commerce