The Village of Ottawa Hills really got its start in 1915. John North Willys, president of the Overland Company, acquired approximately 1,200 acres (4.6 km sq) beginning at the intersection of Bancroft Street and Indian Road and extending along the Ottawa River to Central Avenue. The August 1, 1915 edition of the "Toledo Times" includes the following description: "Landscape architects, city planning engineers, landscape gardeners, and other experts, backed by an army of workmen equipment with the latest machinery and tools have been steadily at work on the tract for over a year. They have practically completed the improvement of the first 100 acre unit of the development, lying at Arrowhead Point (former known as 5 Point). This is at the intersection of Bancroft Street, Secor and Indian Roads, a 20 minute ride from the business district. A cursory inspection of the property reveals the scale on which the improvements are being made. Practically 35% of it has been given over to park purposes. This includes the wooded area along the river's course, flanked on one side by Percifilous Bluff and the other side by a slope that rises, by gentle degrees, to a level with the top of the bluff. In the valley, river banks have been dressed gracefully to the water's edge. John North Willys turned to the E.H. Close Realty Company for the actual development of Ottawa Hills. The Close Realty Company had developed more than 1,000 acres (4 km sq) of land in Toledo and the surrounding area. Planners, engineers, and architects with national reputations were involved in the layout and design of the Village. They were also involved with the creation of various restrictive covenants to assure proper quality development and construction of homes. Several annexations have substantially changed the shape of the Village from the original 1,200 acres (4.6 km sq). However, much of the early development of the Village is very consistent with the original plans that date back to 1915. The portion of the Village adjacent to Secor Road and south of Bancroft Street, plat 1, is very similar in layout and design to the original plans. Many of the oldest homes in the Village are located in plat 1. E. H. Close lived in this plat in one of the first homes built in the Village. Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise also own a house in Ottawa Hills, since Katie is originally from Toledo, Ohio. Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ottawa_Hills%2C_Ohio