William C. Holgate, the man who rode to Columbus, OH on horseback in 1843 to petition for the creation of Defiance County, made his home on the east bank of the Maumee River, just west of the city plat. He developed a road through his property which became Holgate Avenue and sold off lots to fellow professionals and industrialists. These families built a charming, turn of the century Victorian neighborhood. This neighborhood is now on the National Register of Historic Places with 41 contributing homes. See Queen Ann, Greek Revival, Italianate, French Second Empire, Gothic Revival and Craftsman Bungalow to name a few.