History

The Village of Ottawa Hills really got its start in 1915. John North Willys, president of the Overland Company, acquired approximately 1,200 acres 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