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First same-sex Old West End Parade King and Queen live in a place of history

They are currently fixing up the Edward Ford Home.

TOLEDO, Ohio — The Ford House was built in 1901 for Edward Ford and his family. Some might say this 15,000 square foot plus home is built for royalty, and in this year's case, that's true.

Take one look at this hallway, from the custom Tiffany fixtures, to the rich wood covering the floors and walls, the space has been a labor of love for long-time partners Finley Gleason and Chuck Madrigal along with their friend and home tour guide Michael Walker.

"A couple of years before we bought the house someone had broken in and they did some damage to the roof because there's copper gutters, and so they were stealing the metals and they broke into the basement," Madrigal said.

The Edward Ford House is the couple's largest undertaking. They anticipate it will take decades to complete, but have been able to largely complete the downstairs. Now they have the second and third floors including a vast ballroom.

The servants quarters include an early 20th century call system much like an intercom. It's a house big enough to get lost in.

The couple's dedication to preserving the Old West End has led to them making history being the first same-sex couple to be King Wamba and Queen Sancha in the annual parade.

"We seriously thought they called us, we didn't know how it was chosen, how we were chosen, we are honored though. We thought they were calling us to put the house on tour again," Madrigal said.

As for their house, it won't be on display this year, but Gleason and Madrigal plan on staying there and completing renovations, even if it takes decades.

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