Original article posted March 9, 2018 Redevelopment of the former Montgomery County Fairgrounds has slowly shifted from planning and fundraising toward visible construction. The 38-acre site along South Main Street is now being developed as onMain, a long-term partnership … [Read more...] about Dayton Fairgrounds Redevelopment: The Historic Roundhouse and the OnMain Development
New Retail Shops Now Open in the Dayton Arcade’s North Arcade
Last Friday I attended the reveal of the new retail spaces inside the Dayton Arcade’s restored North Arcade. It was striking to see such a large crowd gathered inside a landmark that sat vacant for decades. I have been covering the Arcade’s story for years, from … [Read more...] about New Retail Shops Now Open in the Dayton Arcade’s North Arcade
Three Historic Buildings Lost in Dayton in 2025
Several notable buildings disappeared from Dayton’s landscape in 2025. In Episode 2 of the Dayton Vistas Podcast, I cover three structures that are different in almost every way, but each represents a piece of how Dayton grew and changed over time. They weren't … [Read more...] about Three Historic Buildings Lost in Dayton in 2025
The Santa Clara Business District: History, Preservation, and Recent Fire
The Santa Clara Business District is one of the most intact early neighborhood commercial strips left in Dayton, but has suffered through decades of disinvestment and faces an uncertain future. This article pulls together its early history as well as more recent … [Read more...] about The Santa Clara Business District: History, Preservation, and Recent Fire
Appalachian Migration to Dayton, Ohio: Where Families Lived and Worked
Over the past several years, as I’ve researched Dayton’s industrial history and the neighborhoods that once surrounded its factories, one theme has come up repeatedly: Appalachian migration. Between the late 1930s and 1960s, tens of thousands of people from eastern … [Read more...] about Appalachian Migration to Dayton, Ohio: Where Families Lived and Worked
History of Chaminade Julienne Catholic High School in Dayton (Notre Dame Academy)
Today's Chaminade-Julienne Catholic High School is a longtime downtown anchor. It has existed in its current form since 1973, but the school has roots that can be traced back to previous institutions that were established long before. The story begins at the historic … [Read more...] about History of Chaminade Julienne Catholic High School in Dayton (Notre Dame Academy)
Dayton Gym-Cadets and the Dayton Gymnastic Club
I've recently been publishing history on the Dayton Triangles football team, including an article, YouTube video, and a presentation on the team for Centerville-Washington History. It's been especially interesting not only for the significant sports history (the first NFL … [Read more...] about Dayton Gym-Cadets and the Dayton Gymnastic Club
Centre City Building (The Mainline) Redevelopment Overview
With the Dayton Arcade’s major construction largely complete, attention is shifting just across Main Street to another huge structure that has sat vacant for years. Few buildings have generated as much long-running curiosity, or frustration, as the Centre City Building, … [Read more...] about Centre City Building (The Mainline) Redevelopment Overview
NCR: A Then and Now History in Dayton
The National Cash Register Company (NCR) was one of the most influential corporations based in Dayton, shaping the city’s economy, landscape, and national reputation for innovation. From its transformation of James Ritty’s cash register into a global business under John H. … [Read more...] about NCR: A Then and Now History in Dayton
Lost Mansions of East Third Street: Huffman Then and Now
With Dayton having experienced a major snow storm this week which broke the record for single day snowfall (previously held by the blizzard of 1978), this is an appropriate historic image to look at. It depicts two residences on East Third Street in 1873 "after a heavy … [Read more...] about Lost Mansions of East Third Street: Huffman Then and Now