I've written some about the western side of downtown Dayton, which before urban renewal was largely residential and contained some of the most beautiful homes in the city. The street that featured the largest concentration of "luxury" housing was Robert Boulevard, which … [Read more...] about Then and Now: Downtown Homes Long Demolished at 4th and Perry
History of Dayton’s Old Courthouse
The old Montgomery County courthouse is one of Dayton's (and Ohio's) finest architectural treasures. Fortunately you can find it still standing right near the center of downtown. The foundation for the courthouse was laid in 1847 and the job took three years to complete. … [Read more...] about History of Dayton’s Old Courthouse
History of Old and New Brown Street, Split Up by a Freeway
Out of all of Dayton's main urban streets, Brown Street has perhaps the most interesting history. Many other prominent city streets remain the way they were originally laid out, while others (or large parts of them) were wiped off the map completely during urban renewal … [Read more...] about History of Old and New Brown Street, Split Up by a Freeway
Dayton Arcade Continues Progress, Nears Grand Opening
In a 2020 that was full of bad news, the progress of the Dayton Arcade was one of the most positive stories for lovers of the Gem City. In our recent roundup of downtown development news, we shared details about the Arcade's continuing restoration and construction. Its … [Read more...] about Dayton Arcade Continues Progress, Nears Grand Opening
Dayton View Library Branch Building to Be Saved
Dayton's ambitious library expansion initiative, aided by a $187 million bond measure passed in 2012, has upgraded existing library facilities and built impressive new ones. But one secondary effect is that other longstanding neighborhood branches, some with long … [Read more...] about Dayton View Library Branch Building to Be Saved
History of the Electra C. Doren Library in Old North Dayton
Electra Collins Doren was a library pioneer, and her legacy lives on through her eponymous branch library on Troy Street, the oldest in the system that's still in operation. The Electra C. Doren (also known as the E. C. Doren Branch) opened in 1928. It was not, however, … [Read more...] about History of the Electra C. Doren Library in Old North Dayton
Old Warehouse Uncovered at 131 Wayne Ave
Major downtown-area development projects like the Dayton Arcade are continuing to move forward despite the pandemic, which is encouraging news for the city and region. But at the same time, more modest redevelopments of less grandiose scale are also happening. These are … [Read more...] about Old Warehouse Uncovered at 131 Wayne Ave
History of the Art Frame Gallery at 1652 Brown St.
There are a couple of main pockets of old buildings remaining on Brown Street near the campus of the University of Dayton. One is north of Stewart near Woodland and Fairground Ave, while the other is near Irving Ave across from the Patterson Homestead. In the middle of … [Read more...] about History of the Art Frame Gallery at 1652 Brown St.
Then and Now: Third St. Looking Towards Ludlow
This post is a follow-up on our latest article which covered the history of Dayton's City Hall. We wrote that the current city hall building was formerly used as a YMCA before that organization moved to a new location in 1929. In 1940, the city of Dayton took it over for … [Read more...] about Then and Now: Third St. Looking Towards Ludlow
The Lost Patterson Elm Tree at NCR
NCR was well-known for its innovative factory buildings featuring abundant windows to allow in more light, and founder John H. Patterson also made huge investments in parks, landscaped boulevards, and other natural areas in Dayton. But did you know that NCR once had its … [Read more...] about The Lost Patterson Elm Tree at NCR