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
5 Dayton Redevelopment Projects to Watch in 2026: Housing, Office, Retail, and Historic Preservation
Downtown Dayton and its historic neighborhoods are taking some significant steps forward. In the first episode of my new Dayton Vistas Podcast, I take a closer look at five redevelopment projects to watch in 2026, spanning major adaptive reuse efforts downtown as well as … [Read more...] about 5 Dayton Redevelopment Projects to Watch in 2026: Housing, Office, Retail, and Historic Preservation
The Dayton Arcade’s Flemish-Style Grand Entrance Through Time
On this site I've written a variety of articles about the Dayton Arcade as it has worked its way through an inspiring redevelopment, including a new Arcade history guide that breaks down its past and current status in detail. But today I will look at just one particular … [Read more...] about The Dayton Arcade’s Flemish-Style Grand Entrance Through Time
History of the McCook Theater and Bowling Alley
In a recent article I dug into some history of the McCook shopping center, the first suburban-style commercial strip in Dayton. In that piece I mentioned that two major tenants were a theater and a bowling alley, and here I will share their histories in more detail. The … [Read more...] about History of the McCook Theater and Bowling Alley