The story of Downtown Dayton from the 19th century through the first half of the 20th largely involves the transition from homes to office buildings and other larger structures. Then in the 1950s and 60s still more were removed for parking and some whole areas were cleared … [Read more...] about West First Street – Dayton’s Old Park Avenue
Historical Dayton
The Historic Roundhouse at the Fairgrounds
Original article posted March 9, 2018 The recently announced preliminary development plan for the former Montgomery County Fairgrounds site has excited many due to its walkable design, sustainability, and potential to connect to adjacent areas. Granted, the plans are still … [Read more...] about The Historic Roundhouse at the Fairgrounds
History of Talbott Tower (Talbott Building)
Dayton's tallest buildings were built in the 1970s and 80s, but the stories of the earlier "modern" office towers in the late 50s and 60s, when the city was steadily growing but also beginning to decentralize significantly, are interesting as well. The history of the … [Read more...] about History of Talbott Tower (Talbott Building)
History of Rike’s, Elder-Beerman, and Downtown Dayton Department Stores
The Golden Age of Main Street Shopping The last few years have been a difficult time for many downtown small businesses. Retail stores especially face a combination of challenges ranging from lingering pandemic effects and economic struggles to competition from … [Read more...] about History of Rike’s, Elder-Beerman, and Downtown Dayton Department Stores
The Gottschall House: Not the Gottschall House?
A while back I wrote a history of the Oscar M. Gottschall house at 20 Livingston Ave, just off of Huffman Ave. It's a beautiful home that is considered to be the greatest Gothic Revival structure in Dayton, and it was added to the National Register of Historic Places back … [Read more...] about The Gottschall House: Not the Gottschall House?
The Only Example of Gothic Commercial Architecture in Dayton
The Fire Blocks has been a hot topic in recent years due to the major redevelopment project spearheaded by The Windsor Companies that has brought apartments and a variety of restaurants and retail shops to a formerly sleepy stretch of East Third Street downtown. But one … [Read more...] about The Only Example of Gothic Commercial Architecture in Dayton
The Wright Brothers’ House in Dayton: A History
Dayton has a rich history of innovation spanning key inventions in a wide variety of industries, but the most famous is of course the Wright Brothers and their quest to achieve powered flight. Wilbur and Orville lived and worked in a few different places around the Gem … [Read more...] about The Wright Brothers’ House in Dayton: A History
The Oldest Commercial Buildings Downtown (Which Survived Flood and Flames)
The Fire Blocks in downtown Dayton has seen a major transformation in recent years spearheaded by The Windsor Companies, as several buildings on Third Street, including the Elks Building, Huffman Block Building, and Dickey Building, have been redeveloped into apartments, and … [Read more...] about The Oldest Commercial Buildings Downtown (Which Survived Flood and Flames)
The Historic Orleans House at Hickory and Morton in South Park
South Park is the best neighborhood in Dayton for corner stores. Nearly all have been converted to residential use, but many of them retain some beautiful architectural details. One of the best examples is the building at the NE corner of Hickory and Morton. It was built … [Read more...] about The Historic Orleans House at Hickory and Morton in South Park
History of Euclid Ave UB (Mt. Enon Missionary Baptist) Church
I recently wrote about the former firehouse #13 at West Third and Euclid. That building sits across the street from the Mt. Enon Missionary Baptist Church, which was formerly the Euclid Avenue United Brethren Church. Milton Wright, father of Orville and Wilbur, was a … [Read more...] about History of Euclid Ave UB (Mt. Enon Missionary Baptist) Church