What’s the oldest house in Dayton? As with many questions like this, the answer is “it depends.” It turns that out we need to add some qualifications to our question in order to arrive at an answer. The first thing we need to ask is whether the house needs to remain at its … [Read more...] about Early Buildings: What’s the Oldest House in Dayton? (Newcom Tavern and More)
Historical Dayton
History of the Insco Apartment Building (Riverfront Grande)
At the SW corner of Main Street and Monument Ave downtown, you can find an interesting historic building of a type that is relatively uncommon in Dayton today: a 19th century multistory apartment building. The Insco Apartments Building was built in 1894 and designed by … [Read more...] about History of the Insco Apartment Building (Riverfront Grande)
History of the Christian Publishing Association (Graphic Arts Building, Hamiel Building)
The United Brethren Publishing House was a prominent publisher of religious books and periodicals operating in what's today the Centre City (Mainline) Building. Nearby at Fifth and Ludlow Streets, you can still find two buildings that were once the home of another major … [Read more...] about History of the Christian Publishing Association (Graphic Arts Building, Hamiel Building)
Benjamin Kuhns, Farmers Friend Manufacturing, and the Wheelhouse
The Dayton Arcade opened in 1904, but one part of what we call the Arcade today was built a couple decades earlier. That's the Kuhns Building, and like the Arcade itself it also represented a Dayton industrialist investing profits into enhancing downtown's commercial … [Read more...] about Benjamin Kuhns, Farmers Friend Manufacturing, and the Wheelhouse
The Hewitt Soap Company: Rise, Fall, and the Future Hewitt District on Linden Ave
Hewitt Soap is another example of a Dayton industrial company that may not be a household name, but was once a dominant force in its industry and a major presence in the neighborhood surrounding it. And like many others, its decline and eventual closure brought significant … [Read more...] about The Hewitt Soap Company: Rise, Fall, and the Future Hewitt District on Linden Ave
Newcom Tavern: Saved From Demolition, Then Survived the Great Flood
Newcom Tavern (or Newcom's Tavern) is the oldest surviving building in Dayton and the only structure remaining that was built in the 1700s. Built for pioneer settler George Newcom circa 1796, it today resides in Carillon Historical Park after being moved twice, and also … [Read more...] about Newcom Tavern: Saved From Demolition, Then Survived the Great Flood
The Wise Building Downtown: Dragon’s Lair Books, Vintage Shops, and More
I've always liked this building on West Fifth Street just beyond Ludlow. It's exactly the type of smaller commercial structure that has become an endangered species in Dayton due to so much demolition over the years. (I recently wrote about another rare survivor of the … [Read more...] about The Wise Building Downtown: Dragon’s Lair Books, Vintage Shops, and More
The Journey That Founded Dayton, Ohio in 1796
I've written about the oldest houses in Dayton, but what about the first home that was ever built in the new settlement? I recently came across an illustration of it, which inspired me to tell the story of the journey that established Dayton. Dayton's Early Settlement … [Read more...] about The Journey That Founded Dayton, Ohio in 1796
Sinclair Then and Now: Dayton’s Candy & Popcorn King, Maud Muller Apartments
A corner at the edge of Sinclair Community College's campus has seen radical changes over time, from a mansion belonging to a little-known inventor to a large apartment building that featured a popular restaurant and local brand of candy, before it and the whole area around … [Read more...] about Sinclair Then and Now: Dayton’s Candy & Popcorn King, Maud Muller Apartments
Dayton’s Interurban Rail History: How the City Became Ohio’s Hub
I've written about Dayton's lost Union Station and early train history. Back around the turn of the century, however, this was only one element of an elaborate, interconnected transportation network. That included an extensive streetcar network for local travel (like … [Read more...] about Dayton’s Interurban Rail History: How the City Became Ohio’s Hub