I always enjoy a good then and now view of the same corner, and it's even more interesting when we can compare three different scenes as the spot has changed over time. Today we will do that with the northwest corner of Second and Main Streets in Downtown Dayton, which … [Read more...] about Rike’s Department Store and a Then and Now Look at 2nd and Main
Historical Dayton
Two Lost Grand Entrances in Downtown Dayton
A little while back I wrote about the great collection of grand entrances one can still find on Ludlow Street, a key downtown corridor. In addition to their beauty and aesthetic value, these entrances also played a major role in communicating the identity and value of … [Read more...] about Two Lost Grand Entrances in Downtown Dayton
Vacant Building on East Third in the Fire Blocks Waiting for Its Next Chapter
The Fire Blocks district of Downtown Dayton has seen a lot of revitalization in the last few years. But a couple of interesting commercial buildings remain vacant, and will hopefully see some new life soon. The small commercial building pictured above is the structure at … [Read more...] about Vacant Building on East Third in the Fire Blocks Waiting for Its Next Chapter
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 Kentucky … [Read more...] about Appalachian Migration to Dayton, Ohio: Where Families Lived and Worked
The Lost Underground Restaurants on Courthouse Square
On Courthouse Square in the center downtown Dayton, there is a very unusual space that is easy to miss. A staircase descends below street level into a sunken courtyard lined with vacant storefronts and red awnings. Unless you already know to look for it, you could walk … [Read more...] about The Lost Underground Restaurants on Courthouse Square
Why Historic Buildings Had Grand Entrances (And Why We Stopped Building Them)
The Grand Entrances of Ludlow Street in Downtown Dayton Ludlow Street in Downtown Dayton doesn't have the tallest buildings in the city, but it's one of the best places to see a particular architectural feature that has mostly disappeared from American downtowns: the … [Read more...] about Why Historic Buildings Had Grand Entrances (And Why We Stopped Building Them)
The Lost Dayton Summer Resort and Mead Estate that Became Triangle Park
Recently I found an image of an old farmhouse house in Dayton (above), which I learned after some digging actually connects two different Dayton stories I've written and talked about in recent months. One was the home of Daniel Eldridge Mead on West First Street, which … [Read more...] about The Lost Dayton Summer Resort and Mead Estate that Became Triangle Park
Dayton’s Oldest Parking Garage: History of the First Street Garage
I recently covered the recent reopening of Rabbit Hole Books after being closed for two months. Today, we will dig more deeply into the history of the parking garage where it is located, and whose condition has led to the ongoing disputes between the bookstore and the … [Read more...] about Dayton’s Oldest Parking Garage: History of the First Street Garage
A Rare Second Empire Mansion in Dayton: History of the Isaac Pollack House
The Second Empire style Isaac Pollack house was built in 1876, but not at its present location at 208 West Monument Ave across from the Downtown YMCA. Instead, it was originally located a few blocks away at 319 West Third Street. Originally, it stood next to an … [Read more...] about A Rare Second Empire Mansion in Dayton: History of the Isaac Pollack House
The Eagles Building: A Historic Fraternal Hall That Survived South Main’s Transformation
South Main Street beyond Dayton's Central Business District has lost a huge percentage of its historic urban fabric over time. A large portion was removed for the construction of US-35 in the 1960s, and I've covered buildings that held on longer but ultimately were razed, … [Read more...] about The Eagles Building: A Historic Fraternal Hall That Survived South Main’s Transformation