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
Historical Dayton
Dulahan Song Has Dayton History, Flood Connection
I spent a large percentage of last weekend at Riverscape MetroPark in Downtown Dayton because it was one of my favorite festivals of the year: Dayton Celtic Fest. The festival began in 2002 and features incredible Celtic music across multiple stages, cultural … [Read more...] about Dulahan Song Has Dayton History, Flood Connection
How Dayton Earned the Name “City of a Thousand Factories”
It's no secret that Dayton, Ohio was an industrial powerhouse from the latter decades of the 19th century until the middle of the 20th. The major industries shifted over time, from wooden rail cars and sewing machines (see image above) to more famous innovations like the … [Read more...] about How Dayton Earned the Name “City of a Thousand Factories”
Rike’s Department Store and a Then and Now Look at 2nd and Main
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
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