The trio of buildings pictured here once faced the historic Miami and Erie Canal in between First and Second Streets downtown. Today, two of the three structures still stand and now front Patterson Boulevard. The building in the middle is the one that is no longer … [Read more...] about Then and Now: Canal Buildings in Webster Station
Historical Dayton
The Loretto Guild Building History – First and Wilkinson
This long-lost structure located at 125 West First Street in downtown Dayton was known as the Loretto, a Catholic-run boarding house for women. The Loretto (also known as the Loretto Guild) was originally established in 1912 by The Dominican Sisters of St. Catherine de … [Read more...] about The Loretto Guild Building History – First and Wilkinson
Gem City Ice Cream Building at Risk of Demolition
A historic building in the Wright-Dunbar neighborhood is at risk of demolition after the City of Dayton asked the Landmarks Commission for permission to remove it. The Gem City Ice Cream Building, constructed in the late 1800s, has been listed on the National Register of … [Read more...] about Gem City Ice Cream Building at Risk of Demolition
Linden and Smithville Then and Now (Linden Heights/Hearthstone)
One of our recent articles took a look at the history of the Belmont business district including some then and now photos of the intersection of Smithville Road and Watervliet Ave. Today we will stay on Smithville but travel about a mile north to another major … [Read more...] about Linden and Smithville Then and Now (Linden Heights/Hearthstone)
Belmont Then and Now: Watervliet and Smithville History
The Belmont business district, largely centered on Watervliet Ave and Smithville Road, is an interesting part of Dayton. The commercial buildings are not among Dayton's most architecturally significant--the majority are rather nondescript one or two story structures built … [Read more...] about Belmont Then and Now: Watervliet and Smithville History
Selecting Dayton’s Most Endangered Buildings
Preservation Dayton, a longstanding organization which already has a track record of success for local historic preservation, is stepping up its efforts with a new initiative, the Endangered Properties Fund. Each year, a committee selects a list of the city's ten most … [Read more...] about Selecting Dayton’s Most Endangered Buildings
Map of the 1913 Great Flood: How Much of Dayton Was Underwater?
On this date in 1913, the Great Flood was in full swing in Dayton. On Tuesday, March 25, continuing heavy rains caused the levees to burst and send torrents of water into the central business district. The following day, Wednesday March 26, the floodwaters crested in Dayton … [Read more...] about Map of the 1913 Great Flood: How Much of Dayton Was Underwater?
Did Urban Renewal Work in Dayton? A Status Report from 1969
With the benefit of over a half century of hindsight, we now consider the large-scale urban renewal projects of the 1950s and 1960s as huge mistakes which hastened the decline of our cities instead of improving them. By razing human-scale, walkable neighborhoods for … [Read more...] about Did Urban Renewal Work in Dayton? A Status Report from 1969
Evolution of a Corner: 5th and Wayne from Dover Building to Dublin Pub
A great book of Dayton history that I have on my shelf is Dayton Album: Remembering Downtown by Jim Nichols, who for years wrote about downtown for his Downtowner publication and a column in the Dayton Daily News. In the book he has several pages devoted to the "evolution … [Read more...] about Evolution of a Corner: 5th and Wayne from Dover Building to Dublin Pub
The History and Razing of the Haymarket (The Actual Market)
In many of my presentations (and my book Lost Dayton Ohio), I tell the story of the lost Haymarket neighborhood, which was located in between the Oregon District and St. Anne's Hill, and how it met its end. This article will also chronicle the end of the hay market, … [Read more...] about The History and Razing of the Haymarket (The Actual Market)