I’m Andrew Walsh, author of Lost Dayton, Ohio and a librarian and researcher of local and urban history. I give history presentations and walking tours, conduct in-depth historical research for houses and buildings, and partner with local organizations and businesses through Dayton Vistas.
Dayton History Presentations
Since 2018 I have given a wide variety of talks and presentations relating to my research on Dayton history and urban redevelopment. I’ve served as an invited or keynote speaker for organizations including Heritage Ohio, PechaKucha Dayton, and the Dayton Bar Association, with appearances on WYSO, Fox45, and many local podcasts, and film projects.
My talks have focused on downtown history, Dayton neighborhoods, industrial history, Dayton’s architecture, historic preservation, urban planning, retail history, sports history, the Great Flood of 1913, and more, and I always strive to connect the past to current issues and events.
Custom presentations are available for private events, companies, and organizational groups.
Learn more and book a Dayton history presentation →
Walking Tours
I give walking tours of Downtown Dayton and surrounding neighborhoods that highlight history, architecture, and the progress of current redevelopment efforts.
I’ve led tours for Heritage Ohio, Preservation Dayton, the Downtown Dayton Partnership, and the Dayton Arcade, and I offer customized tours for companies, events, and private groups.
Multiple routes are available through downtown and historic neighborhoods, and each tour can be tailored to highlight particular locations, industries, eras, or themes of interest to your audience. Interior building visits are arranged whenever possible.
Learn more and book a walking tour →
House and Building Histories
I offer Dayton, Ohio-area historical research services for houses and buildings. My in-depth knowledge of Dayton history resources, coupled with my master’s in library and information science and 10+ years of experience as an academic librarian and professional writer, allows me to answer your questions and uncover the stories you are interested in.
For my research I utilize a wide variety of sources that can’t be found through a regular Google search, from deeds and county records to rare archives, newspaper databases and book sources. Each project is customized to fit your goals, whether you’re looking for a general timeline or a professionally designed report.
I’ve worked with historic homeowners, real estate agents, and individuals working on historic nominations and tax credit applications.
Learn more about Dayton research services →
Social Media Collaborations
If you are looking for a social media collaboration or promotion for a historic site, home listing, or other local destination, event, or relevant product, I offer partnerships on article and social media video content.
My audience connects with a highly-engaged community across multiple channels: Facebook (~10,000 followers), TikTok (~4,600), Instagram (~3,400), YouTube (~2,000 subscribers), and an active newsletter with 600+ subscribers.
DaytonVistas.com draws 6,000–7,000 monthly pageviews through search traffic and evergreen discovery. My followers are passionate about Dayton and its history, unique businesses, and current revitalization projects, making this a well-targeted audience for the right partners.