Columnist Jon White recently wrote about the potential of the Wright Dunbar Business District, so we thought it would be a good time to take a historical tour through the area and learn a little more about it. This first article will look at a general history of the corridor including some old maps; next we’ll explore the individual buildings.
Early History
The West Third Street Corridor developed as a streetcar suburb beginning in the late 1860s. As was common with new transit lines, businessmen who owned land in the vicinity bankrolled the operation in hopes that it would increase the value of their properties. In Dayton, it was William P. Huffman on the east side and Harbert S. Williams on the west side who would become very wealthy as the result of the new Dayton Street Railroad Company.
The present commercial structures on West Third Street were built between 1885 and 1924. The corridor, however, “was never an affluent area.” Instead, it was a working class enclave and it has been described as a “tight, cramped urban neighborhood.” In fact by 1912, it was already being said that “the old neighborhood was changing for the worse” (Crouch–The Bishop’s Boys).
“The neighborhood continued to decline as one economically disadvantaged group after another moved into the area to take advantage of its inexpensive housing and excellent transportation links to many of Dayton’s jobs. The workmen of the early Wright brothers’ era were replaced by poor immigrants, many of whom were from eastern Europe.
After World War I, the community became predominantly African-American. Frustrations with social and economic conditions boiled over in September 1966 and June 1967 with riots centered in west Dayton. The riots reinforced already negative perceptions of the area. As businesses moved out, commercial buildings were abandoned and became dilapidated or even collapsed from neglect” (NPS).
In fact, the status of the district was so grim by the 1980s that many thought that complete demolition and rebuilding would be the only way to attract investment to the area. Fortunately, the majority of it was able to be saved and it’s been going through a slow but sure process of redevelopment ever since, although there’s still work to be done.
The establishment of the Wright-Dunbar interpretive center of the Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historic Park has been a boon for the area (and the Dunbar House before it), while several longstanding independent service businesses cater to area residents. New businesses have arrived too, including the popular Texas Beef and Cattle Company restaurant.
The district’s nomination form for the National Register of Historic Places describes its unique status within Dayton’s remaining architectural heritage:
“While the district has suffered demolition it fully conveys its character as an early suburban streetcar commercial block that evolved at the turn of the century. This streetcar commercial block is considerably different from the other examples in Dayton. It is more urban, compact and architecturally distinguished, and is on a greater scale than others found in Dayton, dominated by two and three story buildings.”
“Those structures that have survived in similar areas are one and two story strips, primarily at intersections and are interspersed with residential buildings.” One of these is part of the Huffman Historic District on East Third Street. The other west side streetcar commercial block is on the West Fifth Street. It is small and nearly demolished” (And today completely gone).
Below are a few old maps of the district’s buildings, which we will learn about in more detail in our next article:
View our architectural tour through West Third Street and take a look at the most iconic buildings still standing:
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