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A Look at the Past, Present, and Future of the Gem City

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Architecture

Award-Winning Architecture at the Corner of Keowee and Webster

May 21, 2025 By Andrew Walsh Leave a Comment

901 keowee st

When you think of award-winning architecture in Dayton, it's unlikely you'd picture the intersection of Keowee and Webster Streets. But among the auto service shops and empty land that occupy the majority of the area, we find one really interesting building. The light … [Read more...] about Award-Winning Architecture at the Corner of Keowee and Webster

Filed Under: Historical Dayton Tagged With: Architecture, Dayton Art Institute, Industrial Buildings, Old North Dayton, Printing, Spanish Revival

Masonic Temple (Dayton Masonic Center) History

April 30, 2025 By Andrew Walsh Leave a Comment

dayton masonic temple

I recently wrote about the former Oddfellows Hall downtown, but there's another fraternal organization in the area with a much larger membership, the Freemasons. And compared to Oddfellows temple that is unrecognizable from what it once was, Dayton's Masonic Temple (now … [Read more...] about Masonic Temple (Dayton Masonic Center) History

Filed Under: Historical Dayton Tagged With: Architecture, Clubs and Societies, Freemasons, Grafton Hill, John W Stoddard, Masonic Temple, Preservation

The Deneau Tower: History and Redevelopment

April 4, 2025 By Andrew Walsh Leave a Comment

deneau tower views

The Deneau Tower is a major fixture in Dayton's skyline and also holds a special significance in the story of downtown's progress during the suburban exodus of the mid-20th century. It was built in 1969, and because of its era the building has not been admired in quite … [Read more...] about The Deneau Tower: History and Redevelopment

Filed Under: New Developments Tagged With: Architecture, Downtown, Grant-Deneau Tower, Modernism, Paul Deneau, Urban Renewal, Windsor Companies

1989 in Dayton: A Lost Historic District and Two Office Towers

March 7, 2025 By Andrew Walsh Leave a Comment

demolished second street historic district dayton

A little while back I covered Dayton's oldest commercial buildings that survive downtown. There I wrote about how the classic 19th century business block, most often Italianate or other Victorian style architecture, is all but extinct in Dayton's central business … [Read more...] about 1989 in Dayton: A Lost Historic District and Two Office Towers

Filed Under: Historical Dayton Tagged With: Architecture, Dayton Arcade, Demolition, Downtown, Lost Architecture, National Register of Historic Places, Romanesque Revival, Victorian Architecture

The Decline of Downtown Retail post-1950: Suburbanization, Urban Renewal, and More

February 3, 2025 By Andrew Walsh 2 Comments

Recently I reflected on the golden age of retail in downtown Dayton, tracing the history of Rike's, Elder-Beerman, and other popular downtown department and specialty stores. Today the environment is much different, with many local businesses struggling to survive and only a … [Read more...] about The Decline of Downtown Retail post-1950: Suburbanization, Urban Renewal, and More

Filed Under: Historical Dayton Tagged With: Architecture, Arthur Beerman, Cesar Pelli, Cincinnati, Dayton Mall, Downtown, Elder-Beerman, J.C. Penney, Kettering, Retail, Rike's, Salem Mall, Suburbs, Urban Planning, Urban Renewal

The Only Example of Gothic Commercial Architecture in Dayton

October 26, 2024 By Andrew Walsh Leave a Comment

oriel studios dayton gothic commercial architecture

The Fire Blocks has been a hot topic in recent years due to the major redevelopment project spearheaded by The Windsor Companies that has brought apartments and a variety of restaurants and retail shops to a formerly sleepy stretch of East Third Street downtown. But one … [Read more...] about The Only Example of Gothic Commercial Architecture in Dayton

Filed Under: Historical Dayton Tagged With: Architecture, Fire Blocks District, Gothic Architecture, Gothic Commercial, Johnson and Watson Co, Oriel Studios, Printing, Terra Cotta

The Oldest Commercial Buildings Downtown (Which Survived Flood and Flames)

October 16, 2024 By Andrew Walsh Leave a Comment

east third from st clair

The Fire Blocks in downtown Dayton has seen a major transformation in recent years spearheaded by The Windsor Companies, as several buildings on Third Street, including the Elks Building, Huffman Block Building, and Dickey Building, have been redeveloped into apartments, and … [Read more...] about The Oldest Commercial Buildings Downtown (Which Survived Flood and Flames)

Filed Under: Historical Dayton Tagged With: Architecture, Dayton Turngemeinde, Downtown, Fire Blocks District, German, Irvin Jewell and Vinson Co, Kimmel Seed & Hardware Co, Lowe Brothers Paint Co, Mendelsohn Society of Dayton, Preservation

History of the Reibold Building (in 3 Phases)

July 10, 2024 By Andrew Walsh 1 Comment

reibold building historic

The title of Dayton's first skyscraper is not universally agreed upon (many give the nod to the 1892 7-story Callahan Building, since demolished) but the Reibold Building is definitely in the conversation. This structure was built in 3 sections, with the first opening in … [Read more...] about History of the Reibold Building (in 3 Phases)

Filed Under: Historical Dayton Tagged With: Albert Pretzinger, Architecture, Downtown, Elder and Johnson, Elder-Beerman, Louis Napoleon Reibold, Montgomery County, Peters and Burns, Reibold Building, Rike's

History of the Conover Building

June 26, 2024 By Andrew Walsh Leave a Comment

Image credit The Conover Building can be found at the SE corner of Third and Main Streets right in the middle of downtown. An eclectic Renaissance Revival style structure, it was designed by architect Frank Mills Andrews, who gave himself an office under an art glass … [Read more...] about History of the Conover Building

Filed Under: Historical Dayton Tagged With: Architecture, Conover Building, Downtown, Frank Mills Andrews, Obadiah Conover, Preservation, RTA

The History of Dayton’s Old Post Office Buildings

February 9, 2024 By Andrew Walsh Leave a Comment

Dayton's Old Post Office is a beautiful building that still stands downtown, although it hasn't served as a post office since the urban renewal era. We can thank a dedicated preservation effort in the 1970s for why it is still here instead of having been turned into … [Read more...] about The History of Dayton’s Old Post Office Buildings

Filed Under: Historical Dayton Tagged With: Architecture, Fidelity Building, Lorenz and Williams, Post Office, Preservation

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My book explores a diverse selection of retail, industrial, entertainment and residential sites from Dayton's disappearing legacy.
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About Dayton Vistas

I'm Andrew Walsh, a writer and academic librarian. I research Dayton history, architecture, preservation, and urban redevelopment.

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Latest Posts

901 keowee st

Award-Winning Architecture at the Corner of Keowee and Webster

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Midtown Survivors at Washington and Longworth

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Urban Renewal and Lost Buildings at Main and 3rd

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Lesser-Known Historic Buildings of the University of Dayton

dayton masonic temple

Masonic Temple (Dayton Masonic Center) History

dayton commercial building during construction 1900s

The Commercial Building: Before and During Construction

Browse Historic Dayton

newcom tavern daytonA Catalog of Historic Dayton Buildings (with years, pics, type, area, status, etc.)

Recent Comments

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  • Накрутка мобильными on Lost Commercial Buildings at Main and Franklin

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