The Reibold Building has been a major landmark in downtown Dayton for more than a century, evolving through three distinct construction phases between 1896 and 1914. Considered one of Dayton’s earliest skyscrapers, it reflects the city’s rapid commercial growth, ornate … [Read more...] about History of the Reibold Building (3 Phases and a Retail Past)
Architecture
History of the Conover Building
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
The History of Dayton’s Old Post Office Buildings
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
The Longworth Steam Plant: Dayton’s Lost Medieval Castle
Our recent article on the soon to be demolished Ice House Building near Chaminade-Julienne High School reflected on the area's past identify as a thriving industrial hub. Perhaps the most important building in the area, and certainly the most noticeable, was the Longworth … [Read more...] about The Longworth Steam Plant: Dayton’s Lost Medieval Castle
History of the Oscar Gottschall House
The beautiful building at 20 Livingston Ave, just off of Huffman Ave, is known as the Oscar M. Gottschall house. It was built c. 1870 for Gottschall, a prominent Dayton attorney, and his wife Octavia Soule who were married in 1869. It's an unusual building which … [Read more...] about History of the Oscar Gottschall House
History of a Dayton Church Tucked Away (Sadly Demolished)
IMAGE Update 8/2024: Sadly the First Christian Science Church is no more. In early July, a Dayton Daily News article reported that the city had issued demolition and residential permits for the former church site. As for its ownership, the property sold back in April in a … [Read more...] about History of a Dayton Church Tucked Away (Sadly Demolished)
History of Dayton’s Old Courthouse
The old Montgomery County courthouse is one of Dayton's (and Ohio's) finest architectural treasures. Fortunately you can find it still standing right near the center of downtown. The foundation for the courthouse was laid in 1847 and the job took three years to complete. … [Read more...] about History of Dayton’s Old Courthouse
Dayton View Library Branch Building to Be Saved
Dayton's ambitious library expansion initiative, aided by a $187 million bond measure passed in 2012, has upgraded existing library facilities and built impressive new ones. But one secondary effect is that other longstanding neighborhood branches, some with long … [Read more...] about Dayton View Library Branch Building to Be Saved
Two Saved Historic Facades Downtown
In Dayton, as in most other American cities, many once great buildings were reduced to rubble, while in other cases endangered landmarks have been successfully preserved. But there’s also a sort of middle ground between demolition and restoration: cases in which the facade … [Read more...] about Two Saved Historic Facades Downtown