Several notable buildings disappeared from Dayton’s landscape in 2025. In Episode 2 of the Dayton Vistas Podcast, I cover three structures that are different in almost every way, but each represents a piece of how Dayton grew and changed over time. They weren't … [Read more...] about Three Historic Buildings Lost in Dayton in 2025
Demolition
The Santa Clara Business District: History, Preservation, and Recent Fire
The Santa Clara Business District is one of the most intact early neighborhood commercial strips left in Dayton, but has suffered through decades of disinvestment and faces an uncertain future. This article pulls together its early history as well as more recent … [Read more...] about The Santa Clara Business District: History, Preservation, and Recent Fire
Lost Mansions of East Third Street: Huffman Then and Now
With Dayton having experienced a major snow storm this week which broke the record for single day snowfall (previously held by the blizzard of 1978), this is an appropriate historic image to look at. It depicts two residences on East Third Street in 1873 "after a heavy … [Read more...] about Lost Mansions of East Third Street: Huffman Then and Now
History of the McCook Theater and Bowling Alley
In a recent article I dug into some history of the McCook shopping center, the first suburban-style commercial strip in Dayton. In that piece I mentioned that two major tenants were a theater and a bowling alley, and here I will share their histories in more detail. The … [Read more...] about History of the McCook Theater and Bowling Alley
The Fate of McCook Shopping Center, Dayton’s First Suburban Commercial Strip
I've written about Downtown Dayton's retail history, as well as its decline as suburban shopping malls emerged to take advantage of a region that was spreading out significantly in the 1950s and 1960s. But today we will look at an interesting chapter bridging the gap in … [Read more...] about The Fate of McCook Shopping Center, Dayton’s First Suburban Commercial Strip
Lost Commercial Buildings at Main and Franklin (Genuine Auto Parts)
In a recent article I showed a Then and Now of South Main and Franklin where a 1920s auto building has been transformed into a medical facility. On the other side of Franklin at the SW corner of the intersection, unfortunately, we have a different story with a great block … [Read more...] about Lost Commercial Buildings at Main and Franklin (Genuine Auto Parts)
1989 in Dayton: A Lost Historic District and Two Office Towers
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
West First Street – Dayton’s Old Park Avenue
The story of Downtown Dayton from the 19th century through the first half of the 20th largely involves the transition from homes to office buildings and other larger structures. Then in the 1950s and 60s still more were removed for parking and some whole areas were cleared … [Read more...] about West First Street – Dayton’s Old Park Avenue
The Point in Old North Dayton: History and Future
Most of Dayton's 19th century neighborhoods feature one or two historically prominent commercial streets. To the east and west of downtown, it's primarily Third and Fifth, through neighborhoods like the Oregon District, St. Anne's Hill/Huffman, and Wright Dunbar. To the … [Read more...] about The Point in Old North Dayton: History and Future
The Todd Art (Sigma) Theater and a Lost Brown Street Business District
The old firehouse currently home to Jimmy's Ladder 11 restaurant on Brown Street is a beautiful but isolated survivor of what was once a thriving neighborhood business district. One of its most significant neighbors was an old theater located at 924 Brown Street. Built … [Read more...] about The Todd Art (Sigma) Theater and a Lost Brown Street Business District