Long before the Wright Brothers transformed flight and NCR became an industrial giant, another name defined Dayton's manufacturing might: Barney & Smith. From a modest railcar works founded in the mid-1800s, the company grew into one of the largest employers in Dayton … [Read more...] about Barney and Smith Car Company: History of Dayton’s Early Industrial Power
Ebenezer Thresher
From NCR and James Cox to the Hotel Ardent: a History of the Barclay (Harries) Building
In February 2025, a new boutique hotel became part of the renaissance of Downtown Dayton. The 118-room Hotel Ardent is located in the historic Barclay Building at Main and First Streets, a site that has a fascinating story involving some big names from Dayton's past, and … [Read more...] about From NCR and James Cox to the Hotel Ardent: a History of the Barclay (Harries) Building
Ebenezer Thresher Home: From Main Street to Robert Boulevard
In my recent writing and video about Dayton's Old "Park Avenue" of West First Street, including the prominent early Dayton business leaders who lived in close proximity to one another, I discussed the Ebenezer Thresher homestead which was built a little earlier than … [Read more...] about Ebenezer Thresher Home: From Main Street to Robert Boulevard
Historic Homes of Dayton’s 1800s Prominent Citizens: Then and Now
Many of the most prominent Daytonians of the 19th century, from pioneer settlers to the founders of some of Dayton's most important businesses, were clustered in one particular area just west of the central business district at that time. The neighborhood centered on West … [Read more...] about Historic Homes of Dayton’s 1800s Prominent Citizens: Then and Now
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