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
Historic House Histories
The Fowler-Parrott House: Last Standing Home on Old West First Street
In the 19th century, Downtown Dayton, especially west of Main Street, was primarily a residential area. One of the most luxurious streets was Robert Boulevard on the western edge near the river. But another was West First Street, where the largest concentration of … [Read more...] about The Fowler-Parrott House: Last Standing Home on Old West First Street
The Historic Ulrich-Boone Home in McPherson Town
McPherson Town is a fascinating neighborhood near Downtown Dayton. It was first platted way back in 1845 but was not a popular area to settle then due to its flood-prone nature. But by the end of the 19th century, the levees had been improved and the city also built a new … [Read more...] about The Historic Ulrich-Boone Home in McPherson Town
History of 1731 Philadelphia, “Home Beautiful” in Upper Dayton View
While doing Dayton history research I often stumble upon interesting references and images that lead me to take on completely new topics. In this case I was researching the Gibbons Building in the Dayton Arcade and an article happened to reference a banker who worked there. … [Read more...] about History of 1731 Philadelphia, “Home Beautiful” in Upper Dayton View
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 Gottschall House: Not the Gottschall House?
A while back I wrote a history of the Oscar M. Gottschall house at 20 Livingston Ave, just off of Huffman Ave. It's a beautiful home that is considered to be the greatest Gothic Revival structure in Dayton, and it was added to the National Register of Historic Places back … [Read more...] about The Gottschall House: Not the Gottschall House?
The Wright Brothers House in Dayton (And What Remains Today)
Dayton has a rich history of innovation spanning key inventions in a wide variety of industries, but the most famous is of course the Wright Brothers and their quest to achieve powered flight. Wilbur and Orville lived and worked in a few different places around the Gem … [Read more...] about The Wright Brothers House in Dayton (And What Remains Today)
The Historic Orleans House at Hickory and Morton in South Park
South Park is the best neighborhood in Dayton for corner stores. Nearly all have been converted to residential use, but many of them retain some beautiful architectural details. One of the best examples is the building at the NE corner of Hickory and Morton. It was built … [Read more...] about The Historic Orleans House at Hickory and Morton in South Park
History of 2200 East Fifth St
A Dayton Vistas reader recently wrote in with a question about the history of the building at 2200 East Fifth St located across Columbus St from the old Carnegie Library which is currently the home of St. Mary Development Corporation. I've covered a few other corner … [Read more...] about History of 2200 East Fifth St
The Steamboat House in St. Anne’s Hill (Rare Photo)
Today's article came about rather serendipitously, as I was researching something unrelated only to come across a striking image of a home for sale in the Dayton Daily News on April 21, 1918. After only a quick glance it was obvious which house it was, as it is one of the … [Read more...] about The Steamboat House in St. Anne’s Hill (Rare Photo)