My last article covered where the Wright Brothers lived in Dayton. This one will highlight the places in town where they worked to turn their revolutionary ideas into the invention of powered flight. Because the brothers made and repaired bicycles before focusing on … [Read more...] about Where Was the Wright Brothers Bike Shop in Dayton?
Inventions
History of the Deeds Barn, Site of the Invention of the Electric Self-Starter
We might not normally think of barns as hotbeds for innovation, but in Dayton we have one with major significance to the world of manufacturing. Built in 1904, the Deeds Barn was originally located at 319 Central Ave in Dayton View behind the house of Edward and Edith … [Read more...] about History of the Deeds Barn, Site of the Invention of the Electric Self-Starter
History of Frigidaire (and GM) in Dayton: Downtown, Moraine, and More
Among Dayton's major industrial powers of the late 19th and early 20th century, there are many interconnections. Delco, for one, has strong ties to NCR due to its formation by Edward Deeds and Charles Kettering who tinkered in their spare time while working at the cash … [Read more...] about History of Frigidaire (and GM) in Dayton: Downtown, Moraine, and More
History of the Kuhns Building and the Office Mail Chute, a Dayton Invention?
The Kuhn's Building is one of Dayton's most beautiful 19th century structures downtown. It predated the Dayton Arcade by about two decades, but today it is connected to the complex and considered a part of it. The building is notable not just for its architecture … [Read more...] about History of the Kuhns Building and the Office Mail Chute, a Dayton Invention?
James Ritty: How a Dayton Saloon Owner Invented the Cash Register
The invention of the cash register began not with a major corporation, but with a Dayton saloonkeeper confronting a very practical problem. In 1879, James Ritty created the first mechanical cash register as a way to prevent employee theft, a simple idea that would ultimately … [Read more...] about James Ritty: How a Dayton Saloon Owner Invented the Cash Register