The Belmont business district, largely centered on Watervliet Ave and Smithville Road, is an interesting part of Dayton. The commercial buildings are not among Dayton's most architecturally significant--the majority are rather nondescript one or two story structures built … [Read more...] about Belmont Then and Now: Watervliet and Smithville History
Trains
Early Train History in Dayton: Union Station and More
In my book Lost Dayton, Ohio I cover Dayton's Union Station, a beautiful brick structure including a seven-story clock tower which was once a hub of activity downtown. But this was far from the only site important to Dayton's rail history, which goes back much … [Read more...] about Early Train History in Dayton: Union Station and More
A Trip from Dayton to Cincinnati (in 1818)
The section of the Miami and Erie canal connecting Dayton and Cincinnati opened in 1829 and the railroads started to arrive in the 1850s. But before then you could still travel between the Gem and Queen cities. The details are described by Dayton biographer Charlotte … [Read more...] about A Trip from Dayton to Cincinnati (in 1818)