It’s time for some more interesting facts about the early days of Dayton!

• First Masonic Lodge — The Masonic Lodge, and the first fraternal organization here, was St. John’s Lodge No. 13, the charter of which was granted by the state Grand Lodge at Chillicothe on January 10, 1812.
• First Bank — The first banking institution in the city was known as the Dayton Manufacturing Company. It was incorporated by the legislature in 1813, and began business on December 13 of that year, in a building at the first alley south of Monument Avenue on Main Street.
• First Stone Residence — About 1813, William Huffman built the first stone residence at Third and Jefferson. It served as both dwelling and store.
• First Workman’s Association — Formed at McCullum’s Tavern on Saturday, March 15, 1813, and known as “The Workman’s Association.”
• First Regular Ferry — Charles Tull opened the first regular ferry in Dayton at the head of Ludlow Street in December, 1814.
• First Big Fire — Grist mill, fulling mill and two carding machines operated by Colonel Robert Patterson near the present site of NCR burned on Oct. 7,1815.
• First Market House — It occupied a frontage of 100 feet on Second Street, extending west from Jefferson and was formally opened on July 4, 1815.
• First Laundry — The first laundry in Dayton was started by John Williams on Second Street, west of Main Street, in about 1870.