Here are some more fun facts that we’ve come across in our research!
- Legendary bank robber ‘Red’ Leary made an appearance at the 1874 Dayton Fair (also known as the South Ohio Fair) to pick-pocket the crowds. Red was later arrested at the Union Depot while waiting for his train out of town. Due to lack of evidence, he was never formerly charged.
- In 1841, a skeleton of a Native American wearing a necklace with 170 copper beads was found in a mound on the east end of First Street. The mound was destroyed to clear way for a road.
- In September 2009, Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland and Lt. Governor Lee Fisher named Dayton as Ohio’s official Aerospace Hub—the first of its kind in the state. Dayton is home to a thriving technology industry with Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (and its $2.3 billion annual economic impact on the Greater Dayton Region) and companies such as Ball Aerospace, Northrup Grumman, General Dynamics, and General Electric among others.
- James Edward Prass was the principal of Fairmont High School from 1927 to 1952. He was preceded by Dwight L Barnes (1924-1927). J.E. Prass Elementary School in Kettering is named after him.
- Downtown Dayton is home to more than 700 businesses with over 21,000 people working downtown. There are around 20 places of worship, 13 bank branches, 60 restaurants, 35 nightclubs and bars, and there are 10 performing arts groups in six different theaters.
- There were a few known Native American burial sites, at the corner of Water and Beckel Streets, the Fairgrounds Hill, a knoll in Woodland cemetery, the north end of Dayton View Bridge, and the west end of Third Street bridge.
Dayton Unknown 