- First Odd Fellows Lodge – The first lodge of Odd Fellowship in Dayton was known as Montgomery Lodge No. 5, and was instituted on May 3, 1833.
- First Museum – A committee met at the courthouse on September 16, 1837, to organize a “zoological museum.” A room was secured at the head of the canal basin but the project was abandoned shortly after.
- First City Charter – On March 27, 1841, by a special act of the legislature, Dayton emerged from the classification of a town to that of a city.
- First Minstrel Show – Held at National Hotel (corner of Third and Jefferson) on June 14, 1841.
- First Children’s Home – Authorized by the State Legislature in 1844, on a petition headed by Catherine Phillips and Sarah Parrott.
- First Omnibus Line – Established in September 1847, and went to Cincinnati by way of Miamisburg, Franklin, Monroe and Reading. The time took to get to Cincinnati was seven hours and the fare was $2.
- First Medical Society – Organized September 15, 1849, by Drs. H. G. Carey, Joshua Clements, Oliver Crook, John B. Craighead, John Davis, Elias Garst, Job Haines, Edmund Smith, H. K. Steele, John Steele, Julius S. Taylor, D. B. VanTuye, and H. VanTuye.
- First Brick Residence – Henry Brown built the first brick residence in Dayton on the west side of Main Street. It was used as a dwelling until 1863, and from that time until it was razed, it housed a newspaper office.
Dayton Unknown 