Category Archives: Dayton Fun Facts

Mabel Creager Barnes & Dwight L. Barnes

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A 1991 Dayton Daily News article titled “Looking back at ‘hay’ days” highlighted a brief history of schools in the Kettering/Dayton area and a retired teacher named Mabel Creager Barnes.

Comparing the ages of local schools is a difficult task because the creation of early schools was an informal and often undocumented process. Schools were often one-room buildings established by ministers on church grounds.

The first school in the West Carrollton area was established in 1802 in Alexandersville, which is roughly where Woody’s Market on Dixie Drive stood. Dayton had a school district established by 1831. Miami Township is likely next given its proximity to the Great Miami River and the fact that settlements normally began near bodies of water. Area settlements began at Riverside and moved inland. The oldest settlements would have had the earliest schools. Van Buren Township School District was established June 24, 1841, when the township separated from Dayton.
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I-75 Construction Delayed Again

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Reconstruction of I-75 near downtown Dayton has been delayed further due to finding multiple areas where the thickness of the pavement was deeper than expected. Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) has stated this would require additional and substantial work to complete the project.

The construction taking place now is the first time this section of I-75 has been rebuilt down to the base since its construction in the 1950s. Decades of construction and reconstruction will need to be removed before constructing the new road to ensure quality and longevity.

The remaining work, which depends on the weather for progress, poses many challenges. Many important tasks cannot be performed during winter months, which adds to complications to adhering to the schedule.

Completion of the work was planned for Summer 2027, but with the complications and additional work required, the date will have to be reassessed as the project continues.

For more details about i-75 construction and delays, visit the ODOT website here: ODOT – Montgomery County: Construction Update

Nancy Cartwright Donates to Rosewood Arts Center

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Nancy Cartwright, Emmy Award winning voice of Bart Simpson and former Kettering resident, gave back to Kettering in a big way. She donated $100,000 to The Rosewood Arts Center Reinvention and Renovation campaign. Cartwright graduated from Fairmont West High School, now Fairmont High School. Cartwright’s voice talents are not limited to just Bart Simpson, she has also voiced Ralph Wiggum, Todd Flanders, Nelson Muntz, and Maggie. Among many of her other voice roles are: Chucky from Rugrats, Rufus from Kim Possible, and Mindy from Animaniacs.

In a statement, Cartwright commented, “I am thrilled and deeply honored to contribute to this incredible art facility. I truly believe that the expansion and survival of our culture depend on our unwavering support for both art and artists. The Rosewood Arts Center stands as a beacon for bringing hope and inspiring greatness in others.”

Cartwright will also have a permanent association with Rosewood as it introduces “The Nancy Cartwright Painting and Drawing Studio.”

Lieutenant Colonel Charity Adams Earley

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Lieutenant Colonel Charity Adams Earley has received some recognition recently. The Lieutenant Colonel Charity Adams Earley Women’s Clinic was dedicated at the Dayton VA Campus on June 12. This will be her second namesake honor. On April 27, 2023, Fort Lee in Virginia was officially renamed Fort Gregg-Adams in honor of Lt. Gen. Arthur Gregg and Lt. Col. Charity Adams.

Charity Edna Adams was born in Kitrell, North Carolina in 1918. Her father was a minister, and her mother was a former teacher. When she was a young girl, her family moved to South Carolina, which she later considered home.

Charity was intellectually gifted and started school in second grade. By the end of elementary school, she was tested and scored ready to start high school. Her parents decided not to advance her any more grades since she was already a few grades ahead of her age group in school. Charity graduated school two years early as valedictorian. At Wilberforce College, Charity majored in Latin, Math, and Physics. She held a part-time job and was involved in many student activities before she graduated in 1938.

During WWII, Charity was the first African American female officer in the Women’s Auxiliary Army Corps (WAAC, later called WAC). She led the 3rd Training Regiment, made up of two white and one black platoon. At Fort Des Moines, she was promoted to Major, which made her the highest-ranking female officer at the fort and one of the highest-ranking WAC officers in the country. She then deployed to Europe and led the first Black WAC unit to serve overseas. For her work in Europe, Charity was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel, the highest possible rank for WAC.
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Dayton Animator Mark Henn – a 2024 Disney Legend

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Mark Henn, A man from Dayton was named one of the fourteen 2024 Disney Legends Award Honorees

The Disney Legends Awards program is a 37 year old tradition and the highest honor the company can bestow, according to Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Iger.

“To be named a Disney Legend is the highest honor our company can bestow on anyone, reserved for those whose talent and achievement have earned them an enduring place in our history,” Iger said. “The fourteen individuals to be honored as Disney Legends this year have each made extraordinary creative contributions across the worlds of Disney.”

Henn joined Walt Disney Animation Studios in 1980 as an assistant animator on the Fox and the Hound. His first major assignment was animating Mickey Mouse in Mickey’s Christmas Carol, Mickey’s first big appearance in 30 years. Henn served as the supervising animator for Young Simba and five female leads, more than any artist in the history of the studio. He supervised the animation of Ariel, Belle, Jasmine, Mulan, and Tiana. He animated Simba from The Lion King, the titular character in Pocahontas, and Giselle from Enchanted.

Henn has helped a new generation of Disney animators with character animation in CG features such as Ralph Breaks the Internet. He was the lead 2D animator on Big Hero 6 and Frozen and served as a 2D animator for “Mini Maui” in Moana. In 2013, Henn received ASIFA’s highest award in animation, the Winsor McCay Award for lifetime achievement. Henn was also commissioned to paint Mickey Mouse’s official portrait for the character’s 90th anniversary in 2018

April 8th Total Solar Eclipse

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On April 8, 2024, there will be a total solar eclipse crossing Dayton between 3:10 and 3:15 pm. The solar eclipse will pass over North America, starting in Mexico, crossing the US, then into Canada.

What is a solar eclipse? It’s when the moon passes between the sun and earth and completely blocks the face of the sun. The sky will go dark like at dusk.

When watching the eclipse, it’s important to be careful not to stare directly at it. It’s best to view through “eclipse glasses”, a handheld solar viewer, or using a pinhole projector. If using eclipse glasses, make sure they are not cheap knockoffs. Use only eclipse glasses that comply with the ISO 12312-2 international standard. Do not use regular sunglasses. Using regular sunglasses during the eclipse will cause eye injury. Safe solar viewers are thousands of times darker than regular sunglasses.

If you take the time to watch the eclipse, make sure to take pictures and share!

A Constable Finally Honored after 151 Years

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In Murder & Mayhem in Dayton and the Miami Valley, Sara wrote the story of John William Fogwell, a Beavercreek Constable who was killed as he headed home from Dayton. He had a warrant in his shirt pocket he intended to deliver on the way. His dying declaration identified his killer, William Ritchison. As it turns out, this story had the right audience. Steve Grismer, of Dayton Police History Foundation, read the story and realized Fogwell had never been honored as an officer who died in the line of duty.

Recently we learned he is officially [finally] honored on The Officers Down Memorial Page, just in time for the 151st anniversary of his death, which was October 31st. The next step (which is in process now) will be to submit paperwork to the committee for the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial. If approved, his name will be engraved on the marble wall in Washington DC.

Constable J. William Fogwell
End of Watch Thursday, October 31, 1872

Other Daytons (Part 2)

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Here is more information about the other Daytons in the US! We covered the first half in Other Daytons Part 1.

  1. Dayton, Nevada – the second-oldest settlement in Nevada and home to the oldest hotel in Nevada, and once a hotspot for gold miners. Named for a local surveyor, John Day in 1861.
  2. Dayton, Newark, New Jersey – a neighborhood in Newark, named after Jonathan Dayton.</
  3. Dayton, New Jersey – an unincorporated community in South Brunswick. Originally known as Cross Roads but was renamed to Dayton in 1866, but it is unclear if it is named for William L. Dayton or Jonathan Dayton.
  4. Dayton, New York – founded around 1810 when settlers arrived and mistakenly thought they were in Chautauqua County (but they were in Cattaraugus County). Formed from the town Perrysburg.
  5. Dayton, Oregon – founded in 1850 by Joel Palmer and Andrew Smith, a native of Dayton, Ohio.
  6. Dayton, Pennsylvania – a small borough in Armstrong County. Population as of the 2020 census was 549 people.
  7. Dayton, Tennessee – Settled around 1820 and was named Smith’s Crossroads. Renamed to Dayton in 1877, after Dayton, Ohio. Was also the site of the 1925 Scopes Trial that decided if evolution should be taught in public schools.

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