Category Archives: Dayton Fun Facts

Dayton viewed by New York 1878

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Howard Burba, a well known Dayton Daily News reporter in the early 1930s, wrote many stories centering not only around Dayton events, but Dayton itself. One of which was an article he found from the New York Daily Graphic, October 29, 1878. Quotes from this article describe Dayton as seen through the eyes of C. H. Miller, a New York journalist.

Here are some excerpts from the article he wrote:

    • “Dayton, the county seat of Montgomery Co., is universally conceded by visitors to be one of the most beautiful cities on the continent. And its surroundings are equally attractive. It is notable for its broad, clean, smooth avenues, its uniformly comfortable and numerous elegant residences, its admirable public school system and school houses, its handsome church architecture, its numerous and large manufacturing establishments and the general air of thrift and solid comfort which pervades the community. It is indisputably one of the most delightful of inland cities for a home, and as reliable in its established wealth and credit as any fortunate city in the Union. These are features which impress all strangers, and the well-contented people of Dayton are pardonable for the pride they take in their most enviable city.”

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Hamilton the Musical & Dayton

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Over the past few years, there has been a lot of hype surrounding the hit Broadway musical, Hamilton. But did you know the story of Alexander Hamilton has ties to Dayton?

The plot of Hamilton follows the life of Alexander Hamilton, which ended after a duel (or affair of honor)with politician Aaron Burr. Burr was later implicated in traitorous plots against America, along with one of Dayton’s founders, James Wilkinson, who was also Commander-in-Chief of the U.S. Army at New Orleans. Burr and Wilkinson conspired to commit treason by using their positions and working with both France and Spain at different times to take land for themselves to establish a separate country.

In 1806, Burr wrote Wilkinson a “cipher letter,” and Wilkinson panicked, double-crossed Burr, and sent a letter to President Jefferson, telling him of Burr’s activities. This letter led to Burr’s arrest for Treason. Wilkinson then testified in court, heavily emphasizing Burr’s role in the acts of Treason. Burr was later acquitted of the crimes.

Colonel Edward Deeds

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Colonel Edward Deeds is a name we all know around here in Dayton. Deeds was an engineer and inventor who helped to shape the history of Dayton, and establish Dayton as a center of innovation.

Edward Andrew Deeds was born on a farm in Granville, Ohio on March 12th, 1874. Deeds graduated as valedictorian from Denison University in 1897 and came to Dayton in 1898 to work as an Electrical Engineer for the Thresher company. In the same building was the headquarters of NCR, and in 1899, Frederick Patterson offered Deeds a position at “the Cash.”

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The Isaac Pollack House

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In 1854, two Jewish immigrants named Isaac Pollack and Solomon Rauh began a business partnership dealing whiskey and wine in Dayton from a warehouse on West Third Street.

Eight years later in 1862, Pollack served as a corporal in the civilian Squirrel Hunters during the Civil War and was regarded as a hero after the Squirrel Hunters successfully defended Cincinnati from an attack by the Confederate army. At the end of the war, Pollack and his friend Rauh started to build two identical homes on West Third Street.

Twin Houses

Source: Dayton International Peace Museum Website

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Happy 224th Birthday, Dayton!

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April 1st, 1796, Dayton was founded by the Thompson Party. They disembarked from their boats at approximately the place where Founders Point is at Riverscape.

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As our favorite Dayton historian, Charlotte Reeve Conover put it in the beloved book The Story of Dayton:

“The boat party was the first to arrive. Rounding the curve in the river, where for so many years since then it has been flowing under the Dayton View Bridge, the pioneers perceived before their eyes the swift current of Mad River emptying itself into the main channel, just as it had been described, and saying to each other (so we may imagine), ‘Yes this must be the place,’ they tied the pirogue to a tree at the head of St, Clair Street and led by Mrs. Thompson, all clambered ashore.

At that moment, DAYTON came on the map!”

One Missing Bench Found

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As you may remember from the story of the Missing Benches, there has been a mystery surrounding the rest of the benches that are supposed to be located all around the Miami Valley.

Well, one of the benches has been located! Right in front of the Wright Brothers Airport in Springboro, with a lovely mural with the Wright Brothers in the background.

Found Bench

The remaining benches really are a mystery:

  1. Two at the National Museum of the US Air Force – Bethany spoke to the staff and volunteers (including a groundskeeper) at the museum, and nobody had any recollection of the benches.
  2. One somewhere at the Dayton International Airport

– no idea where!
Have you seen one of these benches at one of these two locations? We’re still hunting!

This Day in History – February 2nd, 1923

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On February 2, 1923, the first leaded gasoline was sold in Dayton, Ohio.

Thomas Midgley, a chemist, worked with Charles Kettering at General Motors Research Corporation. Kettering had modified an internal combustion engine to produce greater horsepower, but it resulted in “engine knocking.” Midgley added tetraethyl lead to the fuel, which eliminated the problem. Kettering named the mixture “ethyl gas” and they first sold it at a station owned by Kettering’s friend, Willard Talbott. The gas was a success.

Unfortunately, leaded gas was toxic to humans and the environment. Workers in plants producing the gas were exposed to lead poisoning. Many died and others went mad. The gas was eventually phased out in the 1970s when the federal standards became stricter.

This Day in History – August 29th, 1876

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On August 29, 1876, Charles F. Kettering was born in a farmhouse near Loudonville, Ohio. After graduating high school, Kettering taught at rural schools to save for college tuition. He enrolled at the College of Wooster but had to drop out due to problems with his eyesight. He returned to teaching until he enrolled at Ohio State University, but again he had to drop out due to his eyesight. After a brief stint as a lineman, Kettering returned to Ohio State, this time graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in mechanical and electrical engineering.

As an engineer, Kettering invented an electric cash register that eliminated the need for a hand crank, developed the first self-starting auto ignition system, and organized the Dayton Engineering Laboratories Company (Delco). Kettering had more than 140 patents.

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This Day in History – April 19, 1919

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One hundred years ago today, Leslie Leroy Irvin successfully tested the Type-A parachute by jumping from an airplane. The new chute performed without issue, but Irvin broke his ankle upon landing.

During WWI, Irvin joined the Parachute Research Team of the Army Air Service. The expanding aviation industry created a need for parachutes in the event of aircraft failure. Irvin helped develop the Airplane Free-Fall Parachute Type-A. This parachute incorporated 3 elements:

  • Parachutes needed to be stored in a pack on the user’s back
  • A ripcord, to manually deploy the parachute a safe distance away from the plane.
  • A pilot chute that would draw the main canopy out of the main pack.

Irvin was so confident in this product that he volunteered to test it himself. With pilot James Floyd Smith at the controls, Irvin jumped. As a result of his jump, the new parachute was put into production. Months later, Irvin formed the Irving Air Chute Company in Buffalo, New York.

A popular story is that the company was intended to be named the Irvin Air Chute Company, but a secretary spelled Irvin’s name wrong and he never bothered to correct it. According to the company, the earliest man to be saved by an Irving Parachute was William O’Connor at McCook Field.

We were on Gem City Tonight!

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Our appearance on Gem City Tonight is now live! Thanks so much to Andrew Mitakides and Gem City Tonight for having us!

The line up for the episode was:

Dayton Unknown
And Lucky, Mr. Gay Ohio 2018

And always, the musical stylings of Aimee James and the Gems!

Check it out!