Category Archives: Local Businesses

Gina Ferraro is back!

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Gina Ferraro is back! Dayton Unknown has missed listening to Jeff, Kristi, Dave, and Gina on the Mix Morning Show, and we are thrilled to have her back on the airwaves!

Gina will be joining the lineup of the Bobby Bones Show, After Midnight with Granger Smith, Wazz in the Afternoon, and Kasper at Night on WZDA (New Country 103.9). She will be airing weekdays from 10am-3pm. Gina’s resume includes Mix 107.7, Channel 99.9, Warm 98.5, Traffic Reporter and co-host for WUSN (US99) and WIND-AM(AM560 The Answer), and evening traffic anchor for 720 WGN Radio. You can also see Gina’s writing talent on BET+ in the form of the film “Unfinished”.
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Jewish Cultural Festival 2022

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If you’re looking for something to do this weekend, head on out to the Jewish Cultural Festival at Temple Israel on Sunday June 12 between 11 am and 7 pm, located at 130 Riverside Drive.

This festival involves over 150 volunteers contributing their time to serve food, perform, lead tours, and answer questions about Judaism, all to welcome everyone to share the Jewish experience.

Some highlights for this years events are:

  • Interactive, hands-on projects for children and a giant inflatable slide.
  • Baked goods such as rugelach, hamentaschen, mandel bread, honey cake, and challah.
  • There will be interactive sessions featuring local and regional speakers including rabbis.
  • Crafts will include a market to showcase Jewish and Israeli arts and crafts including woodworking, clothing, jewelry, ceramics, and accessories from local and regional artisans.
  • If you’re feeling lucky, try your chances to win one of five prize bundles worth over a total of $4500.

Bring items to donate to Crayons to Classrooms and Daybreak or stay to make a toy to be donated to SICSA.

Marshall Weiss will be just outside the Jewish Federation tent on Sunday from 11-2, with copies of his new book Stories of Jewish Dayton. Get a chance to meet him in person and get a copy of his book!

Eddie Breen

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“Eagles can fly, but can’t talk; parrots can’t really fly but can talk; so I just think I’m an Eagle.” Orville Wright to Eddie Breen, when asked why he doesn’t say much. Eddie Breen would later serve as pallbearer at Orville’s funeral.

Eddie Breen served as Mayor of Dayton from 1946-1948 then served as a member of the US House of Representatives from Ohio’s 3rd District.

Eddie had many notable members of his family, including:

  • John Breen, who along with John Ohmer had invented and manufactured the Taxi Meter. They originally planned to take the maiden voyage of the Titanic but opted instead to continue their sales trip in Europe.
  • Maurice Breen, who smuggled runaway slaves in his wagon among parts for railway construction.
  • Bernadina Focke and her sons, who set up a card table in the Arcade selling meat. This business would become a successful meat packing business that lasted until 1972.
  • Mary Lousie Breen, who spied for FDR in France and Germany during WWII.
  • Marie Berno Focke, who sang and danced with Fred Astaire in the 1920s.

Eddie Breen died on May 8, 1991, and is buried at Calvary Cemetery. For more information about these events and more stories about this family, check out the book Lucky Eddie, by Edward Focke Breen.

The Future of A World A’Fair

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This time of year, we would normally be sharing all about A World A’Fair and how excited we are to attend.

Unfortunately, the event has been cancelled for the third year in a row. According to a statement on their website:
“Unfortunately, due to the uncertainties surrounding Covid-19 and its variants plus uncertainties surrounding the Convention Center’s new ownership and management, the festival board has decided to cancel the May 2022 festival and study revamping the festival, pretty much from scratch. We have formed a committee to study what our options might be and as any decisions are made they’ll be presented here.”

We hope to see the festival return in the future! Here are some pictures from past years.

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Sara is Speaking at Wright Library!

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Have you had a chance to hear about Sara’s book? If you’d like to hear some background info and purchase the book from Sara, come see her Author Visit at Wright Library!

Where:
Wright Memorial Public Library
1776 Far Hills Avenue
Oakwood, Ohio 45410

Whene:
Wednesday, May 11th
7pm-8pm

As always, Sara’s book is available to purchase online as well! You can get an autographed copy directly from Sara or from the sites listed on our Where to Buy page!

Benjamin Robbins

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Benjamin Robbins is one of the founders of Centerville, along with his brothers-in-law, Benjamin Archer, and Aaron Nutt, Sr..

Robbins was born in New Jersey in 1760 and was a surveyor and farmer. He married Bathsheba Nutt (Aaron’s sister) in 1782. Throughout their marriage, they had a total of 12 children:

  • Nancy (1783-1858)
  • Richard (1784-1837)
  • Abigail (1787-1854)
  • Elizabeth (1790-1879)
  • Benjamin (1791-1792)
  • Rebecca (1793-????)
  • Samuel (1795-1862)
  • Aaron (1797-1825)
  • Levi (1800-1866)
  • twins Mary (1803-1833) and John (1803-1805)
  • Bathsheba (1806-1845)

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Sara was on a Podcast!

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Sara was a guest on the local podcast An Hour of Your Life to talk about her book!

An Hour of Your Life was a finalist for the 2019 Best Local Podcast, and Sara had a great time chatting with Steve and Kim Harmon. You can listen to Sara’s episode here.

Check out An Hour of Your Life’s Facebook, or follow them anywhere you can listen to Podcasts – Amazon, Apple, etc..


The Tragic Life of Enos Doolittle and his Doolittle Tavern

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In 1820, Enos Doolittle arrived in Centerville, where he quickly rented a building and opened a dry goods store. Two years later, Enos married Bathsheba Robbins, the youngest daughter of one of Centerville’s founders, Benjamin Robbins.
In the same year, Enos started buying several lots of land, and in 1823 he eventually built a two-story stone building and opened the Doolittle Tavern where the current Town Hall stands. According to The History of Montgomery County, Ohio, Containing a History of the County from 1882, the Doolittle Tavern was known as the best place to stop west of the Allegheny Mountains. Continue reading →

Edith Deeds

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Edith Deeds was born in Spring Valley in 1869, to Samuel and Mary Walton, and was the older sister of William Walton. In her early life, Edith studied music, painting, and languages at Earlham College in Richmond, Indiana. Though her father Samuel was a Quaker, the family attended the First Baptist Church after moving to Dayton. It was there that Edith met Colonel Edward Deeds. Edith and Edward married on June 5, 1900. Throughout their marriage, Edith assisted her innovative husband and the infamous Barn Gang by performing office work and participating in the development of the automobile self-starter.
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