Category Archives: Local History

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!

John H. Wartinger and Wartinger Park

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On Kemp Road, about a quarter mile from North Fairfield Road in Beavercreek, sits Wartinger Park. The designated historical park is owned by the City of Beavercreek and was named for John Wartinger. Building Codes at the time required that green space be set aside while plotting a development, and about 5 acres were set aside for a park – later 4.3 acres, as Beavercreek Fire Station #3 was built. The park was cared for by the Flower Trail Garden Club from 1976 until 1983, when it was turned over to the City of Beavercreek.

In 1975, Wartinger Park was named for John Wartinger, who served his community in several ways:
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A Few Fun Facts about Dayton

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It’s shaping up to be a busy year, so here are a few fun facts about Dayton!

  • Dayton’s first attorney was Judge Joseph Crane.
  • James Cox served 2 terms as governor of Ohio and ran for US President.
  • Charles Lindbergh flew into Dayton’s McCook Field on August 5, 1927.
  • Susan (Koerner) Wright, mother to Wilbur and Orville, was highly-educated, especially for her time. She met Milton, her future husband, while attending Huntsville College in Huntington, Indiana. After being ordained in the United Brethren ministry, Milton was assigned to Oregon. He asked Susan to accompany him as his wife. She agreed to the marriage proposal but did not want to go to Oregon. She waited 2 years and they wed on November 24, 1859.

Huffman Dam

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After the Great Flood of 1913, the Miami Conservancy District, led by Colonel Edward Deeds and Arthur Morgan, started the process of building dams to prevent future flooding catastrophes in Dayton. Driving along Route 444, you’ve probably glanced over to see the Huffman Dam.

Huffman Dam
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Happy 226th Birthday, Dayton!

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On this date in 1796, Dayton was founded by the Thompson Party! Happy 226th birthday, Dayton!DUBirthday

Dayton historian, Charlotte Reeve Conover put it best in the her 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!”

Johann Jacob Coy, Jr.

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Born July 27, 1739 in Bavaria, Germany, Johann Jacob Coy, Jr. came to America with his parents and siblings. Unfortunately, both of Jacob’s parents passed away on the voyage over. Jacob’s father had negotiated a labor contract for the cost of the passage, and upon his death, Jacob as the oldest son was now expected to fulfill the contract. The ship’s crew seized all of their belongings and left the Coy children without anything, and upon arrival in Philadelphia in 1757, the siblings were all sold into servitude to work off their debts.
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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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Fun Facts about the Van Cleves

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One of the first settlers to Dayton and one of the big names as well, how much do you know about Benjamin Van Cleve? Here are some facts about Benjamin, and his son John.

Benjamin Van Cleve (1773 – 1821)

  • His marriage to Mary Whitten was the first marriage registered in Dayton. They had one son, John.
  • Benjamin accompanied the first party of settlers to Dayton.
  • Benjamin established Dayton’s first library, post office, and school, all in his log cabin.

John Van Cleve (1801 – 1858)

  • He was a child prodigy. At 16, he was teaching Latin and Greek and translating plays from German and French.
  • He contributed collections to Dayton’s first natural history museum
  • Helped found Woodland Cemetery
  • Was reportedly over 300 pounds and very sensitive about his appearance. He refused to marry and would not sit for portraits or photographs.

August Foerste – This Guy Rocks

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Born May 7th, 1862, in Dayton to parents John and Louise, August Foerste (pronounced first-ee) became Dayton’s very own Natural Historian. After attending a lecture by OSU president and geologist Edward Orton in high school, August became interested geology. He graduated from Old Central High School in 1880, then taught at Schoolhouse No. 2 in Centerville until 1883.

During his time teaching, August studied the Allen Quarry tucked away in Centerville (where the Rod & Reel Fishing Club is now), and identified and named the formation there, and discovered a new classification of limestone – which he named the Brassfield limestone. He was also responsible for naming a rock formation the Beavertown Marl at the quarry site at Wilmington Pike and Dorothy Lane. August had found his specialty, and many fossils found in the Centerville area were named by him.
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