- Susan Koerner Wright, mother of Wilbur and Orville, enjoyed making things for and with her children. Reportedly, her husband Milton could not hammer a nail straight, and she was the handy person in the family. She often made toys for the children, and even put together some small appliances to make her household chores easier.
- In 1900, Dayton listed more inventions than any other city in the United States.
- John Patterson could not stand Charles Kettering, and would often fire him from his company, NCR. Edward Deeds would always hire him back.
- During rainy seasons, carriages would get stuck in the mud. To remedy this, huge logs were buried under the mud, lining Dayton streets in a “corduroy” fashion, preventing wagons and animals from sinking.
Category Archives: Local History
Let’s Get Funky, Dayton!
Grand opening tonight!
Known as The Land of the Funk throughout the 70s and 80s, Dayton is opening The Funk Music Hall of Fame and Exhibition Center. Its mission is to house and maintain Funk music memorabilia to educate the public about the history of Funk.
Dayton Sights: Ghost Signs
“Ghost signs are the most interesting of all wall signs. Faded to the point of illegibility, they linger on old buildings, echoing the robust commerce of times past. Ghost signs become highlighted under certain conditions, such as the rosy glow of sunrise or sunset, or in the first minutes of a rain.” Stage, William, Ghost Signs: Brick Wall Signs in America, 1989, p. 71
A Reputation in Jeopardy
Interesting Dayton Facts
During one of our research sessions at the library, we found a great book, For the Love of Dayton: Life in the Miami Valley 1796-2001, that was published by the Dayton Daily News in 2001. The book chronicles the history of Dayton year-by-year in little blurbs, and there were a lot of fascinating facts that we just had to share!
- 1803 – Colonel George Newcom became the first sheriff, serving until 1809. He took little pity on lawbreakers, lowering alleged offenders into his empty well, where they remained until trial.
Dayton’s Unknown
Halloween is coming, and to get into the spirit (HA), here are some of our favorite local spooky stories!
- Johnny Morehouse: The Boy and His Dog: Everyone loves this local legend surrounding the death of a small boy and the devotion of his dog!
- Attacking a Ghost in Library Park: One of our favorite stories about fed-up citizens trying to attack a ghost!
- Carpenter Road: A quiet road in Sugarcreek, a haunted road, or a road with mischievous residents? You decide.
- Witch’s Tower/Frankenstein’s Castle: Another local favorite! Ever wondered where the stories surrounding this mysterious landmark originated? We found out….
The Story of Bill G. Sloan
Note: Due to the current events across the country in regards to the hurricanes and flooding, we thought we’d share some stories we have previously posted, detailing the heroism from the Dayton Flood of 1913.
March 1913, The Great Dayton Flood.
Rising waters drove people to treetops and attics. People were spotted on rooftops, stranded, but were not able to be rescued. Survivors recount tragic tales, including watching a two-story house floating by, a man, woman, and child stranded helplessly at their front door. As the house was swept along with the current, on an ill-fated journey into the Dayton View Bridge, the man closed the front door suddenly. Moments later, the distinct sound of two gunshots was heard from inside.
Enter William “Bill” G. Sloan.
The Story of David T. Chambers
Note: Due to the current events across the country in regards to the hurricanes and flooding, we thought we’d share some stories we have previously posted, detailing the heroism from the Dayton Flood of 1913.
The chain of events that started Dayton’s Great Flood started on March 21, 1913, with a rainstorm. Over the next few days, more rain came, ultimately weakening the levees and flooding the already oversaturated soil. Water rose quickly, and as gas lines were destroyed, a fire started downtown that destroyed most of a block.
As these events were happening, twenty four year old David T. Chambers of North Dayton could not stand by and watch without helping. From the safety of his home, which was located above the flood waters, he could see the damage being caused by the rising waters.
Dayton Flood Facts
Note: Due to the current events across the country, there are a lot of questions about the potential for flooding in the Dayton Area. Our next few posts will address those concerns, and share a little bit of the history regarding floods in the Dayton region.
- It is believed that the weather conditions leading to the 1913 Dayton Flood were caused by the eruption of Mount Katmai and its daughter volcano Novarupta in Alaska in 1912. Novarupta emitted enough fine ash into the atmosphere to cool the climate of the Northern Hemisphere that winter. This storm caused the Great Tornadoes of Omaha before striking Dayton.
Miami Conservancy District
Note: Due to the current events across the country, there are a lot of questions about the potential for flooding in the Dayton Area. Our next few posts will address those concerns, and share a little bit of the history regarding floods in the Dayton region.
The Miami Conservancy District was organized in 1915, in response to the Great Dayton Flood. The MCD built levees, straightened the river channel, and built 5 dams to control flooding in the Miami Valley. The Miami Conservancy District was the first major watershed district in the nation. The district and its projects are unusual in that they were funded almost entirely by local tax initiatives.
