Lib Hedges

Everyone knew about Pearl Street in Dayton’s Red Light District, but nobody admitted so.

“Most of the houses were ornately trimmed; each had the name of the proprietor, a single woman posted in the door glass or permanently etched there, and at night, in the window on a table sat a red lamp, spreading its cheery invitation to all.  Within the houses many women followed a profession dignified only by its extreme age.”

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Hometown Eats – Part 4

Looking for a place to eat dinner this weekend? Check out these local restaurants!

  • Thai 9 – Thai & Sushi
    – 11 Brown Street, Dayton
    – Business Casual Dress Code – Jeans and tshirt accepted, no tank tops.
  • El Meson – Hispanic Food/Tapas
    – 903 East Dixie Drive
    – Gluten Free and Vegetarian Friendly
  • Carver’s Steak & Chops
    – 1535 Miamisburg Centerville Road
    – Happy Hour 5-7 Weekdays
  • Boston’s Bistro & Pub
    – 7500 North Main Street, Dayton
    – Say hi to Dave the owner for us!

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    Owner David Boston with Millionaire Matchmaker’s Justin Bird.

  • Barnsider Restaurant
    – 5202 North Main Street
    – Great Service!
  • Crazy Mango Bar & Bistro
    – 81 Magnolia Lane, The Greene
    – Eat outside for a great atmosphere!

Prominent Local Figures: James Ritty

After opening his first saloon in Dayton, James “Jake” Ritty had a problem.

Jake’s employees were stealing, and he could not prove it. Stressed over the deficit in his profits, Jake decided to sail to Europe to get away for a while.

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Woodland Cemetery Series: Matilda Stanley – Queen of the Gypsies

Matilda Stanley holds records. She holds one record for being the person held in Woodland’s receiving vault the longest, one for being the most loved Gypsy queen recorded, and also the only known gypsy funeral to be presided over by an “outsider”, Reverend David Berger. At an estimated 15-25k people, Matilda’s funeral is also the biggest one to have been seen in Dayton.

Matilda married her husband Levi in Berkshire, England and together with their families, moved to the United States in 1856. They chose Dayton as their summer headquarters, heading south every winter to live in warmer weather, the procession down Main street a spectacle.

Because record keeping was not very stringent, Matilda’s exact date of birth can only be guessed as sometime in 1821. Her date of death is more concrete, confirmed as January 15, 1878. Woodland held her body in the receiving vault until September of that year, in order to give friends and family time to travel from all over the world to attend her funeral.

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Local Street Names – Part 4

Curious about the names of streets around Dayton? Here’s a few namesakes:

  • Eaker Street: Mary Belle Eaker, a local philanthropist who gave her home to the YMCA.
  • Gummer Avenue: named for Henry R. Gummer, a co-founder of the Gem City Stove Company.
  • Gunckel: named after Lewis B. Gunckel, a politician, congressman, and attorney.
  • Harries Street: J. W. Harries, a local brewer.
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CareFlight

CareFlight’s history in Dayton has personal meaning to Dayton Unknown.

In 2003, after a serious car accident, I(Sara) was transported via CareFlight to Miami Valley Hospital. Although I don’t remember the flight or many of the details of that night, I was able to formally meet the pilot, Wade, and the CareFlight Nurse, Cathy at the 20th anniversary celebration of Careflight in September of 2003, just one month after our first encounter.

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Sara with CareFlight Nurse, Cathy and Pilot Wyatt.

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Local Street Names – Part 3

Time for more Dayton street name origins!

  • Ashley Street: Ashley Brown, son-in-law of Colonel Robert Patterson.
  • Schantz Road: Named for Adam Schantz, local brewer.
  • Spinning Road: Isaac Spinning, a Colonel in the Revolutionary War, and a judge in Dayton.
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David’s Cemetery

Located at the corners of Mad River Road and David Road in Kettering, David’s Cemetery is one of the older cemeteries in the Dayton area. The cemetery was formed on land donated by local man, Christian Creager, in 1826 and recognized its first burial in 1831 — a young boy named Noah Darner. It was named after Rev. David Winters, the first preacher to serve the Dayton area.

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