Fairmont Firebird Symbol

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Most Kettering residents have a connection to Kettering Fairmont, whether it’s because they attended or they have children who do/did. For those they can easily remember the blue and white school colors and the beloved mascot, the firebird. For some residents, they can even remember Fairmont East and Fairmont West.

Fairmont was originally opened in September 1906 on Dorothy Lane just west of Far Hills. As the population of Van Buren Township grew, the four-room schoolhouse was quickly becoming too small. A replacement building just east of the original building became the temporary high school until the new building on Far Hills at Storms Avenue (where Van Buren Middle School is now) opened in 1929. The school colors were purple and white, and the mascot was a Dragon.
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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 →

Have you bought Sara’s Book yet?

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Have you bought Sara’s book yet?

Murder & Mayhem in Dayton and the Miami Valley came out last June, featuring many true crime stories in Dayton from the 1800s and early 1900s.

You can buy an autographed copy directly from Sara here!

Also stay tuned for a post soon with some teasing previews of the stories in the book!

Baby Foundling – “He’s Everybody’s Baby Now”

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On a cold January evening in 1944, a young girl was seen carrying a baby around the neighborhood of West Third Street. Moments later, loud cries attracted the attention of passerby Percy Dechamp to the doorway of 34 West Third Street. Upon investigation, Dechamp found a baby dressed warmly in a shirt, jacket, and kimono. He was wrapped in two blankets.

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Tonja Buford-Bailey

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Tonja Yvette Buford-Bailey was born December 13, 1970 in Dayton, to a mostly-single mother, and is one of seven children. At 8 years old, Tonja joined the track club at her elementary school and while attending Meadowdale High School, she became a four-time state hurdles champion.

Her successes led to three trips to the Olympics – Barcelona in 1992, Atlanta in 1996, and Sydney in 2000. When Tonja made the team in 1992, she was just 21 and was the second youngest Olympian from the U.S. to be sent to Spain. Once the Dayton Daily News published an article about Tonja going to Barcelona, it was publicized that her mother wouldn’t be able to afford the trip to Spain. The article spurred Daytonians on to donate funds to pay for the trip, and Tonja’s mother was able to see Tonja compete.

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Michelangelo is coming to Dayton!

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An amazing new art exhibit and experience is coming to the Mall at Fairfield Commons! Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel Experience is opening up today, January 14th in the upper level of the old Elder Beerman store.

According to the website, “This exhibit is reproduced using state-of-the-art technology and is suitable for all audiences, relying on a spacious area where Michelangelo’s masterpieces stretch floor-to-ceiling and closer than ever. The experience will awaken visitors’ curiosity by presenting a never-before-seen perspective of his timeless masterpieces.”
When:
One month, opening January 14th, 2022
Each visit takes 60-90 minutes
Wednesday-Saturday: 10am – 6pm
Sundays: 11am – 5:30pm

Where:
Mall at Fairfield Commons
2727 Fairfield Commons Blvd, Beavercreek, OH 45431
Upper Level of previous Elder-Beerman

Admission:
$19 per adult (13+)
$13.30 per child (4-12)
$14.30 per 65+, student, or military
(VIP ticket options are available also)

Holiday Hiatus

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A few weeks ago, we asked for your favorite local Christmas light locations, and thought we’d share the list we compiled for everyone to enjoy this holiday season.

  • Courthouse Square
  • Lincoln Park in Kettering
  • Carillon Tree of Light
  • 582 Whipp Road (across from Fairhaven Church)

As Dayton Unknown does every year for the holidays, we are going to take a break for the rest of the year to enjoy time with our families.

If you’re looking for some Christmas gift ideas, check out our merchandise!!!

We are always accessible through the Contact Us page, Dayton Unknown on Facebook, and by email – daytonunknown@hotmail.com. Don’t forget to check out our Instagram as well, at @daytonunknown!!

We’ll see you next year!

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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