“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!”
– Charlotte Reeve Conover, The Story of Dayton.
Two hundred and twenty-one years ago tomorrow, Dayton was founded. To honor this occasion, we decided to share some of our favorite pictures we’ve taken around Dayton.
Also, please send us your favorite picture you’ve taken around Dayton, and we’ll feature it in a future blog post! You can send it to our email at daytonunknown@hotmail.com – and be sure to provide your name for photo credit!
The History of Sinclair College
“Find the need and endeavor to meet it.” – David Ainslie Sinclair
Although his tombstone in Woodland simply states “Secretary of the YMCA”, David Sinclair did much more for Dayton and its residents.
Dayton Fun Facts
Time for another round of small, but interesting facts we’ve found in our research!
- Dayton is the 6th largest city in Ohio.
- There are a few former Indian burial grounds: one at the corner of Water Street (now Monument Avenue) and Beckel Street (Beckel Street still currently exists in part, but no longer intersects with Monument Avenue), one on the Fairgrounds Hill, one on a knoll in Woodland Cemetery, one at the north end of the Dayton View Bridge, and one at the west end of the Third Street Bridge.
- James S. Trent – for whom Trent Arena at Fairmont High School is named – was a superintendent and educator.
- The Dayton Dragons, farm team for the Cincinnati Reds, have played ball downtown since 2000, and recently set the national professional sports record for consecutive sellout home games.
David’s Cemetery Notable Burials
Dayton Firsts Part 11
- First Odd Fellows Lodge – The first lodge of Odd Fellowship in Dayton was known as Montgomery Lodge No. 5, and was instituted on May 3, 1833.
- First Museum – A committee met at the courthouse on September 16, 1837, to organize a “zoological museum.” A room was secured at the head of the canal basin but the project was abandoned shortly after.
- First City Charter – On March 27, 1841, by a special act of the legislature, Dayton emerged from the classification of a town to that of a city.
The Escape of John Wilkes Booth
In 1924, Whitney Bolton, editor of the Dayton Daily News, wrote an article telling of the escape of John Wilkes Booth, after interviewing reporter John Young. At age seven, Young had attended the play Our American Cousin at Ford’s Theatre with his father. It was a night Young would never forget.
Near the end of the second act, a shot rang out and a man crashed to the stage, brandished a long knife, yelled, “Sic semper tyrannis!” and ran away, a significant limp in his step.
Years later, Young interviewed James Kelley, a man who had been a member of the Richmond Theatre Company with John Wilkes Booth. Booth and Kelley had shared a dressing room and the services of a young dressing valet named Henry.
When the war started, Booth became passionate for the South, at first enthusiastically, then slowly becoming sullen and angry. The change in his mood caused John Wilkes Booth to be fired from his acting job. Booth left for Washington, and took Henry with him. He left behind a number of play manuscripts with scribbled notes in his handwriting. Kelley kept the manuscripts.
More Dayton Fun Facts
- Legendary bank robber ‘Red’ Leary made an appearance at the 1874 Dayton Fair (also known as the South Ohio Fair) to pick-pocket the crowds. Red was later arrested at the Union Depot while waiting for his train out of town. Due to lack of evidence, he was never formerly charged.
- In 1841, a skeleton of a Native American wearing a necklace with 170 copper beads was found in a mound on the east end of First Street. The mound was destroyed to clear way for a road.
“Nothing compares to the simple pleasure of…
…a bike ride.” – John F. Kennedy
Dayton Firsts Part 10
- First Canal boat – The first canal boat built in Dayton was christened the Alpha and was launched on Saturday, August 16, 1828, at 2 p.m. The first canal boat to arrive in Dayton with the formal opening of the canal was the General Brown. It arrived at the landing near the present site of the main branch of the Dayton Metro Library on January 26, 1829.
- First Mayor – In 1829 a new charter went into effect in Dayton. Under it, the chief executive of the city became referred to as the Mayor, instead of the President of Council. Under the new charter John Folkerth was made the first Mayor of Dayton.
If Life is a Bowl of Cherries, What Am I Doing in the Pits?
“When your mother asks, “Do you want a piece of advice?” it’s a mere formality. It doesn’t matter if you answer yes or no. You’re going to get it anyway.”
Dayton Unknown 