“If the path be beautiful, let us not ask where it leads.”- Anatole France
Tag Archives: Dayton Ohio
Going Out With a Bang: My God, I’ve Shot Myself
Clement Vallandigham (July 29, 1820 – June 17, 1871)
It was going to be the biggest case of his life. Fifty year old Dayton Attorney Clement Vallandigham was to defend Thomas McGehan, who was charged with murder for a barroom brawl turned deadly in Hamilton, Ohio. Having been unable to find a jury un-swayed by newspaper reports in Hamilton, the trial moved to Lebanon.
Vallandigham and his partner, Daniel Haynes, formed a practice that had become “one of the best and ablest in the West”, with stories of Vallandigham making final pleas so persuasive that the jury was left in tears. Nobody researched more than he did, and he was adept at anticipating the rebuttal arguments of the opposing lawyers.
More Interesting Dayton Facts
- 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.
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
Exercise Dayton: Local Activities
Dayton is considered to be the 47th fattest city in America (source) Being healthy and active can be difficult to do alone. These are some local resources in the area to help you keep on track, with both indoor and outdoor options:
Winter in Dayton
With all the snow we’ve been getting lately, we wanted to share some of our favorite pictures from this winter, and winters past!
Also, if you have any great winter pics to share, please send them to us at daytonunknown@hotmail.com and if we may just share your pictures too! Please make sure to provide your full name for photo credit!
Dayton Unknown Hiatus
Due to the holidays, and Sara’s upcoming wedding, we have decided to go on hiatus for the rest of the year.
We are always accessible through the Contact Us page and by email – daytonunknown@hotmail.com
We’ll also periodically update our Instagram, too! We are @daytonunknown!!
To tide you over, here are some fall pictures from around Dayton!
Happy Halloween, Dayton!!
Halloween is almost here, so we thought we’d share some of our favorite spooky pictures from around Dayton!
HAPPY HALLOWEEN, DAYTON!!!
Dayton Unknown 