- 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.
Tag Archives: invention
Exercise Dayton – Riverscape Inventors Walk
Tired of the same exercise routine? Try visiting some of Dayton’s notable spots while you exercise!
Enjoy fresh air and history as you experience the Dayton Inventors River Walk.
The Route:
Starting with a brick medallion at the corner of Monument Avenue and Main Street, the Inventors Walk continues around Riverscape with informative tiles in the pavement, leading to the Automobile Self Starter, the first of 7 invention stations. Continue toward North Patterson Boulevard, visiting the Cash Register and Ice Cube sculptures. Cross the bridge on Patterson Boulevard to continue reading the tiles. Approximate distance is 1 mile (see map below).
Dayton Innovator – Philip Haas
Sometimes your life’s work going down the drain is a good thing…
Born in Germany in 1874, Philip Haas had at least 10 siblings. The family emigrated to the US in 1888, settling in Dayton. Soon after, Haas became an apprentice to a plumber, starting his career.
Born in Germany in 1874, Philip Haas had at least 10 siblings. The family emigrated to the US in 1888, settling in Dayton. Soon after, Haas became an apprentice to a plumber, starting his career.
Philip did not invent the toilet, however he made many improvements to it that are still in use today, turning a formerly unreliable product into its modern equivalent. Over the course of his career, Hass applied for 31 plumbing and/or toilet related patents.
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.
Ermal Fraze
If you have consumed any beverage from a can, you can thank Ermal “Ernie” Fraze for inventing the pull-top tab used to open it.
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