March 23, 2013
John Bush
John Bush writes to his son, Chuck, about his experiences during the 1913 flood
March 20, 2013
Kathy McDonough
Kathy's story of how she survived the flood when she was only 15 years old.
March 18, 2013
Arthur Dilks
This is a letter written by Arthur Dilks, an employee of NCR, telling of his experiences during the flood. Courtesy of the NCR Archive at Dayton History
Herbert E. S. Humbert
This is a letter written by Herbert E. S. Humbert, an employee of NCR, to John H. Patterson telling of his experiences during the flood. Courtesy of the NCR Archive at Dayton History
Allan Long
Allan tells his friend, Louie, about his experiences during the 1913 flood. Courtesy of The NCR Archive at Dayton History.
March 12, 2013
Irene A. Hauer
Irene's mother became frantic during the flood, thinking that Irene's father had drowned.
I Remember Everything
by Dorothy Haug Copyright 1966
Mary Koellner talks about being trapped for three days in a second-floor office during the 1913 flood.
Estella Strader
Estella was ten years old at the time of the flood and remembered how NCR used a fire hydrant to send messages to other cities.
February 3, 2013
Alice Lingo Conger
“March 23, 1913. Easter Sunday. Rained all morning.” That’s how Alice Lingo Conger began a diary that recorded Dayton’s most devastating natural disaster.
1913 Flood: There Had Been Warnings
by Benjamin Kline Copyright March 25, 1973
Celebrating the 60th anniversary of the 1913 flood
January 5, 2013
Mrs. Earl A. Frederick
Mrs. Frederick was working as a maid in the Fred Hornicks home on Pulaski St., when the flood hit.
Mrs. Kennard Brown
Mrs. Brown was 15 years old at the time of the flood. Luckily, she was outside of the city at the time. This tells of her efforts to personally deliver food to relatives that were stranded in Dayton
The Flood
by Mary E. Murphy Copyright 1962
Mary wrote a poem of the terrors people suffered during the flood.
December 20, 2012
Did You Know?
by Ken Carr Copyright August 2012
NCR stories
December 19, 2012
Margaret Cotterill
Jeff Moyer interviewed Mildred Cotterill on June 13, 1996 for the 1913 Dayton, Ohio Flood Survivors Oral History project. In the interview Mrs. Cotterill discusses her experiences as a child during the flood. Courtesy of Wright State University.
C. Dale Hopkins
Jeff Moyer interviewed C. Dale Hopkins on December 11, 1995 for the 1913 Dayton, Ohio Flood Survivors Oral History project. In the interview Mr. Hopkins discusses his experiences as a child during the flood. Courtesy of Wright State University
Marceda Huffman
Jeff Moyer interviewed Marceda Huffman on July 19, 1996 for the 1913 Dayton, Ohio Flood Survivors Oral History project. In the interview Mrs. Huffman discusses her experiences as a child during the flood. Courtesy of Wright State University
Harry Jeffrey
Jeff Moyer interviewed Harry Jeffrey on July 19, 1996 for the 1913 Dayton, Ohio Flood Survivors Oral History project. In the interview Mr. Jeffrey discusses his experiences as a child during the flood. Courtesy of Wright State University
Eleanor McCann
Jeff Moyer interviewed Eleanor McCann on June 6, 1996 for the 1913 Dayton, Ohio Flood Survivors Oral History project. In the interview Mrs. McCann discusses her experiences as a child during the flood. Courtesy of Wright State University
Margaret Smell
This link takes you to an excerpt from the diary of Margaret Smell is from March of 1913 during her visit to Dayton, Ohio. In the diary she chronicles her eye witness account of the Dayton Flood and the aftermath of the flood. Courtesy of Wright State University
Robert Smith
Jeff Moyer interviewed Robert Smith on July 19, 1996 for the 1913 Dayton, Ohio Flood Survivors Oral History project. In the interview Mr. Smith discusses his experiences as a child during the flood. Courtesy of Wright State University
Ethel Weeks
Jeff Moyer interviewed Ethel Weeks on June 6, 1996 for the 1913 Dayton, Ohio Flood Survivors Oral History project. In the interview Mrs. Weeks discusses her experiences as a child during the flood. Courtesy of Wright State University
Added - 134 "Curt Dalton's Gem City Jewels" articles. See side button with same name to view these unusual tales of Dayton!
November 19, 2012
Dr. Reeve's Story of the Dayton Flood
by Dr. J. C. Reeve
This account was written by Dr. Reeve during the first days of the flood. It was written on old newspaper wrappers. Dr. Reeve's wife was ill and entirely blind at the time. Her death, a month later, was caused in part by what she suffered during the flood.
November 18, 2012
1913 Flood Survivor Shares Frightening Tale
by Roz Young Copyright March 29, 1994
Harry P. Jeffrey's tale of surviving the flood when he was eleven years old.
November 17, 2012
Dayton Police "Firsts": In Dayton and Beyond
by retired Dayton Sgt. Steve Grismer Copyright 2012 All Rights Reserved
Here are over 80 Dayton police ‘firsts’ (and a several notable ‘lasts’) to ponder... as well as a few items that may not really be ‘firsts’ but are interesting footnotes in local police history.
November 12, 2012
Walled City
by Barbara Fraser Copyright 1979
A story of the Kossuth Colony, where Hungarian workers for Barney & Smith lived behind a walled-in section of town. The article appeared in the Journal Herald on March 24, 1979.
Transcribed by Dayton History Books Online volunteer Betty Zins
The Way We Were Much Like It is Now
by Dave Allbaugh Copyright 1980
The article covers some Dayton government highlights from the inception of the city manager form in 1913 through 1936. The article appeared in the Dayton Daily News on March 2, 1980.
Transcribed by Dayton History Books Online volunteer Betty Zins
September 20, 2012
The 1913 Flood and How it Was Met by a Railroad
by Lewis S. Bigelow Copyright 1913
An online PDF file of the entire book with descriptions and photos of the impact of the 1913 flood on the Pennsylvania Lines in Ohio and Indiana and how it helped save the day, including the good people of Dayton. Courtesy of the Open Library.
Great 1913 Flood, Dayton, Ohio
by Killian M. Kammerer Copyright 1913
A wonderful online PDF of the entire book, including pictures, that can be read online, courtesy of the Library of Congress and Open Library.
The Great Dayton Calamity
by Davis and Graser Copyright 1913
This booklet contains 24 pictures of the 1913 flood. A wonderful online PDF of the entire book, including pictures, that can be read online, courtesy of the Library of Congress and Open Library.
History of the Miami Flood Control Project
by C. A. Bock Copyright 1918
An online PDF file of the planning and execution of flood prevention works in progress at the time, including the five dams later built to protect Dayton and the Miami Valley.
The Miami Conservancy Bulletin Volumes 1 & 2
by The Miami Conservancy District Copyright 1918-1920
An online PDF file of Volumes 1 & 2 (August 1918 to July 1920), covering the progress of building the dams to protect the Miami Valley from future floods. Courtesy of Hathi Trust.
The Miami Conservancy Bulletin Volumes 3 & 4
by The Miami Conservancy District Copyright 1920-1923
An online PDF file of Volumes 3 & 4 (August 1920 to April 1923), covering the progress of building the dams to protect the Miami Valley from future floods. Courtesy of Hathi Trust.
The Miami Valley and the 1913 Flood
by Arthur E. Morgan Copyright 1917
Written by the chief engineer of the Miami Conservancy District, this book includes the geology, settlement and flooding of the Miami Valley in 1913. A wonderful online PDF of the entire book, including pictures, that can be read online, courtesy of the Library of Congress and Open Library.
Pictorial History of the Great Dayton Flood
by Nellis R. Funk Copyright 1913
Flood facts and over 50 pages of photographs of the 1913 flood. A wonderful online PDF of the entire book, including pictures, that can be read online, courtesy of the Library of Congress and Open Library.
Report of the Special Booard of Consulting Engineers to the Dayton Flood Prevention Committee May 26, 1914
by the Dayton Flood Prevention Committee Copyright 1914
An online PDF of the report the Morgan Engineering Company made to the committee on how to best prevent future flooding of Dayton and other nearby cities. Courtesy of the Hathi Trust.
September 7, 2012
Captain Amos Clark: Dayton Deputy Marshal and Policeman
by retired Dayton Sgt. Steve Grismer Copyright 2012 All Rights Reserved
The 1850s-1890s lawman is an enigmatic figure in local history
September 2, 2012
Dayton, Ohio - An Intimate History
by Charlotte Reeve Conover Copyright 1932
One of the best histories written on Dayton, which starts with the first settlers and carries on up to the beginning of the Great Depression.
Transcribed by Dayton History Books Online volunteer Sue Ann Greda
August 7, 2012
Dayton Still City of Aviation Miracles
by Journal Herald Copyright 1943
How Materiel Command developed the automatic landing gear, the cantilever wing, high octane fuels, pressurized cabins and many others which have made American aircraft superior and commercial aviation practical.
Transcribed by Dayton History Books Online volunteer Betty Zins
August 4, 2012
Did You Know?
by Ken Carr Copyright May 2012
The birth of modern salesmanship - Part Five
July 29, 2012
Building the Bomb in Oakwood
by Howard Shook and Joseph M. Williams Copyright 1983
The Runnymede Playhouse on the Talbott Estate in Oakwood was taken over by the government in the 1940s. It was there that the radioactive element used in the atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki was made. This article appeared in the Dayton Daily News on September 18, 1983.
Transcribed by Dayton History Books Online volunteer Betty Zins
July 26, 2012
Lion Cast by Torch Light, Scupltor Recalls
by Betty S. Dietz Copyright 1952
How the famous sculptor created the bronze Leo the Lion for Steele High School. This article appeared in the Dayton Daily News on February 17, 1952.
Transcribed by Dayton History Books Online volunteer Betty Zins
July 24, 2012
Dayton's Face Lifting
by Bernard J. Losh Copyright 1946
If you wondered where Mexico, Miami City, Tin Town and other unusually named areas of Dayton were located, you will find them here. This article appeared in the Dayton Daily News in December 8, 1946.
Transcribed by Dayton History Books Online volunteer Betty Zins
July 12, 2012
The Osborn Story
A video on the history of the removal of the town of Osborn, Ohio, following the devastating 1913 Great Dayton Flood.
July 8, 2012
All Aboard at Six mph
by Roz Young Copyright January 11, 1977
When public transportation began in Dayton in 1876
Dayton Soapmaker Revamps Operation
by Mike Seemuth Copyright 1984
Hewitt Soap Company celebrates 100 years in business while revamping company to stay in business.
Transcribed by Dayton History Books Online volunteer Betty Zins
May 10, 2012
Did You Know?
by Ken Carr Copyright August 2011
The birth of modern salesmanship - Part Three
Did You Know?
by Ken Carr Copyright November 2011
The birth of modern salesmanship - Part Four
April 28, 2012
Little Turtle (ME-SHE-KIN-NO-QUAH)
by Calvin M. Young Copyright 1917
Little Turtle, a war chief of the Miami People, led Native Americans in battles at Fort Wayne and the present Fort Recovery. As a peacemaker, he counseled local Native Americans to negotiate for peace. In 1795, he signed the Treaty of Greenville.
Transcribed by Dayton History Books Online volunteer Sue Ann Greda
March 24, 2012
The House at 121-123 Brown Street
by Marguerite LeBreton Merz Copyright 1994 All Rights Reserved
How the author and her husband were ambushed into buying a house, and the fun she had researching its history.
Reprinted here by permission of the author
March 9, 2012
My Acquaintance with Orville Wright
by Edward A. Deeds Copyright 1943
Deeds tells of meeting the Wright Brothers in John H. Patterson's office at NCR and how he became friends with Orville Wright over the years. This article appeared in the Journal Herald on December 12, 1943
Transcribed by Dayton History Books Online volunteer Betty Zins
They Taught Me to Fly
by General H. H. Arnold Copyright 1943
The General tells of how he regards the Army Air Force as the heritage of Orville Wright. This article appeared in the Journal Herald on December 12, 1943
Transcribed by Dayton History Books Online volunteer Betty Zins
February 22, 2012
Orville and Wilbur Wright As I Knew Them
by Brig. Gen. Frank Lahm Copyright 1943
The General, who was the first Army pilot, tells of his meetings with the Wright Brothers. This article appeared in the Journal Herald on December 12, 1943
Transcribed by Dayton History Books Online volunteer Betty Zins
Orville Wright Looks Ahead
by Alexander McSurely Copyright 1943
On the 40th anniversary of flight Orville talks of the future of aviation. This article appeared in the Dayton Journal Herald on December 12, 1943
Transcribed by Dayton History Books Online volunteer Betty Zins
Skylines over Dayton
by Charles Starrett Jr. Copyright 1943
The latest in war aircraft is discussed forty years after the first flight by the Wright Brothers. This article appeared in the Journal Herald on December 12, 1943.
Transcribed by Dayton History Books Online volunteer Betty Zins
February 12, 2012
We Wear the Mask
by Tim Walker Copyright 2012
This very well-written article by Tim Walker appeared in the Dayton City Paper in their February 7-13, 2012 Edition. Walker's tight writing and eye for history is evident in his telling of the life of Paul Laurence Dunbar, the well-known African-American poet, who died at the young age of thirty-three.
Reprinted here courtesy of Tim Walker and Dayton City Paper
February 8, 2012
Decade by Decade Dayton Police Bullet Points
by Sgt. Stephen C. Grismer (retired) Copyright 2010
This article covers one fact per decade for each of the 21 decades the Dayton Police Department has existed.
Published here with permission of the author
January 11, 2012
I Saw Kitty Hawk (VIDEO)
An interview with man who was present at the Wright Brothers' first flight.
Wright Brothers on Huffman Prairie (VIDEO)
A history of the Wright Brothers, put out by the Department of Defense in 1988.
January 9, 2012
The Magic Wheel (VIDEO)
Imaginative telling of the hsitory of the National Cash Register Company through a 25 year veteran of it's chemical engineering division. Produced in 1952.
January 8, 2012
Make-Believe Trip to Kitty Hawk
by A. S. Kany Copyright 1943
A fantastic account of the time the Wright Brothers spent getting ready for the first flight, including words from Captain Tate. This article appeared in the Journal Herald on December 12, 1943
Transcribed by Dayton History Books Online volunteer Betty Zins
December 6, 2011
100 Years of Dayton Police Patrol Communication Technology
by Sgt. Stephen C. Griser (ret.) Copyright 2011
The history from the 1896 Patrol Call Box to Computer-Aided Dispatching
Reproduced here with the author's permission
December 4, 2011
The First Automobile Owned and Driven by Daytonian
by Carl L. Bauman Copyright 1910
Carl tells of his bringing a sweet little car to Dayton during the winter of 1899-1900. This article appeared in the Dayton Daily News on June 17, 1910.
Transcribed by Dayton History Books Online volunteer Betty Zins
November 24, 2011
15 Brave Clans Laid Claim to Dayton in 1796
by Carl V. Roberts Copyright 1976
How Dayton almost didn't become a city. This article appeared in the Dayton Daily News on July 4, 1976.
Transcribed by Dayton History Books Online volunteer Sue Ann Greda
November 20, 2011
Reports of Beautiful Valley Fueled 'Ohio Fever' Back East
by Carl V. Roberts Copyright 1976
The days when buffalo roamed the Miami Valley. The article appeared in the Dayton Daily News on July 4, 1976
Transcribed by Dayton History Books Online volunteer Betty Zins
November 14, 2011
Private Schools First in Area
by William L. Sanders Copyright 1963
A short article about the first private schools in Dayton, the first one starting in 1808.
Transcribed by Dayton History Books Online volunteer Betty Zins
November 10, 2011
Ready for Rough, New Country
by Carl V. Roberts Copyright 1976
Many of dayton's first doctors learned their trade during the Revolutionary War.
Transcribed by Dayton History Books Online volunteer Betty Zins
November 7, 2011
Emergencies Gave Birth to First Hosptials
Copyright 1976
The start of hospitals in Dayton, as we know them today, began in 1878. This article appeared in the Dayton Daily News on July 4, 1976.
Transcribed by Dayton History Books Online volunteer Betty Zins
