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February 8, 2010
Dayton in the 1940s
Photographs of Dayton during the 1940s. Thirteen have been placed online so far. More will be added as DHBO comes across them.

Neighborhoods of Dayton - West Side
Photographs of Roosevelt High School, Kender's Bar, and other various places on the west side of Dayton. Eighteen have been placed online. More will be added as DHBO comes across them.

February 5, 2010
Parking Meters
by Captain E. S. Bates Copyright 1940
The reason why Dayton began putting parking meters downtown. This article appeared in the City of Dayton Annual Report for 1940
Transcribed by Dayton History Books Online volunteer Lisa Kell

The W.P.A. - Old and New
by Karl Woditsch Copyright 1940
How the W.P.A. program helped unemployed Daytonians during the Great Depression. This article appeared in the City of Dayton Annual Report for 1940.
Transcribed by Dayton History Books Online volunteer Lisa Kell

February 3, 2010
The Duties of a Fireman
by C. J. Murphy Copyright 1940
What firemen did from 7am to 8pm while on duty. This article appeared in the City of Dayton Annual Report for 1940
Transcribed by Dayton History Books Online volunteer Lisa Kell

A Modern Highway Replaces a State Canal
by Fred O. Eichelberger Copyright 1940
How the canal that ran through Dayton was turned into Patterson Blvd. This article appeared in the City of Dayton Annual Report for 1940
Transcribed by Dayton History Books Online volunteer Lisa Kell

The Siege of Cincinnati
Edited by George Crout and W. D. Vorhis Copyright 1962
An account of the battle to protect Cincinnati during the Civil War, including sections from Daytonian Sgt. Charles B. Palmer's diary, who was there. This article appeared in Camerica Sunday on October 28, 1962

A Steam Carriage on Rails - In A Church!
by Margaret Ann Ahlers Copyright 1961
In 1830 a miniature locomotive and car were exhibited here in the Methodist “meeting house.”
Transcribed by Dayton History Books Online volunteer Angie Hoschouer

Trolley Coaches and Curb Stops
by R. F. Wurstner Copyright 1940
On April 23, 1933, the first electric trolley coaches ever used in Ohio were placed in operation in Dayton. This article appeared in the City of Dayton Annual Report for 1940.
Transcribed by Dayton History Books Online volunteer Lisa Kell


January 30, 2010
Dayton Arcade
There are 27 photos of the magnificent Dayton Arcade during 1969 here now. More images from other years will be added later.

Photographs of Dayton Today
The photos of various Dayton landmarks were taken over the last three years.  Eighteen more photos were added today for a total of 91 images.

A Letter From the Past
by Roz Young Copyright July 7, 1979
Roz reprints a letter written in 1884 by a man who watched the unveiling of the Soldiers Monument downtown
Transcribed by Dayton History Books Online volunteer Betty Zins

Liberty Head Penny Used For City of Dayton Seal in 1826
by Dayton Daily News Copyright 1937
When Dayton had to choose a town seal, the Liberty Head penny, with its 13 stars around a woman's portrait, was chosen. The article appeared in the Dayton Daily News on December 5, 1937
Transcribed by Dayton History Books Online volunteer Angie Hoschouer

Two-Way Radio for Police
by Perry E. Benton Copyright 1940
Dayton police decided to buy two-way radios for their police cars in order to protect President Franklin D. Roosevelt during his visit to Dayton. This article appeared in the City of Dayton Annual Report for 1940.
Transcribed by Dayton History Books Online volunteer Lisa Kell

January 28, 2010
Soldiers' Monument - Series of Articles
by Dick Cull Jr. Copyright 1946
Three articles on the history of the monument due to the possibility of it being moved from downtown (which happened shortly afterwards). The articles appeared in the Dayton Daily News May 15-17, 1946
Transcribed by Dayton History Books Online volunteer Betty Zins

January 27, 2010
100 Years Ago Today Dayton Went to Town For Columbus Day
by Roz Young Copyright October 10, 1992
How Dayton celebrated the 400th Anniversary of Columbus discovering America

Poor Albert Frantz - Bessie Little's Sad Story Brings Back Memories
by Roz Young
Copyright October 6, 2000
The murder of Bessie Little is remembered in a song

Rest In Peace
by Roz Young Copyright December 1, 1990
Bessie Little's grave marker is restored 

September 1896
by Roz Young Copyright September 14, 1991
September 1896 was a busy one, with the murder of Bessie Little and Dayton's Centennial celebration


January 26, 2010
The End of the Van Cleve
by Jerry R. Cole Copyright 1969
The demise of the Van Cleve hotel in 1969. This article appeared in the Journal Herald on June 11, 1969
Transcribed by Dayton History Books Online volunteer Betty Zins

Old Lady Gets a New Face
by Herbert Meeker Copyright 1966
How the Victoria Theater fared in the 1960s, including a restoration by the owners. The article appeared in the Journal Herald on Augsut 26, 1966
Transcribed by Dayton History Books Online volunteer Betty Zins

A Piece of History Will Be No More
by Rex Broome Copyright 1961
The demise of the old Wayne Market House on Wayne Avenue that had to be removed to make room for Route 35. The article appeared in the Journal Herald August 24, 1961
Transcribed by Dayton History Books Online volunteer Betty Zins

Steele Lion
Author unknown Copyright Circa 1935
The story of the lions that once stood in front of Steele High - both the original plaster one and the more familiar bronze one that later replaced it. This was written as part of the WPA writers project during the Great Depression
Transcribed by Dayton History Books Online volunteer Angie Hoschouer


January 21, 2010
Woodland Cemetery & Arboretum's History (Video)
The history of this beautiful cemetery is told here in two parts. Founded in 1841, Woodland Cemetery & Arboretum is the resting place of many Daytonian notables, including Paul Laurence Dunbar, Orville and Wilbur Wright, Adam Schantz, Erma Bombeck and Charles Kettering, to name just a few. More videos about Woodland can be found here on their YouTube website.

January 17, 2010
Dr. Brown Found "Light" in Blindness
by Mary Ellen Wolf Copyright 1964
A write-up on Dr. Eleanor Brown following her death in 1964. Although blind, she taught school for 35 years at Steele High, then went on to Wilbur Wright High School. The article appeared  in the Journal Herald on July 22, 1964

Special Sense of Sight
by William Bennington Copyright 1964
A write-up on Dr. Eleanor Brown following her death in 1964. Although blind, she taught school for 35 years at Steele High, then went on to Wilbur Wright High School. The article appeared  in the Journal Herald on July 22, 1964
Transcribed by Dayton History Books Online volunteer Angie Hoschouer

January 16, 2010
Another Link in Unbroken Chain
by Carl Wise Copyright 1935
The early days of education in Dayton are recalled. The article appeared in The Dayton Journal on August 14, 1935
Transcribed by Dayton History Books Online volunteer Angie Hoschouer

A Dream
by Walter B. Costello Copyright 1940
Dayton becomes the second city in the United States to become a part of the Food Stamp Plan
Transcribed by Dayton History Books Online volunteer Lisa Kell


The Man Who Rivaled Edison in Number of Inventions
by James W. Beckman Copyright 1941
The story of Vincent G. Apple, who holds more patents than anyone else in Dayton.
Transcribed by Dayton History Books Online volunteer Betty Zins

The Municipal Airport Goes to War
by George M. McSherry Copyright 1943
A wide variety of changes were made to the airport in Vandalia so that it would be up to the standards the military needed during World War II
Transcribed by Dayton History Books Online volunteer Amanda Mieskoski

Our City Parks
by S. E. Seitner Copyright 1940
The creation of Dayton's city parks, including Riverview, Eastwood and McKinley
Transcribed by Dayton History Books Online volunteer Lisa Kell


January 12, 2010
Sam's Monuments Falling
by Billie Bledsoe Copyright 1972
A wonderful collection of monuments to a man's memory came down due to "progress". The article appeared in the Journal Herald on July 8, 1972.
Transcribed by Dayton History Books Online volunteer Angie Hoschouer

January 4, 2010

Institutional Farming
by James W. Russell Copyright 1943
How prisoners at the Workhouse Farm had their own Victory Gardens to raise food during WWII. This article appeared in the City of Dayton Annual Report for 1943.
Transcribed by Dayton History Books Online volunteer Betty Zins


Oscar Wilde in Dayton
by Charlotte Reeve Conover Copyright 1937
Oscar was not exactly "wild" about his short visit to Dayton in 1882.
Transcribed by Dayton History Books Online volunteer Betty Zins

Sirens Installed for Safety
by Perry Benton Copyright 1943
Dayton placed "Victory Sirens" around the city during WWII to warn of enemy attack. This article appeared in the City of Dayton Annual Report for 1943
Transcribed by Dayton History Books Online volunteer Betty Zins

Soldiers' Service Club Activities
by Viola D. Mansur Copyright 1943
A variety of services and entertainment was available at the Dayton Soldiers' Service Club to the estimated 17,000 soldiers that came through the city every month during WWII. This article appeared in the City of Dayton Annual Report for 1943.
Transcribed by Dayton History Books Online volunteer Betty Zins

War Housing
by Fowler S. Smith Copyright 1943
How Dayton tried to cope with the problem of trying to house all of the workers who had poured into the city to work in the factories during WWII. This article appeared in the City of Dayton Annual Report for 1943.
Transcribed by Dayton History Books Online volunteer Betty Zins


January 2, 2010
The Liberty Bell
by Dayton Daily News Copyright 1936
For 15 minutes on the afternoon of Friday, Nov. 18, 1904, Dayton gazed in patriotic interest on America’s most treasured historical relic – the Liberty Bell. The article appeared in the Dayton Daily News on January 12, 1936
Transcribed by Dayton History Books Online volunteer Angie Hoschouer

Mrs. Miller Laid to Rest
by Dayton Daily News 1914
A tribute to Emma L. Miller, "Little Mother of the Soldiers' Home", who died there in 1914. The article appeared in the Dayton Daily News on January 20, 1914
Transcribed by Dayton History Books Online volunteer Betty Zins