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Dayton Memories >
Harrison twsp history
Harrison twsp history
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KennyE11
283 posts
Feb 22, 2015
12:02 AM
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x-s - Thanks for addressing my (thus far) fruitless quest to find out the reason for the "Fort" McKinley name. You've obviously seen my question posted on other topics.
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xtra-spatial
4 posts
Feb 22, 2015
8:11 PM
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I am also curious about the name. There was never a fort there. The area was platted in 1905, which was most likely when it was given the name Ft. McKinley. I can speculate that it would have been in honor of the recently assassinated president (1901), though I haven't found anything saying that.
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Those who cannot remember the past are probably just old and stressed.
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KennyE11
289 posts
Feb 24, 2015
11:55 PM
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LMD - I've tried the Fort McKinley site search on this website before - that is how I discovered when the area received that name and who named it, but not why. I assumed the "McKinley" name was in honor of the recently assassinated President (from Ohio), but I'm really trying to find out where the "Fort" came from.
I'm a person who visits historic fort sites throughout the US, including some that have no remnants other than a historical marker. There are quite a few communities throughout the Miami Valley that originated as forts during the Indian War era (before Ohio became a State), some that still have "Fort" in their name (e.g. Fort Recovery), and some that don't (e.g. Piqua). Other forts (or camps) were associated with the War of 1812, the Civil War, or the World Wars, which may have been little more than a camp where a militia unit was formed, or they could have been non-military trading posts.
I don't believe the Fort McKinley area ever had any military usage, as I believe the area was platted from farmland. The reason for my question, is that I grew up near there, and it really bugs me that I don't know the origin of the name (and apparently can't find out either), due to my lifelong interest in "forts", especially those close to home.
I wish I had asked my grandfather when he was still alive. He lived to be 96 years old, and his mind was sharp until the end. In fact, he started to recall things and share stories long forgotten, in the last years of his life. I had hoped that with all of the amateur historians that post on this blog, someone might be able to answer my question...
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luv my dayton
874 posts
Feb 25, 2015
6:04 AM
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Kenny, give it enough time and someone down the road will find this thread and will respond. . I know what your saying when it comes to your I wish comment , as have thought the same about the older generation who would have known. I have some wonderful history books and may find some info when my time allows and will post it here. Until then this may be something Olds88 would have an idea about as he usually is very helpful.
Last Edited by luv my dayton on Feb 25, 2015 6:04 AM
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luv my dayton
875 posts
Feb 25, 2015
7:26 AM
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KENNY, XTRA SEEMS LIKE YOU BOTH ALONG WITH OTHERS HAVE AN INTEREST IN HISTORY OF THE AREA. I WOULD SUGGEST A THREE VOLUMN SET CALLED BICENTENNIAL BOOKSHELF DAYTON OHIO. I HAVE THE SET AND IT COVERS THE BEGINNING OF DAYTON . THINK THE LIBRARY HAS THEM.GOT MINE OUT AND WILL GO THROUGH THEM AGAIN AS SOME GREAT PHOTOS , ANOTHER BOOK OF INTEREST IS FOR THE LOVE OF DAYTON 1796-1996 PUBLISHED BY DAYTON DAILY NEWS, MORE WONDERFUL PHOTOS .
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KennyE11
290 posts
Feb 25, 2015
11:12 PM
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Thanks, LMD. Since I no longer live in the Dayton area (and only visit once or twice a year), it limits my opportunities to do any research on any of my Dayton questions. If I get a chance to go to the Downtown Library on my next visit, I may be able to research the Fort McKinley question further (as well as my Salem Mall store configuration question).
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xtra-spatial
9 posts
Mar 06, 2015
4:21 PM
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The FORT in Ft. Mckinley.
You asked for it and a friendly reference librarian in the local history department responded. The response is below:
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Thank you for your inquiry about the naming of Ft. McKinley.
We have in our Dayton Q & A File this explanation.
Ft. McKinley - Name Origin
1902: The Dayton-Greenville traction line asked the community near Salem Avenue and Free Pike to give itself a name because it planned to stop there. George F. Mumma suggested Ft. McKinley in honor of President McKinley who had been killed recently (Sept. 14, 1901). It is suggested they added "Fort" to "dress it up so it wouldn't sound flat." Source: Dayton Daily News. Jan 14, 1959
I hope this is helpful.
Sincerely,
Local History Reference
Dayton Metro Library
937-496-8654
Send them a thank you, some love, or donations of compiled family histories, Montgomery County yearbooks, or money to purchase genealogical materials. They work hard.
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Those who cannot remember the past are probably just old and stressed.
Last Edited by xtra-spatial on Mar 06, 2015 4:23 PM
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KennyE11
292 posts
Mar 06, 2015
11:13 PM
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Thanks for the info x-s. I figured the "McKinley" part was in honor of the President, but I still find it odd that they added the "Fort" to the name, instead of something like McKinley Village, or McKinley Park, or McKinley Acres, or McKinley Gardens, etc.
This is a little different timeline than in the article "Salem and Riverview Pikes" found elsewhere on this website. In that article (written in December 1943, before the referenced DDN article from January 1959), the naming credit was given to Marcellus S. Benn, who purchased the farmland and platted the area in 1905, which conflicts with the 1902 date in the DDN article. I don't know where the traction line ran through the area in relation to the Benn-developed property, so I suppose the area could have been called Fort McKinley before it was platted by M.S.Benn. G.F.Mumma still owned property in the area as late as 1938, based on a Montgomery County plat book posted on this website some time ago.
I believe the reason for the "Fort" McKinley name has been addressed, regardless of the timeline or credit for the name, so I guess I don't need to investigate this issue any further.
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