Dayton Ohio For A Day Or More

It is almost exactly one hundred and fifty (150) miles from downtown Toledo to downtown Dayton Ohio. Recently my wife and I decided to visit Dayton for a few days. Given rising gas prices, you too will find a trip to Dayton for a day, or more, a wonderful idea.

We had no trouble in an on-line search finding many places to stay in the Dayton area. However, what really attracted us to Dayton were the numerous historical and cultural places to visit during our stay. Dayton in the past was the nexus of invention and innovation from the Wright Brothers airplane to many early automotive and industrial inventions.

Like my hometown Toledo, the tough economic times are evident. Today Dayton has moved into the service economy and in many ways reminded me of Toledo. The residents there don’t seem to fully appreciate their wonderful community and the many cultural resources available. Recent tree damage from the harsh winter weather was apparent as it is in Toledo this year. One resident I talked to drove a hour each way to Kentucky daily in order to have employment.

Differences include the overhead wires for electric buses north of downtown Dayton still visible that have disappeared in Toledo. Also Dayton has an active official historical organization for Montgomery County called Dayton History. Toledo unfortunately does not have one organization working to preserve the historic assets of our community.


In our three day sojourn we visited Wright Patterson Air Force Museum, Sun Watch Indian Village and Museum, Carillon Park, and the Dayton Art Institute. We returned homeward to Toledo partly along the route of the Miami Erie Canal that ultimately had its terminus in Toledo.



National Museum of the Air Force

We began with a leisurely drive down I-75 on a Monday morning and arrived in Dayton early in the afternoon checking into our motel. Our first tourist stop was at the National Museum of the Air Force at the Wright Patterson Air Force Base. Admission is free. The huge hangars on the old airfield hold complete airplanes and numerous exhibits, an IMax theatre, and the obligatory gift shop. We easily could have spent many days just visiting this complex.

There are many excellent displays and wonderful explanations of the history and heros of aviation. Fascinating was the level of detail and effort put into each exhibit from the pre-flight balloon period of the Civil War until the present efforts in outer space. The stories of the individuals and their inventions that make possible modern air transportation.

I was thrilled when I saw an exhibit and pieces of the “Lady Be Good”. I clearly remember the newspaper reports in 1958 in the Toledo Blade when the missing plane was discovered in the Sahara Desert. Over fifty years ago I remember how exotic and exciting I found the discovery and recovery of this lost aircraft and its missing crewmen.

If someone took the time to read and ponder each exhibit a week would pass quickly. There is something to interest anyone interested in the story of flight from the youngest child to a senior.

We had to leave at closing time vowing to come again another time and see the parts of the museum we were unable to visit in one afternoon.

At 2:50 p.m. on April 4, 1943, 25 B-24Ds of the 376th Bomb Group took off from their AAF base at Soluch, Libya, for a high-altitude bombing attack against harbor facilities at Naples, Italy. All planes but one returned safely to Allied territory that night -- the one missing was the "Lady Be Good."

Almost 16 years later on Nov. 9, 1958, several British geologists were flying over the desolate, sun-baked Libyan Desert. At approximately 400 miles south of Soluch, they spotted an aircraft on the sand. A ground party that reached the site in March 1959 discovered the plane to be a B-24D. The "Lady Be Good" had been found.

Evidence at the site indicated that the crew had become lost in the dark on return from Naples and had flown over their base and southward into the desert. As their fuel supply became depleted, the nine men aboard had bailed out but had disappeared while attempting to walk northward to civilization.

Intensive searches were made for clues as to the fate of the crew, and in 1960 the remains of eight were found, one near the plane and the other seven far to the north. Five had trekked 78 miles across the tortuous sand before perishing and one had gone an amazing 109 miles. In addition, they had lived eight days rather than only two expected of men in this area with little or no water. The body of the ninth man was never found.

Numerous parts from the "Lady Be Good" were returned to the U.S. for technical study. Also, some parts were installed in other aircraft, which then experienced unexpected difficulties. A C-54 in which several autosyn transmitters were installed had propeller trouble and made a safe landing only by throwing cargo overboard. A C-47 in which a radio receiver was installed ditched in the Mediterranean, and a U.S. Army "Otter" airplane in which a "Lady Be Good" seat armrest was installed crashed in the Gulf of Sidra with 10 men aboard. No trace was found of any of them; one of the few pieces washed ashore was the armrest of the "Lady Be Good."

Sun Watch Indian Village

Early the next morning we went to the Sun Watch Indian Village / Archaeological Park and Museum along the river. It was a beautiful cool morning. A visit there is well worth your time. The directions to get there were adequate but you have to look carefully, or you will miss the portion of West River Road that goes to the Indian Village a national historic landmark.

The quote from their excellent web site (www.sunwatch.org) says..... “Explore the site where Fort Ancient Indians lived more than 800 years ago. SunWatch Indian Village/Archaeological Park brings to life the Fort Ancient culture through a partially reconstructed Village, Interpretive Center, exhibits and events.”

We saw the video in the Museum theater and then walked outside through the partially reconstructed pre-archaic Indian Village. Being the first and only ones in the village early that morning we went from site to site. The reconstructed buildings were thatch roofed and consisted of reeds or grass over a tree branch framework, and the walls mud covered. Notable was the cedar pole in the center of the village used to do observations of the position of the sun to plan for planting and village life.

Inside the Museum building were wonderful displays that explained the area and archaeological discoveries at the site. While the grounds were fascinating the museum was the highlight of the visit for me. Wonderful displays were very well done. It gives a modern person an appreciation for the daily creature comforts we take so much for granted.

The gift shop has many things to challenge the parsimonious consumer. This site like many throughout Ohio does a wonderful job of preserving the past, but one gets the feeling that it is an on-going struggle by overworked volunteers in these challenging economic times to preserve and to keep historic sites such as this operational. How will our children learn about the past and history if they are unable to walk the grounds and imagine life during that period portrayed and preserved ?

Leaving the Sun Watch Indian Village we went across the nearest bridge and turned left toward downtown Dayton. Staying along the river after crossing the bridge we soon arrived at Carillon Historical Park.

Carillon Boulevard is a roadway high on a water levy beside the Great Miami River overlooking Carillon Historical Park below behind the levy. The Stillwater River, Mad River, and Wolf Creek, tributaries of the Great Miami River, all converge within a mile of each other near the central business district in Dayton where the first settlers settled in 1796 and the first canal boat arrived in 1829 from Cincinnati. It is said that Dayton suffered a major flood every decade which is quite believable since the Miami Watershed covers 3937 square miles. The water in the river was flowing very quickly on the days we visited.

Carillon Park consists of about 65 acres and is named that because of the marvelous carillon built there. As the tourist literature states ... “The Park is also home to the Deeds Carillon, one of Dayton’s best-known landmarks, and the largest carillon in Ohio.” The carillon is one hundred fifty one (151) feet tall with fifty seven (57) bells.

Going into the Carillon Park Visitors Center, called the Kettering Family Education Center, we purchased tickets and went directly to the “mini Greenfield Village” in the Park. There is a wonderful collection of buildings and exhibits along what one could imagine as a street in an old Ohio “town”. There are twenty nine (29) stops in the “town”.

One of our first places we visited was “Culp’s Cafe at Carillon Historical Park”, a restaurant that you can access from either the Park “town” side or from a parking lot adjacent to the park. They offer a menu and atmosphere typical of the 1940’s. I can testify that the food was very good. The visitor’s pass allowed you to return to the park after eating.

One reason to think of Carillon Park as a “mini Greenfield Village” is the Wright Cycle Shop reconstructed in the Park. This is where Orville and Wilbur Wright built bicycles and did the inventive work that made possible the first practical airplane. Upon entering the shop I immediately thought that someone would have to explain to me how the “original” shop could be in two places at the same time. It was a strange feeling. Having previously visited Henry Ford’s Greenfield Village in Dearborn Michigan, I remembered seeing the very same Wright Cycle Shop. It seemed to me to even smell the same as I remembered in my Greenfield Village visit years before.

However, the wonderful interpreter who appeared from the museum theater explained that, even though Dayton was the home of the Wright Brothers Bicycle Shop the actual shop had been dismantled and moved by Henry Ford to Dearborn Michigan. He explained they sent a man from Dayton to the “original” reconstructed bicycle shop now located at Greenfield Village to take photographs and measurements and then had “duplicated” the original bicycle shop in Carillon Historical Park. It was in that “original” shop once located in Dayton Ohio that the Wright brothers aviation discoveries and inventions changed the world forever.

In the exhibit hall in the back was “the original 1905 Wright Flyer III, the world's first practical airplane and National Historic Landmark” to again quote from the literature.

When the school group currently viewing the video was done the interpreter re-started it for my wife and myself. He later then spent time showing us the propeller display and explained the Wright Flyer III exhibit in detail. This exhibit is one of the highlights of Carillon Park, in my opinion, but there was more to come as we continued our stroll through the park museum “town”.

Continuing there is a covered bridge, a canal lock (Miami and Erie Canal Lock No.17) and another bridge (Morrison Iron Bridge 1881) reconstructed on the town street. At the end of this bridge on the “town street” you come to the second largest building in the Park. It is the wonderful Transportation Museum building (James Dicke Family Transportation Center) housing the Park’s historic public transportation collection. They have a stage coach, Conestoga Wagon, locomotive, railroad cars and even a trolley car from the Toledo to Lakeside Trolley system if my memory serves me correctly. (Until 1939 the Toledo, Port Clinton & Lakeside Railway connected Toledo with Marblehead.) The interpreter volunteer was replete with fascinating information.

Continuing back down the street towards the Visitor’s Center are more still more buildings and exhibits. A railroad watchtower and depot building. Those who come from Northwest Ohio might find it interesting that the old B & O railroad depot from Bowling Green Ohio (1894) has been moved and preserved in Dayton’s Carillon Park.

There is one building full of bicycles (Dayton Cyclery) containing bicycles made locally, another building housing a car repair and sale dealership (Dayton Sales), and a early gas station (Sun Oil Station 1924).


Reproduced on the street is Colonel Edward Deed’s Barn where the electric self starter was invented by Charles Kettering and his friends. The result was the Delco corporation. Kettering who held one hundred forty (140) patents was head of research for General Motors for 27 years. In addition, to the self starting electrical motor he was instrumental in the use of leaded gasoline for automobiles, the use of freon for air conditioning and refrigeration, colored paints for mass producing automobiles, and also founded the Kettering Foundation for research.


In addition to businesses some residences are also found on the street including a stone cottage (William Morris house circa 1815) and National Cash Registers Sugar Camp Cabin #22 an example of the training cabins used in a classified code breaking project during World War II.

Dayton's oldest building a hand-hewn log structure, Newcom's Tavern, erected in 1796 is still standing. It is a fantastic log building relocated to the Park after having seen many useful years as a home and business. Last on the street was a one room school house (Locust Grove School No. 12).

Going once more inside the main visitors building the visitor will find more videos explaining Dayton history, events, and Dayton residents that have influenced and changed the world. Wonderful displays, and a yes another gift shop. We left near closing time tired but happy. Dare I say yet again, too much to appreciate in just one visit ?

Wednesday, our last morning in Dayton, we spent going to the Dayton Art Institute because it is closed on Monday and Tuesday. Set upon a hill across from the central downtown business district above the Great Miami River the Art Museum is even impressive looking from I-75. Driving up the hill into the parking lot we both were fascinated by the exterior lawn art exhibits, not as extensive as those at the Toledo Museum of Art, but impressive nevertheless.

Most impressive to me found adjacent to the parking lot is a piece of art that symbolizes “Flight”. Imagine a jet contrail going straight up and twisting into a point at the top. Bright metallic and shining it lifted one’s spirit to view it even in the gentle rain that was falling on this cloudy morning.

You enter the Main Floor of the Dayton Art Institute off the free visitor parking lot and are directed to a counter to get a museum pass. Though the Art Museum is “supposed” to be free they asked us to pay a “suggested” admittance fee. On-line they say ..... “The museum is free; however, the DAI is asking all visitors to pay a suggested admission fee.” As an aside, in the many times we have visited the Toledo Museum of Art we have not been stopped or been pressured to voluntarily pay anything to see the regular galleries, only “special exhibits. Toledo residents should have a sense of pride and appreciation in having such a wonderful truly “free” resource as the Toledo Museum of Art for our community. God Bless the Libby family and their endowment.

We had a most enjoyable time seeing the many exhibits. Numerous school groups were visiting and enjoying the DAI the day we visited. It is arranged primarily on two floors in the shape of an irregular octagon so working your way through the galleries you end up where you started on each level.

The Children’s Center in the basement is well worth the time, if only for the “butterfly exhibit” that moved when it sensed motion. The basement contains many art works and objects from many different cultures around the world. There are African, Asian, Korean, Oceanic and Tibetan displays to name too few.

We ate a light lunch in the Art Museum dining room and before leaving visited the bright museum gift shop. Driving across one of the many bridges crossing the rivers in the Dayton area we drove through the Dayton downtown and decided that we will need to make the trip to Dayton again.

Homeward Bound

Leaving Dayton we traveled towards Northwest Ohio, and for a brief period on the old “National Road” that carried early pioneers through Ohio to settling the West.

Then we went continued north and paralleled the Miami Erie Canal visiting some fascinating canal towns that time has forgotten though the buildings still stand from the mid 1800’s.

The Miami Erie Canal first went from Cincinnati as far as Dayton by 1829. Later it was extended to northwestern Ohio and ultimately connected Lake Erie at Toledo to the Ohio River. The expressway of its time (top speed four miles per hour) it provided the opportunity for farmers to sell and products from Ohio to be sent by water to the Ohio River and then east or south all the way to New Orleans. The canals made possible the early growth of Ohio.

On the route we took home were little town centers built along the canal that thrived when the canal was prosperous and withered and died when the railroads finally put the Ohio canals out of business. Driving through New Bremen, the location of locks built for the Miami and Erie Canal, one finds a lovely canal town that not only survived but prospered (another day trip from Toledo worth the trip). We wound our way north to Toledo rejoining I-75 around Lima.


Hope you too find a trip to Dayton for a day, or more, a wonderful idea.

Below you will find contact information for the places we visited in our three days in Dayton. Hopefully, it will help you explore Dayton Ohio For A Day or More.

Have fun, we did.

Museum Hours
Open daily 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and New Year's Day
FREE admission!

Museum Location
1100 Spaatz Street
Wright-Patterson AFB OH 45433
(937) 255-3286


Hours:
The museum is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. seven days a week. The museum is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day.

Some museum exhibits have special hours. The 8th Air Force Control Tower and Nissen Hut, located in the Air Park, are open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. The Presidential and R&D Galleries are open from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Click here for requirements on visiting those galleries, which are located on the controlled-access portion of Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.

Admission:
Admission to the museum is FREE. There is a charge for the IMAX Theatre. Please visit www.airforcemuseum.com or call (937) 253-IMAX for show times and prices.

SunWatch

2301 W. River Road
Dayton, OH 45418
(937) 268-8199
Directions

Hours

Open Year Round
Tuesday – Saturday
9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Sunday
noon - 5:00 p.m.
Closed Mondays

Closed: New Year's Eve, New Year's Day, Thanksgiving, Chistmas Eve, Christmas Day, Easter

General Admission

Adults $5.00
Seniors (60+) $3.00
Children (6-17) $3.00
Members are always Free!

1000 Carillon Boulevard, Dayton, OH 45409-2023
(937) 293-2841 ‎
daytonhistory.org

About Us
Dayton History is Montgomery County’s official historical organization. Consisting of Carillon Historical Park, the Archive Center, Kettering-Moraine Museum, Hawthorn Hill and Patterson Homestead, Dayton History brings the past to life to understand the present and inspire the future by collecting, preserving, interpreting, presenting and promoting the region’s past.

Carillon Park
Carillon Historical Park engages you to sample Dayton’s rich heritage of creativity and invention! Founded by Colonel Edward and Edith Deeds, the Park is situated on a beautiful 65-acre campus between the Great Miami River and a glacial moraine.
The Park immerses you in the region's history - from Dayton's founding in 1796 through two centuries of expansion, industrialism and innovation. Learn about these revolutionary achievements while strolling through the Park's 25 historical buildings and interacting with the hundreds of artifacts in our exhibits.
Where else can you see the original 1905 Wright Flyer III, the world's first practical airplane and National Historic Landmark, the 1835 B&O (Grasshopper) steam locomotive, and the first automobile self-starter? Only at Dayton History's Carillon Historical Park, that's where! As a visitor, you will also get to experience Dayton's pioneer history complete with costumed interpreters and a visit to Dayton's oldest building, Newcom's Tavern, erected in 1796.
The Park is also home to the Deeds Carillon, one of Dayton’s best-known landmarks, and the largest carillon in Ohio.
Carillon Park is open year round, 9:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Monday - Saturday, 12:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. on Sunday.

Admission is $8 for adults, $5 for children 3 - 17, and children under 3 are free.

Welcome to The Dayton Art Institute

OUR MISSION STATEMENT
The Dayton Art Institute is committed to enriching lives and serving the community by creating meaningful experiences with art.
Visit us often to enjoy our diverse permanent collection, world class special exhibitions, interesting educational programs and unique special events.
456 Belmonte Park North 
Dayton, Ohio 45405, USA
Phone: (937) 223-5277

Website: www.daytonartinstitute.org 


E-mail: info@daytonart.org

Any photo not credited was from Wikipedia (wikimedia.org/wikipedia) or daytonhistory.org Websites. You may spend a pleasant afternoon looking at all the jpg photos available.

The intent was to share with others what a wonderful place Dayton Ohio is and their fabulous community wide efforts to preserve, promote, and share the past with the future.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

All Rights Reserved

Written : May 2011

Hub Published : December 28, 2011

David J. Neuendorff