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Dayton History now manages Old Courthouse & Memorial Hall

Dayton History and Montgomery County are pleased to announce the signing of a management services and consultant agreement for the Old Court House and Memorial Hall.

Under the new management agreement, Dayton History will maintain the properties as historical centers, open to the public as educational and meeting venues. In the months ahead, Dayton History will unveil schedules for tours and special programs at these two sites.

“Montgomery County is proud of this agreement with Dayton History,” said Montgomery County Commission President Dan Foley.  “These two buildings have meant so much to so many over the decades.  We are thankful that the Old Court House and Memorial Hall will be in the hands of professionals who will continue to preserve our history.”

“We are so pleased the Commissioners are allowing us to bring these wonderful historic assets to life and make them more available to the community. What a tremendous opportunity it is for us, to expand community programming in these two important buildings that hold so many memories for generations of Daytonians. Dayton History already holds historic easements in front of the Old Court House and is the official organization for Montgomery County.” stated Brady Kress, President & CEO of Dayton History.

With a combined age of 260 years between them, the Old Court House and Memorial Hall are two of Dayton’s most significant historic structures. 

Completed in 1850, the Old Court House is considered to be one of the finest examples of Greek Revival style courthouses in the nation.  Constructed of locally quarried Dayton limestone, the Old Court House has been at the center of many important events, from campaign stops for current and future Presidents of the United States to being a gathering point for telegraph updates during the Civil War.  In the twentieth century, the Old Court House served as the backdrop for fundraising rallies to create the Miami Conservancy District following the 1913 Flood and war bond drives during World War II. 

Dedicated in January, 1910, Memorial Hall was conceived as a memorial for local soldiers who served in the Civil and Spanish-American Wars.  Two Dayton architects, William Earl Russ and Albert Pretzinger, were chosen through a competitive search to design the French Renaissance building.  The memorial portion of the building consists of the soaring front entrance atrium, which is filled with bronze plaques, relief sculptures and paintings that depict the region’s military history.  On the façade of Memorial Hall, the names of Civil War battles in which Montgomery County’s soldiers saw action are inscribed, and two statues depict soldiers from the Spanish-American War and World War I.

For more information, please call 937.293.2841.