General Field Trip Information

Directions and Bus Parking

Carillon Historical Park
1000 Carillon Blvd.
Dayton, Ohio 45409
Tel: (937) 293-2841    Map

Buses should then proceed along the lane and then turn right onto the main driveway. Follow this path around the perimeter of the park to a lot where buses can turn around. Once buses have turned around, a Bus Parking Lane is on the right side of the main driveway (toward the Carillon). Buses are then facing the appropriate direction for pick-up at the Kettering Family Education Center.

Admission Rates

All school groups receive the same special admission rates: $5 per child and $7 per adult. Additional fees apply to ride the carousel, participate in an educational workshop, and receive museum store goody bags. Advanced reservations are required to receive these admission rates.

School Check-In

All groups must check-in at the Kettering Family Education Center admission desk. Payment is due upon arrival. You may use cash, check, major credit cards, invoice or purchase order to pay for your visit.

• If paying by purchase order or invoice, we will invoice you after your visit to ensure that you are paying for the amount of students that come the day of your visit.
• If paying with cash, we ask that you collect your student and chaperone admission fees ahead of time and pay with the largest bills possible.

When payment is handled, teachers will receive:

• A guide map of Carillon Historical Park for each class with a suggested starting location.
• A 4-D “Build for Tomorrow” Theater ticket time.
• Educational Program Ticket with locations, times, and facilitator names for programs (when applicable).
• Evaluation Form

When Check-In is completed, you will be directed by a staff member to your suggested starting location.

Class Touring

Please stay together as a class unless otherwise directed. Breaking into small groups impedes the traffic flow from one exhibit building into the next. Teachers are required to stay with their classes and are essential in ensuring good behavior from students.

Please encourage chaperones to be actively involved in the supervision of students. We need their (and your) active participation to ensure students are acting in a respectful and safe manner and to enhance student learning. Chaperones and teachers can also encourage students to ask questions of the interpreters in the exhibit buildings

Weather

Carillon Historical Park operates in all kinds of weather, so everyone should dress weather-appropriately. We highly recommend wearing comfortable shoes. In the event of a severe weather warning, staff will advise guests on where to seek shelter.

Lunch

We will provide lunch bins for groups upon their arrival, or you can bring your own. If you have your own lunch bins, please be sure to label your school and teachers’ names on each bin. Lunches will be stored in the Kettering Family Education Center and can be eaten at your leisure at our outdoor picnic pavilion or on the green space in the center of the park. In inclement weather, we have indoor lunch locations in the Kettering Family Education Center.

Emergencies

Carillon Historical Park staff and volunteers can communicate via two-way radio or phone. If there is a need for first-aid or if there is a lost child, please notify Carillon Historical Park staff.

Lost and Found

If you lose a personal belonging, please check with the Guest Services desk in the Kettering Family Education Center.

Museum Store

Carillon Historical Park’s Museum Store contains hundreds of exciting items that may be of interest to you or your students, such as books, toys, candy, models, clothing, and magnets. One class at a time is permitted in the store. We ask that one adult accompanies every ten students in the store. Also, if you plan to visit, please explain to students about sales tax.

For classes that do not have time to sufficiently shop, please considering purchasing our goody bags or teacher bags.

Plan Your Trip Today!

Please contact the Education Scheduling Desk at (937) 293-2841 Ext. 127 or education1@daytonhistory.org with questions or if you would like more information!

Home School Day

Held in April and September, Home School Day is a wonderful way for home-schooled students to enjoy hands-on educational activities and programs. With a 4-D animatronic theatre, 30 exhibit buildings, costumed historical interpreters, object theatre presentations at the Wright Brothers National Museum, carousel rides, and more, Home School Day is fun for the whole family!

Ticket includes:
• Access to all Carillon Historical Park exhibits
• Gardening
• Rug Hooking
• Bread Baking and Brewery Talk
• Historic Printing Demonstrations

$10 per Child | $14 per Adult | Free to Dayton History Members

Please contact the Education Scheduling Desk at (937) 293-2841 Ext. 127 or education1@daytonhistory.org for more information.

2024 Home School Days

April 11
September 5

1940

Educational & Musical Arts Inc. was created by Edith Deeds and Colonel Deeds to build Deeds Carillon.

1942

Construction of Deeds Carillon was completed during a two-year period. Edith Walton Deeds oversaw the entire project from start-to-finish. At the time of completion, Deeds Carillon was one of only six free-standing carillon towers in the United States. It originally consisted of a 151.5 foot tower and 32 bells (23 active, 9 silent).

On Easter Sunday, April 5, an Easter Sunrise Service was held at Deeds Carillon, a tradition that continues today. The official dedication and first regularly-scheduled concert were held on August 23. Robert Kline, Educational Director for The National Cash Register Company, served as carillonneur from 1942 – 1986.

1950

On June 3, Carillon Park’s museum exhibits opened to the general public for the first time. The Park was developed by the Miami Conservancy District, with assistance from the National Cash Register Company, the City of Dayton, the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), and the Works Progress Administration (WPA). Initial exhibits included:

• Wright Hall—housing the 1905 Wright Flyer III
• Wagon Shed—housing the 1834 Conestoga wagon and 1870 Concord stagecoach
• Grist Mill with working waterwheel
• South Station—housing the 1835 John Quincy Adams locomotive
• Smith Covered Bridge
• Miami and Erie Canal Lock #17
• Corliss Engine Building
• Deeds Barn replica

1962

The Fireless Locomotive Building, housing the Rubicon locomotive, was dedicated.

1965

In 1964, Newcom Tavern—Dayton’s oldest standing building—was disassembled at Van Cleve Park in downtown Dayton, moved to Carillon Park, and dedicated on May 1, 1965. Central to community life, the tavern also served as Dayton’s first jail, church, general store, and Montgomery County’s first courthouse.

1972

In 1936, Orville Wright helped Henry Ford move the Wright brothers’ boyhood home (7 Hawthorn St.), and the bicycle shop where they conducted their aeronautical research (1127 W. Third St.), to Ford’s Greenfield Village museum in Dearborn, Michigan. During the 1960s, local politicians sought to have the famous buildings returned to Dayton, but the campaign lost momentum. The publicity, however, brought renewed interest in the Wright Brothers story, and a replica of The Wright Cycle Company was constructed next to Wright Hall. On May 6, its dedication became a major community event.

1976

On May 1, through the efforts of graduate Leslie C. Mapp, the 1896 Locust Grove Schoolhouse No. 12 was dedicated at Carillon Park. Mr. Mapp, Chairman and CEO of Dayton’s Mikesells Potato Chip Company from 1966-2005, believed that future generations would benefit from the preservation of this link to the past. Over 40 years later, tens of thousands of students have enjoyed unique educational experiences in the building.

1978

On April 29, the B&O Caboose, Bowling Green Station, and Watchtower were dedicated at Carillon Park.

1979

On April 29, the canal superintendent’s office was dedicated at Carillon Park.

1985

The name of the organization was changed to Carillon Historical Park and the Carillon Park Rail and Steam Society began operations.

1988

The original bells and celestron were removed from Deeds Carillon—new bells were manufactured by Petit & Fritsen Royal Bellfoundry in The Netherlands. On October 23, a dedication recital was held to celebrate the occasion.

1990

The 1905 Wright Flyer III was designated a National Historic Landmark—the first airplane to receive such a distinction.

1992

On October 16, the Dayton Aviation Heritage Preservation Act, establishing Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park, was signed into law by President George H.W. Bush. The 1905 Wright Flyer III was named as one of the legislated units of the new national park.

1999

On May 19, a grant was awarded for the conservation of the Wright Flyer III. On August 1, the Kettering Family Education Center opened to the public.

2000

On September 30, the James F. Dicke Family Transportation Center was dedicated at Carillon Park.

2001

On May 5, Culp’s Café opened, marking the first time food was regularly served at Carillon Park. Reminiscent of Culp’s Cafeteria—a longtime, family-owned Dayton Arcade establishment—the Culp family generously aided in the restaurant’s construction.

2002

On June 22, the John W. Berry Sr. Wright Brothers Aviation Center was dedicated. The Center created a single complex of four buildings: Wright Hall, the Wright Cycle Company replica, and the new Wilbur Wright and Orville Wright wings. This Aviation Center has more Wright artifacts on display than any place in the world.

2003

On February 20, the 1905 Wright Flyer III was designated an Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. During the 100th anniversary of flight, the Wright brothers’ story was told from July 4 – 20 through Carillon Park’s production of Time Flies: Catch It In The Act—a living history experience held at all Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park sites

2004

On April 7, the Sugar Camp/WAVES cabin (ca. 1934) was relocated from NCR’s Sugar Camp training facility, marking the first time since the 1980s that an historic structure was moved to Carillon Park. Over 60 of these cabins once stood at Sugar Camp; they were originally used as seasonal quarters for salesmen-in-training. During World War II, over 600 women—known as the U.S. Navy WAVES—occupied the cabins to work on the top-secret Dayton Codebreaking Project, an effort aimed at cracking Nazi Germany’s Enigma Code. Fittingly, the building was dedicated on June 6—Operation Overlord’s 60^th anniversary (the D-Day invasion of western Europe).

2005

On July 27, in recognition of its architectural and cultural significance, Deeds Carillon was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

Viewed as one of the largest intact corporate collections in the United States, the majority of the NCR Archive contains tremendous regional stories. A long-term management, research, and exhibition agreement was reached between NCR and Carillon Historical Park.

2007

With the ownership transfer of Orville Wright’s Hawthorn Hill from NCR to the Wright Family Foundation, Dayton History was available to provide interpretive and artifact oversight. In 2013, Hawthorn Hill was officially gifted to Dayton History, along with many original furnishings.

Following the retirement of Kettering-Moraine Museum Director Melba Hunt, Dayton History approached the cities of Kettering and Moraine to safeguard the Kettering-Moraine Museum’s artifacts. With the support from both cities and others, the museum was gifted and moved to Carillon Historical Park.

2009

As site manager, Carillon Historical Park was approached to help secure and expand operations at the Paul Laurence Dunbar State Memorial. This is done in close partnership with the National Park Service and the newly rebranded Ohio History Connection.

NCR Old River Park, Carillon’s sister park across Patterson Boulevard, was reopened by Dayton History. With the assistance of NCR, Old River Park was cleaned, equipped with new boats, and opened to the general public for the first time. In 2011, Old River was sold to the University of Dayton, thus terminating operations.

2010

In order to consolidate some of the eclectic stories and artifacts throughout Dayton History’s collections, the Heritage Center of Dayton Manufacturing & Entrepreneurship was constructed. The region’s business and invention narratives are shared daily through animatronics, archival film footage, and the Carousel of Dayton Innovation.

Following an impressive renovation by Montgomery County, Dayton’s Old Court House (ca. 1850) was in need of a steward to provide preservation and programming services. Dayton History was contracted to deliver cost efficient professional oversight.

Montgomery County asked Dayton History to step in and leverage its strengths to provide preservation and programming services at Memorial Hall. Public access was restored immediately and a series of special programs occur annually.

2011

A previously inaccessible 20-acre experience was born at Carillon Park. History on the Hill is the establishment of wooded walking trails weaving through Carillon’s own property history. Regional geology, agriculture, medical care, gardens, and native plants and peoples are all explored.

2013

Commemorating the 100^th anniversary of the Great 1913 Flood, regional artifacts were pulled together at Carillon Park to create the region’s authoritative exhibition regarding the flood, rescue, restoration, and protection. The community’s flood collections were centralized to create this permanent tribute.

2014

Carillon Historical Park makes history by becoming the nation’s first museum to open a fully operational historic production brewery. Carillon Brewing Co. is an award-winning costumed interpretive experience, historic food ways demonstration space, and a full-service restaurant all in one.

2015

With an established track record of managing museums, and mutual interest in aviation heritage, the National Aviation Hall of Fame (NAHF) engaged Dayton History to take over the NAHF Learning Center’s daily operations.

The ownership of Patterson Homestead was transferred to Carillon Historical Park.

Carillon Historical Park & Dayton History Additions by Decade:

1940s:

Deeds Carillon

1950s:

William Morris House, Deeds Barn, Corliss Engine building, Miami-Erie Canal Lock, Smith Covered Bridge, Wright Hall, Wagon Shed, Grist Mill

1960s:

Newcom Tavern, Fireless Locomotive building

1970s:

The Wright Cycle Company building, Locust Grove Schoolhouse, Bowling Green Depot, Watchtower, Canal Superintendent’s Office

1980s:

The Print Shop, Dayton Sales, Sunoco Station, H.K. Porter Locomotive, Morrison Iron Bridge, CPR&SS Tracks

1990s:

Kettering Family Education Center

2000s:

Dicke Family Transportation Center, Culp’s Café, Picnic Pavilion, Sugar Camp/WAVES Cabin, Dayton Cyclery, Wilbur Wright Wing, Orville Wright Wing, Marie Aull Sculpture, Oasis Restroom building, NCR Collection, Hawthorn Hill, Kettering-Moraine Museum, NCR Old River Park, Paul Laurence Dunbar House Historic Site.

2010s:

Heritage Center of Dayton Manufacturing & Entrepreneurship, The Old Court House, Memorial Hall, History on the Hill, The Great 1913 Flood Exhibit, Carillon Brewing Company, the National Aviation Hall of Fame Learning Center, and ownership of Patterson Homestead.

Policies

• Carillon Historical Park is a non-smoking campus

• Members must present their ID with their membership card during every visit.
Why do I need to present my photo ID as a member? As a privately funded non-profit museum, we rely on the generosity of our members, donors, and attendance to help us achieve our mission to inspire generations by connecting them with the unique people, places, and events that changed Dayton and the world. By verifying each membership with a photo ID, Dayton History can protect our members from fraudulent uses if cards have been lost or stolen. We are taking this precaution so we can continue to provide affordable memberships to our guests and bring new exhibits and experiences to life. We hope to see you at the park soon!

• Certified Service Animals and Animals in Training for Certification will be permitted to assist visitors with disabilities. A service animal is defined as a dog that has been individually trained to perform tasks for a person with disabilities. Service animals must be controlled with a restraining device and must display appropriate behavior at all times while on our property. There is a limit of one service animal per guest.

We are not permitted to take control of your service animal. Service animals must be leashed, under the owner’s control. While on the train and carousel, service animals must fit on the floor of the ride vehicle, and be seated on the floor, not the ride seat. Please stop by the front desk for more information.

• Any group functions, gatherings, or ceremonies at Deeds Carillon or anywhere on Carillon Historical Park property must be scheduled and approved in advance. Contact Dayton History at daytonhistory.org or 937-293-2841 for additional details regarding availability, fees and other information.

• The shape, form, and image of Deeds Carillon are registered trademarks and are not to be used for commercial, advocacy, endorsement, or political purposes without the express written permission of Carillon Historical Park.

• Guests are invited to use the picnic tables located in the Picnic Grove.  Grilling is not permitted in the Park.

• Rollerblading and skateboarding are not permitted on the Park grounds.  Bicycling is permitted only through the parking lots and entrance roads while connecting to the bake path.

• Help us maintain the safety and quality of exhibits by not eating, drinking, or smoking in any Park buildings.

• Alcoholic beverages are not allowed to be carried into the Park but can be purchased at the Carillon Brewing Co., Culp’s Café, or at beverage stations during special events.

• Attendance on the museum property is implied consent for the use of the guests’ likenesses for marketing/promotional purposes.

• Prohibited Activities: Lighting candles, erecting furniture/structures, soliciting, rallies, vigils, overnight parking, lighting fireworks, launching model rockets, flying remote-controlled aircraft and drones.

• Photography and video recording are allowed on campus for private, personal use.  For details regarding commercial photography and photography usage please contact the Marketing Department at 937-293-2841 ext. 105.  All photo/videographers, personal or commercial, are subject to the terms set forth in the Dayton History Photography Policy.

Parking & Accessibility

• Parking at Carillon Historical Park is typically free.  There may be a parking fee required during special events.

• Due to the historic nature of some of the buildings at Carillon Historical Park, wheelchair access may not be available in some instances.

• The Carousel of Dayton Innovation is wheelchair accessible and located inside the Kettering Family Education Center.

• Manual wheelchairs are offered for use on-site, free of charge, based on availability.

• For additional information about accessibility, please contact the Education Scheduling desk at 937-293-2841 ext. 127 or education1@daytonhistory.org.

Our Mission

Carillon Historical Park is Montgomery County’s official historical organization. Our mission is to inspire generations by connecting them with the unique people, places, and events that changed Dayton and the world. Our vision is a world inspired through our unique regional stories.

About Carillon Historical Park

Carillon Historical Park celebrates how Dayton, Ohio, changed the world. The Gem City is home to the airplane, the automobile self-starter, the cash register, the first internationally acclaimed African American poet, the National Football League’s inaugural game, and so much more. By the turn of the 20th century, Dayton had more patents, per capita, than any U.S. city, and one-sixth of the nation’s corporate executives had spent a portion of their career at legendary Dayton company National Cash Register (NCR). 

Dayton’s extraordinary history has undoubtedly impacted billions of lives. With a hand-carved carousel, 4-D theatre, trains, slides, living history experiences, thousands of artifacts, extensive educational programming, and so much more, Carillon Historical Park brings Dayton’s past to life in a way that is fun for the whole family! Here are some highlights

• At 151-feet, with 57 bells, the limestone Deeds Carillon—the Park’s namesake—was designed by Reinhard & Hofmeister, the same architectural firm responsible for Rockefeller Center. It is Ohio’s largest carillon and one of the largest carillons in the nation. The grounds surrounding the carillon and the Park’s entry gates were designed by the Olmsted Brothers, the famed landscape architects responsible for Central Park
• The John W. Berry Sr. Wright Brothers Aviation Center has more Wright artifacts on display than any place in the world, including the 1905 Wright Flyer III—the only airplane designated a National Historic Landmark, the world’s first practical flying machine, and what Orville considered the Wrights’ most important aircraft.
• Carillon Brewing Co. offers visitors a glimpse into 1850s-era Dayton through the authentically prepared food and drink of the times. It is the nation’s only fully operational production brewery in a museum.
• Housed in the Heritage Center of Manufacturing & Entrepreneurship is the beautiful, hand-carved Carousel of Dayton Innovation; an extensive collection of antique NCR cash registers; a 4-D animatronic theatre; and the original Deeds Barn, the storied building where Charles Kettering and the Barn Gang built the automobile self-starter, changing transportation as we know it.
• The James F. Dicke Family Transportation Center displays the 1835 B&O #1, John Quincy Adams, the oldest existing American-built locomotive; the gorgeous and opulent 1903 Detroit & Mackinac Passenger Car #100 (built by Dayton company Barney & Smith); an 1843 Conestoga wagon; a 1904 interurban; a 1923 B&O caboose; and many fascinating transportation artifacts.
• Our Great 1913 Flood exhibit tells the story of Ohio’s worst natural disaster and the remarkable story of Dayton’s recovery.
• Carillon Historical Park is home to over 30 historic structures and cares for over three million artifacts.

About Dayton History

In 2005, Carillon Historical Park merged with the Montgomery County Historical Society to create a new umbrella organization known as Dayton History. The private non-profit (501c3) organization was established to preserve, share, and celebrate our region’s history. Carillon Historical Park is home to over 30 historic structures and cares for over three million artifacts. In addition to the Park, the following sites rest under Dayton History’s care:

• Carillon Brewing Company: The nation’s only fully operational production brewery in a museum. Est. 2014.
• Hawthorn Hill: Orville Wright’s success mansion. Join the ranks of Charles Lindbergh, Henry Ford, and Thomas Edison as visitors to the first pilot’s last home. Est. 1914.
• Patterson Homestead: Originally the home of Colonel Robert Patterson, a Revolutionary War soldier and founder of Lexington, Kentucky, and Cincinnati, Ohio, this storied structure also served as home to Colonel Patterson’s grandson, NCR Founder John H. Patterson. Est. 1816.
• The Archive Center: Housing millions of the Dayton region’s artifacts. Once managed solely by the Montgomery County Historical Society (est. 1896), the collection at the Archive Center is well over 100-years-old.
• The Mound Cold War Discovery Center:  From 1948–2003, the top-secret, scientific work of Mound Laboratory revolutionized Cold War, Nuclear Age, and Space Race history.

Hours & Pricing

Carillon Historical Park

Hours of Operation*: Monday – Saturday: 9:30am-5:00pm, Sunday: 12:00pm-5:00pm (*Closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day)

Admission: $14 per adult (ages 18-59), $12 per senior, $10 per child (3 –17), Children age 2 and under and Dayton History members are FREE
Members must present their ID with their membership card during every visit.

Carousel Ride – $1
Carillon Park Train Ride – $5
All Day Ride Band – $12

937-293-2841
1000 Carillon Boulevard, Dayton, OH 45409

Purchase Tickets

Carillon Brewing Company

Hours of Operation*: Wednesday – Sunday: 11:00am – 7:00pm
(*Closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day)

Admission: Park Admission is not required to dine at Carillon Brewing Co.

937-910-0722
1000 Carillon Boulevard, Dayton, OH 45409

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Culp’s Café

Hours of Operation*: Tuesday – Saturday: 10:00am – 2:00pm
(*Closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day)

Admission: Park Admission is not required to dine at Culp’s Café

937-293-2841
1000 Carillon Boulevard, Dayton, OH 45409

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Hawthorn Hill

Hours of Operation*: Wednesdays & Saturdays: 10:00am, 12:30pm. Advance Pre-Paid Admission Required. Access to the site is via shuttle van from Carillon Historical Park. Space is limited. Call for availability. (*Closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day)

Admission: $16 per person, $14 per Dayton History member
Upgrade Your Admission Ticket! $26 per person (Includes Carillon Historical Park & Hawthorn Hill!)

Purchase Tickets

Patterson Homestead

Hours of Operation*: Please call to schedule a special tour. Two-week advance notice required. Monthly Open House dates can be found on the Events Calendar.
(*Closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day)

Admission: $5 per person, School groups: $3 per person, teachers & faculty FREE!

937-293-2841
1815 Brown Street, Dayton OH 45409

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