(*Closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day,
New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day)
Monday–Saturday: 9:30am–5:00pm
Sunday: 12:00pm–5:00pm
Members must present their ID with their membership card during every visit.
Dayton, Ohio 45409
(937) 293-2841
Carillon Historical Park
Carillon Historical Park owes its existence to the generosity of Colonel Edward Andrew Deeds (1874–1960) and Edith Walton Deeds (1869–1947). In the 1930s, while traveling in Bruges, Belgium, Edith, an accomplished musician, found inspiration in magnificent carillon music, and she dreamed of sharing this music with the people of Dayton. Edith’s dream became reality through the construction of Deeds Carillon—her most visible legacy to the community she loved.
A renowned engineer, inventor, and industrialist, Colonel Deeds was a close friend and colleague of fellow Dayton luminaries Charles Kettering, John H. Patterson, and Orville Wright. Colonel Deeds co-founded Dayton Engineering Laboratories Company (DELCO), the Dayton-Wright Airplane Company, and the Engineers Club of Dayton, and served as the third CEO of National Cash Register (NCR).
After the Great 1913 Flood (Ohio’s worst natural disaster) decimated the Dayton region, Deeds organized the Miami Conservancy District; the MCD constructed an unprecedented dam system, thereby protecting our community from future floods. Colonel Deeds served the U.S. Army as Chief of Aircraft Procurement; under his direction, the world-famous Liberty Engine was designed and produced. And at NCR, Colonel Deeds was instrumental in bringing the company into the 20th century.
In 1950, Carillon Historical Park’s museum complex opened with the purpose of showcasing the region’s industrial innovations, transportation achievements, and Dayton’s contributions to world progress. Since construction first began on Deeds Carillon in 1940, the dreams of Edith and Edward Deeds have evolved into a beautiful 65-acre campus—designed by the Olmsted Brothers (the famed landscape architects responsible for Central Park)—containing dozens of museum buildings and countless artifacts. The Dayton region’s remarkable story continues to inspire visitors from around the world.
