Photos & Videos

Check out our videos on our YouTube page!

Learn More!

Photo Policy

View our Photo Policy!

The Dayton History Fund

Funds donated to the Dayton History Fund help preserve and interpret more than 40 buildings and millions of artifacts and provide year-round educational programming.

These funds are used for a variety of purposes, such as:

• Collecting and preserving the artifacts and stories connected to our region’s history.
• Conserving and maintaining the 1905 Wright Flyer III—the only airplane designated a National Historic Landmark, the world’s first practical flying machine, and what the Wright brothers considered their most important aircraft.
• Providing students with high-quality educational experiences.
• Operating and maintaining Deed’s Carillon—Ohio’s largest carillon.
• Assisting with the costs of operating and maintaining the Deed’s Carillon, Ohio’s largest carillon
• Providing exciting summer learning opportunities for children.
• Maintaining Carillon Historical Park’s scenic and beautiful grounds.

Larger gifts are always welcome.  They can provide a way to make future projects our reality.

School, Homeschool, Scout Field Trips & More!

Each year children from around the globe visit Carillon Historical Park. By combining a general Park tour with our hands-on educational workshops, visitors are offered a focused field trip.

Interpretive staff are stationed throughout the Park, and tour groups may proceed at their own pace. You may tailor your tour to specific needs; the majority of our exhibits focus on transportation, invention, and settlement history. Advanced reservations are highly recommended for all school, scout, and homeschool groups and are required for discounted admission rates! For general information about school visits, please click here. 

Enhance your experience with The Carousel of Dayton Innovation

Let your students experience the fun of history on our Carousel of Dayton Innovation. For $1 per ride, students have the opportunity to ride timeless pieces of Dayton heritage. Grab a seat on the pop can, IAMs dog food bag, DH-4 Airplane, cash register, and so much more! You may reserve rides on the carousel when scheduling your field trip or at the front desk upon your arrival.

Treat your students with A Goody Bag!

The Museum Store offers a special service to classes that do not have sufficient time to shop. Goody Bags may be purchased relating to Carillon Historical Park and the history of the Miami Valley. Pencils, erasers, postcards, small toys, and pencil sharpeners are all examples of items that may be contained in the Goody Bags. They are priced between $3 and $20, depending upon their contents and must be requested one week in advance.
Click here to access the goody bag order form. Click here to access the teacher order form.

Enjoy watching the Animatronic Theater!

Our theater is a truly 21^st century way to discover how the past has shaped our present and will continue to inspire the future. Grab a seat with your students at the “Build for Tomorrow” theater and enjoy the immersive 4-D experience. The story of Dayton is told by an animatronic cast of five prominent and famous Daytonians: John H. Patterson, Orville and Wilbur Wright, Charles F. Kettering, and Colonel Edward A. Deeds. Each class or group will be assigned a time to visit the theater; it’s a part of your visit that you won’t want to miss!

Immerse your students in Educational Programs & Workshops

Personalize your field trip with one of our educational programs available at the park! Our programs are reinforced by the Ohio content standards and we are pleased to work with you to meet your unique educational objectives. Reservations are required two weeks in advance and availability is contingent 0n park schedule and a first-come first-served basis. If there is a particular topic that you do not see covered on this list, please let our Scheduling Desk know! Select the below link to see the full list of the educational programs that we have to offer. They are an additional $3 per student.

View our Educational Programs and Workshops!

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

Join the Society!

It is a great time to become a Dayton History Society Member! Becoming a Society Member is a rewarding way to support Dayton History, socialize with friends, and become more familiar with Dayton’s incredible history. Special member-only events are planned throughout the year.

To join the Dayton History society, please email Laura Sellers at lsellers@daytonhistory.org or call 937-293-2841 ext. 110.

During your one-year membership period, you will enjoy the following benefits:

Dunbar Society – $1,000 – $2,499 

• Unlimited free admission to Carillon Park and the Patterson Homestead for you and your immediate household; discounted tours of Hawthorn Hill, Orville Wright’s home
• 6 complimentary guest admission tickets to Carillon Historical Park ($48 value)
• Free admission to the Dayton Heritage Day, Carillon Park Rail Festival and the Dayton Concours d’Elegance
• Discounted pricing for select summer camps, workshops, events and programs
• Special invitations to Society member-only events, all member events and all Dayton History special events
• 10% member discount on all event rentals at any Dayton History site*
• One year’s complimentary subscription to The Heritage member publication
• Listing as a Dunbar Society member in the The Heritage member publication

*Does not include Hawthorn Hill

Jonathan Dayton Society $2,500 – $4,999 

• Unlimited free admission to Carillon Park and the Patterson Homestead for you and your immediate household; discounted tours of Hawthorn Hill, Orville Wright’s home
• 8 complimentary guest admission tickets to Carillon Historical Park ($64 value)
• Free admission to the Dayton Heritage Day, Carillon Park Rail Festival and the Dayton Concours d’Elegance
• Discounted pricing for select summer camps, workshops, events and programs
• Special invitations to Society member-only events, all member events and all Dayton History special events
• 15% member discount on all event rentals at any Dayton History site*
• One year’s complimentary subscription to The Heritage member publication
• Listing as a Jonathan Dayton Society member in the The Heritage member publication

George Newcom Society – $5,000 – $9,999

• A private tour of a Dayton History site of your choice
• Unlimited free admission to Carillon Park and the Patterson Homestead for you and your immediate household; discounted tours of Hawthorn Hill, Orville Wright’s home
• 10 complimentary guest admission tickets to Carillon Historical Park ($80 value)
• Free admission to the Dayton Heritage Day, Carillon Park Rail Festival and the Dayton Concours d’Elegance
• Discounted pricing for select summer camps, workshops, events and programs
• Special invitations to Society member-only events, all member events and all Dayton History special events
• 20% member discount on all event rentals at ant Dayton History site*
• One year’s complimentary subscription to The Heritage member publication
• Listing as a George Newcom Society member in the The Heritage member publication
• Two (2) guest passes to the Dayton Heritage Day with the Dayton Philharmonic
• Two (2) guest passes to the Dayton Concours d’Elegance
• Two (2) tickets to Ringing in the Holidays

Wright Brothers Society – $10,000-$24,999

• A private tour of two Dayton History sites of your choice
• Unlimited free admission to Carillon Park and the Patterson Homestead for you and your immediate household; discounted tours of Hawthorn Hill, Orville Wright’s home
• 12 complimentary guest admission tickets to Carillon Historical Park ($96 value)
• Free admission to the Dayton Heritage Day, Carillon Park Rail Festival and the Dayton Concours d’Elegance
• Discounted pricing for select summer camps, workshops, events and programs
• Special invitations to Society member-only events, all member events and all Dayton History special events
• 25% member discount on all event rentals at any Dayton History site*
• One year’s complimentary subscription to The Heritage member publication
• Listing as a Wright Brothers Society member in the The Heritage member publication
• Four (4) guest passes to the Dayton Heritage Day with the Dayton Philharmonic
• Four (4) guest passes to the Dayton Concours d’Elegance
• Four (4) tickets to Ringing in the Holidays

Kettering Society – $25,000 and above

• A private tour of three Dayton History sites
• Unlimited free admission to Carillon Park and the Patterson Homestead for you and your immediate household; discounted tours of Hawthorn Hill, Orville Wright’s home
• 14 complimentary guest admission tickets to Carillon Historical Park ($112 value)
• Free admission to the Dayton Heritage Day, Carillon Park Rail Festival and the Dayton Concours d’Elegance
• Discounted pricing for select summer camps, workshops, events and programs
• Special invitations to Society member-only events, all member events and all Dayton History special events
• One complimentary event rental at any Dayton History site*
• One year’s complimentary subscription to The Heritage member publication
• Listing as a Kettering Society member in the The Heritage member publication
• Six (6) guest passes to the Dayton Heritage Day with the Dayton Philharmonic
• Six (6) guest passes to the Dayton Concours d’Elegance
• Six (6) tickets to Ringing in the Holidays

Board of Trustees

National Register of Historic Places Montgomery County, Ohio

ARNOLD HOMESTEAD North of Dayton on Ohio 201
Dayton

AUSENBAUGH-McELHENRY HOUSE
7373 Taylorsville Road
Dayton

JOHN BEARD FARM South of Vandalia on Mulberry Lane
Vandalia

BILTMORE HOTEL
210 N. Main Street
Dayton

MARCUS BOSSLER HOUSE
136 South Dutoit Street
Dayton

ROBERT BRADFORD HOUSE
South of Centerville on Social Row Road
Centerville

JAMES BROOKS HOUSE
41 East First Street
Dayton

SAMUEL N. BROWN HOUSE
1633 Wayne Avenue
Dayton

FORT CARLISLE Germantown

CENTERVILLE HISTORIC DISTRICT
Irregular pattern at Franklin and Main Street
Centerville

CENTRAL AVENUE HISTORIC DISTRICT
201—338 Central Avenue
Dayton

COMMERCIAL BUILDING
44 South Ludlow Street
Dayton

CONOVER BUILDING
4 South Main Street
Dayton

DAYTON ARCADE From Ludlow to Main Street, between Third and Fourth Streets
Dayton

DAYTON ART INSTITUTE
Forest and Riverview Avenues
Dayton

DAYTON DAILY NEWS BUILDING
Fourth and Ludlow Streets
Dayton

DAYTON FIRE STATION NO. 14
1422 North Main Street
Dayton

DAYTON MOTOR CAR COMPANY HISTORIC DISTRICT
Bainbridge,
9 —111 and 122—124 McDonough
Dayton

DAYTON TERRA-COTTA HISTORIC DISTRICT
South Ludlow and West Fifth Street
Dayton

DAYTON VIEW HISTORIC DISTRICT
Roughly bounded by Broadway, Harvard Blvd, Superior and Salem Avenues
Dayton

DAYTON WOMEN’S CLUB
225 North Ludlow Street
Dayton

DAYTON YMCA BUILDING
117 West Monument Street
Dayton

DEED’S BARN
35 Moraine Circle South
Kettering

DEERWOOD FARM
7200 Peters Pike
Dayton

DUNBAR HISTORIC DISTRICT
Paul Laurence Dunbar Street
Dayton

PAUL LAURENCE DUNBAR HOUSE
219 Paul Laurence Dunbar Street
Dayton

DUNCARRICK
Webster and Keowee Streets
Dayton

EAGLES BUILDING 320 South Main Street
Dayton

EAST SECOND STREET DISTRICT
3—27 East Second Street
Dayton

EMMANUEL’S EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH
30 South Warren Street
Germantown

FIRE BLOCKS HISTORIC DISTRICT Roughly bounded by Jefferson, Fourth, St. Clair and Second Streets
Dayton

FIRST LUTHERAN CHURCH
138 West First Street
Dayton

JOSEPH FLORY HOUSE
Diamond Mill Road
Clayton

GERMANTOWN COVERED BRIDGE Center Street over Little Twin Creek
Germantown

PHILLIP E. GILBERT HOUSES
1012 Huffman Avenue and 18—30 Belpre Place
Dayton

OSCAR M. GOTTSHALL HOUSE
20 Livingston Avenue
Dayton

GUMMER HOUSE
1428 Huffman Avenue
Dayton

GUNKEL’S TOWN PLAN HISTORIC DISTRICT
Roughly bounded by Mulberry and Walnut Streets and Warren and Market Streets
Germantown

HANITCH-HUFFMAN HOUSE 139 West Monument Avenue
Dayton

HAWTHORN HILL
Harmon and Park Avenues
Oakwood

HOLY CROSS LITHUANIAN ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH
1924 Leo Street
Dayton

HUFFMAN HISTORIC DISTRICT
Roughly bounded by East Third, Hamilton, Van Lear and Beckel Streets
Dayton

INCINERATOR SITE Dayton

INDEPENDENT ORDER OF ODDFELLOWS DAYTON, LODGE NO. 273
8 LaBelle Street
Dayton

INSCO APARTMENT BUILDING
255 North Main Street
Dayton

JACOB’S CHURCH 213 East Central Avenue
Miamisburg

JACOB O. JOYCE HOUSE
6 Josie Street
Dayton

KELLOG ETHOL HOUSE Yankee Street
Centerville

KELLY FAMILY HOME
657 South Main Street
Dayton

LEWIS KEMP HOUSE 4800 Burkhardt Avenue
Dayton

CHARLES F. KETTERING HOUSE/RIDGELEIGH TERRACE
3965 Southern Blvd.
Kettering

KOEHNE-POAST FARM
West of Germantown off Ohio 725
Germantown

KOSSUTH COLONY HISTORIC DISTRICT
Bounded by Baltimore Street, Mack
and Notre Dame Avenues
Dayton

KRUG HOUSE
3473 Sweet Potato Ridge Road
Union

BENJAMIN F. KUHNS BUILDING
43 South Main Street
Dayton

LICHLITER MOUND AND VILLAGE SITE
Dayton

LINDSAY BUILDING
25 South Main Street
Dayton

LONG-MUELLER HOUSE
986 Laurelwood Road
Kettering

LONG-ROMSPERT HOUSE
1947 Far Hills Avenue
Oakwood

MARKET SQUARE Both sides of Main Street including junctions at Central and Linden Avenues
Miamisburg

SAMUEL MARTINDALE HOUSE
Northeast of Englewood off US 40
Englewood

McPHERSON TOWN HISTORIC DISTRICT
Roughly bounded by Main Street,
the Great Miami River, and I-75
Dayton

MEMORIAL HALL
125 East First Street
Dayton

MIAMI-ERIE CANAL LOCK NO. 70
Fishburg and Endicott road
Huber Heights

MIAMISBURG MOUND
Southeast of Miamisburg on OH 725
Miamisburg

DANIEL MILLER HOUSE
3525 Dandridge Avenue
Dayton

MONTGOMERY COUNTY COURTHOUSE
7 N. Main Street
Dayton

JACOB H.W. MUMMA HOUSE
2239 Kipling Drive
Dayton

MUTUAL HOME & SAVINGS ASSOCIATION BUILDING
120 West Second Street
Dayton

NEWCOM HOUSE 53 Sherman Street
Dayton

NORMANDY FARMS
450 West Alex-Bell Road
Centerville

NICHOLAS OHMER HOUSE
1350 Creighton Street
Dayton

OLD POST OFFICE AND FEDERAL BUILDING Southeast corner of West Third and Wilkinson Streets
Dayton

OREGON HISTORIC DISTRICT
Between Patterson Blvd. and Wayne Avenue
north to Gates Street and south to US 35
Dayton

PEASE HOMESTEAD 2123 Alexander-Bellbrook Road
Centerville

ISAAC POLLACK HOUSE
319 West Third Street
Dayton

RUDOLPH PRETZINGER HOUSE
908 South Main Street
Dayton

JOHN R. REYNOLDS HOUSE 24 Klee Street
Dayton

DAVID ROHR MANSION AND CARRIAGE HOUSE
Astoria Road and OH 725
Germantown

RUBICON FARM/PATTERSON HOMESTEAD
1815 Brown Street
Dayton

SACHS AND PRUDEN ALE COMPANY BUILDING 127 Wyandot Street
Dayton

SACRED HEART CHURCH
217 West Fourth Street
Dayton

SAINT ANNE’S HILL HISTORIC DISTRICT
Roughly bounded by Fourth, McClure,
Josie, High and Dutoit Streets
Dayton

SALEM BEAR CREEK CHURCH/SALEM EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH
Roughly bounded by Union Road, Dayton-Germantown Pike and Bear Creek
Germantown

ADAM SCHANTZ SR. HOUSE
314—316 Schantz Avenue
Dayton

SCHANTZ PARK HISTORIC DISTRICT
Roughly bounded by Far Hills, Irving,
Mahrt and Schenck Avenues
Oakwood

SCHRIBER HYMAN BUILDING
306—308 Washington Street
Dayton

SCHUSTER CARPENTER SHOP AND HOUSE
3224 W. Alexandersville-Bellbrook Road
West Carrollton

SHAWEN ACRES
3304 North Main Street
Dayton

SHUEY’S MILL
Main Street
Germantown

SIG’S GENERAL STORE
1400 Valley Street
Dayton

SKYWOOD FARMS
732 West Alex-Bell Road
Centerville

EDWIN SMITH HOUSE
131 West Third Street
Dayton

SOUTH PARK HISTORIC DISTRICT
Roughly bounded by Park, Morton,
Hickory and Wayne Avenue
Dayton

SOUTH PARK HISTORIC DISTRICT
(BOUNDARY INCREASE)
Roughly bounded by Wayne, Wyoming,
Nathan, Oak, Alberta and Blaine
Dayton

SOUTHERN OHIO LUNATIC ASYLUM
2335 Wayne Avenue
Dayton

SAMUEL SPITLER HOUSE
14 Market Street
Brookville

ST. ADALBERT POLISH CATHOLIC CHURCH
1511 Valley Street
Dayton

ST. MARY ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH
543 Xenia Avenue
Dayton

ST. MARY’S HALL UNIVERSITY OF DAYTON
300 College Park
Dayton

STEELE’S HILL-GRAFTON HILL HISTORIC DISTRICT
Roughly bounded by Grand, Plymouth, Forest and Salem Avenues
Dayton

JOHN S. STENGEL HOUSE
325 West Second Street
Dayton

JOHN STUMP HOUSE AND MILL
Southwest of Germantown at junction of Sigal and Oxford Roads
Germantown

TAYLORSVILLE CANAL INN 4240 Taylorsville Road
Dayton

TRAILSEND
3500 Governors Trail
Kettering

TRAXLER MANSION
42 Yale Avenue
Dayton

TROTWOOD RAILROAD STATION AND DEPOT
2 West Main Street
Trotwood

UNITED BRETHREN PUBLISHING HOUSE 40—46 South Main Street
(7—21 East Fourth Street)
Dayton

VICTORY THEATER BUILDING 138 North Main Street
Dayton

DR. JEFFERSON A. WALTERS HOUSE 35 East First Street
Dayton

WATKINS HOUSE
9950 Lebanon Pike
Centerville

WEST THIRD STREET HISTORIC DISTRICT
Roughly West Third Street between
Broadway and Shannon Street
Dayton

WESTBROCK FUNERAL HOME
1712 Wayne Avenue
Dayton

WOLF CREEK MOUND
Trotwood

WOMEN’S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION
800 West Fifth Street
Dayton

WOODLAND CEMETERY GATEWAY CHAPEL
AND OFFICE
118 Woodland Avenue
Dayton

WRIGHT CYCLE COMPANY-WRIGHT AND WRIGHT PRINTING OFFICES
22 South Williams Street
Dayton

WRIGHT FLYER III
Carillon Park
1000 Carillon Blvd.
Dayton

Heritage Center of Dayton Manufacturing & Entrepreneurship

By the turn of the 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). Beginning in the mid-1800s, Dayton established itself as a center of manufacturing and entrepreneurship. Companies such as NCR, the Barney & Smith Car Company, McCall’s Publishing, DELCO, the Wright Company, and the Huffy Corporation set Dayton apart in innovation and forward thinking.

Carillon Historical Park’s Heritage Center of Dayton Manufacturing & Entrepreneurship is themed around innovation, manufacturing, industry, engineering, and invention. And the focus of the Heritage Center rests on five main individuals: John H. Patterson, Orville & Wilbur Wright, Charles F. Kettering, and Colonel Edward A. Deeds.

As a city set in the middle of the country, Dayton continues to remind us of America’s Gilded Age and the entrepreneurial spirit of this nation. The Heritage Center covers a span of over 150 years, starting as early as 1840 and continuing into the nuclear age. It paints a picture of a city emerging out of the industrial revolution and evolving into a major center of manufacturing. Evolving over time, Dayton was a center of innovation through the Civil War, Reconstruction Era, Gilded Age, Progressive Era, World War I, roaring 1920s, Great Depression, World War II, and Cold War era.

Hawthorn Hill

Designed by the Wright brothers, and occupied by Orville, Katharine, and Bishop Milton Wright, this elite venue is popular for intimate parties and corporate gatherings. Sitting high on an Oakwood hilltop, with its white pillars and twin porches, Hawthorn Hill is a National Historic Landmark—the first pilot’s last home from 1914-1948.

Capacity: 50 people. Exclusive event rental. Please contact our Facilities Rental Department at (937) 293-2841 Ext. 415 or events@daytonhistory.org.

To see more photos of Dayton History events, check out our Pinterest page & Facebook page.