|
Welcome to a self guided walking tour of the Dayton View Historic District in Dayton, Ohio.
This walking tour will highlight a few of the architectural and historical features of Dayton View. The area we know as Dayton View was designated a historic district by the City of Dayton in 1977 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984. This walking tour is intended to provide a leisurely walk through the Dayton View neighborhood, allowing ample time to pause and appreciate the architecture, the streetscape, and the amenities of the area. We recommend that you allow 90 minutes to complete the tour, and we ask that you walk carefully, as streets and sidewalks can be uneven, and it’s important to observe the terrain while you appreciate the historical and architectural features of the area. On your tour, you may see houses that offer opportunities for renovation. If you are interested in bringing one of these homes back to life, please contact the Dayton View Historic District online at www.dvhd.org |
|
|
Listen here:
|
| ||
The name of this grandest of Dayton's historic neighborhoods was coined early in the nineteenth century, because of the view of the city the neighborhood afforded from its gently sloping site.
Efforts to develop the lands date from the first decade of the nineteenth century. At that time, Presbyterian minister Dr. James Welsh established a ferry from the foot of First Street to a point near where Salem Avenue begins. Welsh was a patent holder on lands across the river who intended his "North Dayton” area to rival the city of Dayton. However, the plat was largely a town on paper and was vacated by 1818. The next year in 1819, a bridge was built that provided access to the area and allowed land speculators to layout the town of Pearson. But like its predecessor, this plat and later plats by P.P. Lowe and John Steele did not succeed.
The history of present Dayton View began with the platting of lands around James O. Arnold's farmstead, located at the northwest corner of Arnold and Superior Avenues. Arnold wished to create an attractive urban living environment and established almost unheard of deed restrictions. These restrictions required houses to be sited forty feet from the street, and an extravagant minimum house value of $3000. Arnold and Barnett built streets, cement sidewalks and tree lawns before the first house was constructed. Thus, this distinguished Dayton View as the city’s first planned urban neighborhood.
Dayton View continued to grow throughout the early decades of the 20th nineteenth century, surpassing Oregon as the city's most prestigious neighborhood. World War II saw the first conversion of larger homes in the neighborhood to apartments as the city attempted to solve its housing shortage for workers.
Dayton View remained a stable, affluent neighborhood until the 1960s, when a rapid transition began. Disinvestment in the neighborhood and deferred physical maintenance soon resulted in the widespread deterioration of the housing stock. In an attempt to save the significant architectures, reverse the decline and resulting demolitions, the City declared the area a local historic district in 1977. The seventeen block district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984.
Today, Dayton View retains the city's largest and most cohesive collection of fashionable, high style, turn-of-the-century houses and carriage houses. The variety of styles along with the excellent design and ampleness of many of the dwellings, provide the visitor with a visual feast of historic architecture.
Please begin your tour at the Grace United Methodist Church at the corner of Harvard and Salem. ⋆
↓ Click this box with the arrow to see the details of each property.
Efforts to develop the lands date from the first decade of the nineteenth century. At that time, Presbyterian minister Dr. James Welsh established a ferry from the foot of First Street to a point near where Salem Avenue begins. Welsh was a patent holder on lands across the river who intended his "North Dayton” area to rival the city of Dayton. However, the plat was largely a town on paper and was vacated by 1818. The next year in 1819, a bridge was built that provided access to the area and allowed land speculators to layout the town of Pearson. But like its predecessor, this plat and later plats by P.P. Lowe and John Steele did not succeed.
The history of present Dayton View began with the platting of lands around James O. Arnold's farmstead, located at the northwest corner of Arnold and Superior Avenues. Arnold wished to create an attractive urban living environment and established almost unheard of deed restrictions. These restrictions required houses to be sited forty feet from the street, and an extravagant minimum house value of $3000. Arnold and Barnett built streets, cement sidewalks and tree lawns before the first house was constructed. Thus, this distinguished Dayton View as the city’s first planned urban neighborhood.
Dayton View continued to grow throughout the early decades of the 20th nineteenth century, surpassing Oregon as the city's most prestigious neighborhood. World War II saw the first conversion of larger homes in the neighborhood to apartments as the city attempted to solve its housing shortage for workers.
Dayton View remained a stable, affluent neighborhood until the 1960s, when a rapid transition began. Disinvestment in the neighborhood and deferred physical maintenance soon resulted in the widespread deterioration of the housing stock. In an attempt to save the significant architectures, reverse the decline and resulting demolitions, the City declared the area a local historic district in 1977. The seventeen block district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984.
Today, Dayton View retains the city's largest and most cohesive collection of fashionable, high style, turn-of-the-century houses and carriage houses. The variety of styles along with the excellent design and ampleness of many of the dwellings, provide the visitor with a visual feast of historic architecture.
Please begin your tour at the Grace United Methodist Church at the corner of Harvard and Salem. ⋆
↓ Click this box with the arrow to see the details of each property.