|
Welcome to a self-guided walking tour of the Oregon Historic District in Dayton, Ohio.
This walking tour will highlight a few of the architectural and historical features of the Oregon Historic District. The area we know as the Oregon District was designated an historic district by the City of Dayton in 1972 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This walking tour is intended to provide a leisurely walk through the Oregon 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. |
|
|
Listen here:
|
| ||
The Oregon Historic District is an area that features homes and businesses originating from the earliest days of Dayton's history, and the District builds on that legacy today. It’s located on the eastern edge of Downtown Dayton, and it includes a combination of commercial and residential architecture. The District is significant for both its early settlement and for its prominence as a neighborhood of largely German-speaking immigrants who arrived by canal boat once the local section of the Miami and Erie Canal opened in 1829. The Canal was located on what is now Patterson Boulevard on the east side of Downtown Dayton.
The area now known as the Oregon District was laid out in 1815 by Daniel C. Cooper, Proprietor of Dayton, and the first plat for the area was recorded in 1829, when Dayton opened its section of the Canal. The Canal formed the west side of today’s Oregon District and brought a rapid increase in the area's population.
Oregon remained prestigious and prosperous through the Civil War period and into the Twentieth Century. The disaster of Dayton's 1913 Flood was keenly felt in the district, however, after most of the area was submerged in 10 feet of water. In the years following the Flood, area residents began to move to higher, safer ground, and the two World Wars saw an accelerated increase in absentee ownership. By the 1960s, deterioration was evident, and the City of Dayton began to consider clearing and redeveloping the neighborhood. In reaction to this plan, a preservation group successfully convinced the City to designate the neighborhood as the Oregon Historic District, and that began a period of major reinvestment and revitalization which ultimately created the area you see today.
Oregon displays a variety of housing types, from simple artisan dwellings to more elaborate, high-style residences of various architectural styles. Many prominent Daytonians lived here, including Thomas Brown, owner of a brickyard and contracting business, for whom Brown Street was named; John Rouzer, a builder; David L. Rike, founder of a department store; Salvatore Schaeffer, tobacco dealer; Wesley Boren, brick contractor; William McHose, founder of an architectural iron-works firm; Jacob Sortman, a brick contractor; John Gates Doren, a newspaper editor; Dr. Alfred Iddings, a surgeon; and Daniel McSherry, inventor. Today the Oregon Historic District has reclaimed its role as one of Dayton's most prestigious addresses.
As you follow the tour, you will notice not only the homes highlighted, but you are also sure to be intrigued by the many significant structures not featured in the tour. Note the intricate details in the architecture of porches, windows, wrought-iron fencing, chimney pots, roof lines, shingling, limestone foundations, and ongoing restoration projects. These present a sample of the many rewards to be found when sightseeing in our historic district.
We begin this walking tour at the corner of East Fifth and Brown Streets. ⋆
Please note that the Church of Christ at the corner of 6th and Brown has been demolished, but a picture of the building appears above (picture 4).
↓ Click this box with the arrow to see the details of each property.
The area now known as the Oregon District was laid out in 1815 by Daniel C. Cooper, Proprietor of Dayton, and the first plat for the area was recorded in 1829, when Dayton opened its section of the Canal. The Canal formed the west side of today’s Oregon District and brought a rapid increase in the area's population.
Oregon remained prestigious and prosperous through the Civil War period and into the Twentieth Century. The disaster of Dayton's 1913 Flood was keenly felt in the district, however, after most of the area was submerged in 10 feet of water. In the years following the Flood, area residents began to move to higher, safer ground, and the two World Wars saw an accelerated increase in absentee ownership. By the 1960s, deterioration was evident, and the City of Dayton began to consider clearing and redeveloping the neighborhood. In reaction to this plan, a preservation group successfully convinced the City to designate the neighborhood as the Oregon Historic District, and that began a period of major reinvestment and revitalization which ultimately created the area you see today.
Oregon displays a variety of housing types, from simple artisan dwellings to more elaborate, high-style residences of various architectural styles. Many prominent Daytonians lived here, including Thomas Brown, owner of a brickyard and contracting business, for whom Brown Street was named; John Rouzer, a builder; David L. Rike, founder of a department store; Salvatore Schaeffer, tobacco dealer; Wesley Boren, brick contractor; William McHose, founder of an architectural iron-works firm; Jacob Sortman, a brick contractor; John Gates Doren, a newspaper editor; Dr. Alfred Iddings, a surgeon; and Daniel McSherry, inventor. Today the Oregon Historic District has reclaimed its role as one of Dayton's most prestigious addresses.
As you follow the tour, you will notice not only the homes highlighted, but you are also sure to be intrigued by the many significant structures not featured in the tour. Note the intricate details in the architecture of porches, windows, wrought-iron fencing, chimney pots, roof lines, shingling, limestone foundations, and ongoing restoration projects. These present a sample of the many rewards to be found when sightseeing in our historic district.
We begin this walking tour at the corner of East Fifth and Brown Streets. ⋆
Please note that the Church of Christ at the corner of 6th and Brown has been demolished, but a picture of the building appears above (picture 4).
↓ Click this box with the arrow to see the details of each property.