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This walking tour will highlight some of the architectural and historical features of buildings in the Wright-Dunbar Village neighborhood. The tour takes approximately 90 minutes.
You may also want to allow additional time to tour the West Third Street Historic District and the many historical sites in the area. These include the Wright-Dunbar Interpretive Center and Wright Cycle Shop at West Third and Williams Streets. Wright-Dunbar is also the home of Dayton’s Walk of Fame which honors more than 150 outstanding individuals and groups for their contributions to our region and the world. In addition, the Paul Laurence Dunbar Historic District and historic house museum are just a few blocks west. Please walk carefully, as streets and sidewalks can be uneven, and it’s important to observe the terrain while you appreciate the area. If you have any questions about the neighborhood, please contact the Wright-Dunbar Village Neighborhood Association on Facebook at www.facebook.com/wrightdunbarvillage. |
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Wright-Dunbar Village was designated as a local historic district in 2002. The neighborhood consists of a mixture of period homes and new housing designed to complement the historic architectural heritage of the community.
Before the 1840s most of the land in this area of Dayton consisted of scattered farmsteads surrounding a tiny commercial district along West Third Street, known as “Mexico.” The area began developing around 1845 when the first lots were recorded. The small amount of frontage on the lots predetermined the area for residential development. The size of the lots also attracted a working-class population who built modest, unassuming houses.
The area remained largely undeveloped until well after the Civil War. In 1869, West Third Street became one of Dayton’s first streetcar suburbs when W.P. Huffman and H.S. Williams built the Dayton Street Railway which linked the area to downtown. Commercial ventures sprang up along the rail line and more residential development followed.
African-Americans began moving to Dayton’s west side in the 1870s. An 1880 census reveals that most of the residents were white, with a few black families living south of Fifth Street. Most of the residents were natives of Ohio and Kentucky, and predominantly members of the working class. By the turn of the century many African American families built or bought homes in the area around Mound and Horace Streets. Proximity to Dayton’s central business district provided easy access to places of employment, and by about 1900 the area was home to a well-established residential community.
The period around World War I saw a shift in the population of the area. A widespread movement of African-Americans from the south to the industrial north coupled with housing segregation brought many black residents to West Dayton. Churches and other institutions were established to address this population’s social and religious needs. The flood of 1913 also had an impact, as it reached past Broadway and heavily damaged both residential and commercial structures in the area.
From the 1920s through the early 1960s, the area became a vibrant center of residential, commercial, and social life for African Americans. Initially, black homes and businesses were located near West Fifth Street while Hungarian families and businesses were found on West Third Street. As the African-American population grew, the West Fifth and West Third Street commercial districts became the heart of black life in Dayton. In the 1930s, more than sixty diverse businesses and organizations served the community which was by far Dayton’s largest African-American neighborhood.
Today, thanks to government, philanthropic, and private investment, Wright-Dunbar Village is a thriving and beautiful residential area with renovated historic homes and historically sensitive infill construction built on previously empty lots. As you tour the neighborhood, you’ll be able to see how the newer, infill homes contribute to the historic streetscape with ground plans and architectural styles similar to those of the late 1800s and early 1900s.
Please begin your tour of the Wright-Dunbar Village at the Dayton Cultural RTA Transit Center located at 40 Edwin C. Moses Boulevard. ⋆
↓ Click this box with the arrow to see the details of each property.
Before the 1840s most of the land in this area of Dayton consisted of scattered farmsteads surrounding a tiny commercial district along West Third Street, known as “Mexico.” The area began developing around 1845 when the first lots were recorded. The small amount of frontage on the lots predetermined the area for residential development. The size of the lots also attracted a working-class population who built modest, unassuming houses.
The area remained largely undeveloped until well after the Civil War. In 1869, West Third Street became one of Dayton’s first streetcar suburbs when W.P. Huffman and H.S. Williams built the Dayton Street Railway which linked the area to downtown. Commercial ventures sprang up along the rail line and more residential development followed.
African-Americans began moving to Dayton’s west side in the 1870s. An 1880 census reveals that most of the residents were white, with a few black families living south of Fifth Street. Most of the residents were natives of Ohio and Kentucky, and predominantly members of the working class. By the turn of the century many African American families built or bought homes in the area around Mound and Horace Streets. Proximity to Dayton’s central business district provided easy access to places of employment, and by about 1900 the area was home to a well-established residential community.
The period around World War I saw a shift in the population of the area. A widespread movement of African-Americans from the south to the industrial north coupled with housing segregation brought many black residents to West Dayton. Churches and other institutions were established to address this population’s social and religious needs. The flood of 1913 also had an impact, as it reached past Broadway and heavily damaged both residential and commercial structures in the area.
From the 1920s through the early 1960s, the area became a vibrant center of residential, commercial, and social life for African Americans. Initially, black homes and businesses were located near West Fifth Street while Hungarian families and businesses were found on West Third Street. As the African-American population grew, the West Fifth and West Third Street commercial districts became the heart of black life in Dayton. In the 1930s, more than sixty diverse businesses and organizations served the community which was by far Dayton’s largest African-American neighborhood.
Today, thanks to government, philanthropic, and private investment, Wright-Dunbar Village is a thriving and beautiful residential area with renovated historic homes and historically sensitive infill construction built on previously empty lots. As you tour the neighborhood, you’ll be able to see how the newer, infill homes contribute to the historic streetscape with ground plans and architectural styles similar to those of the late 1800s and early 1900s.
Please begin your tour of the Wright-Dunbar Village at the Dayton Cultural RTA Transit Center located at 40 Edwin C. Moses Boulevard. ⋆
↓ Click this box with the arrow to see the details of each property.