A significant portion of my mother's family settled in Ohio, particularly from the vicinity of Dayton. During the summer vacations, as a child we would travel back to Ohio to visit and I always enjoyed it there, as it offered a unique culture distinct from that of the San Francisco Bay Area. Most of Ohio's early settlers migrated from Pennsylvania and the northeast colonies.
I don't know much about Ohio, but I do know that my great-grandparents lost their home during the Great Dayton Flood of 1913. I have a keepsake that was passed down to me from that flood - a china doll head that they were able to salvage, along with some water-damaged photos. Luckily, my great-great-aunt Margaret had duplicates of many of the old family photos they had taken.
Dayton used to be a significant manufacturing city with magnificent buildings that were as impressive as those in Detroit or New York City, although on a smaller scale. Its downtown area was bustling, and it was commonly referred to as "Little Detroit" because it was one of the Midwest's manufacturing hubs. Additionally, Dayton was known as "the birthplace of aviation." At that time, Dayton and its surrounding areas had several advantages going for it.
My mom grew up in the city, so when my dad (a country boy) and she got together, it presented some challenges. Dad always wanted to escape the hustle and bustle of city life, while Mom preferred to be in the thick of it. Even when we lived in San Francisco, Mom was in her element, and Dad was always looking for ways to get us out of there.
I visited Dayton several years ago to research my mom's family tree. Despite some concerns from my Ohio cousins, I consider myself street-smart. Although the abandoned manufacturing plants and empty parking lots were a depressing sight, I visited cemeteries and stayed at Wright Patterson AFB during my trip. At that time, and even back in 1971 - it was not a safe place to be. I doubt very much if I will ever go back.
On my way back from California, I couldn't help but think about what my ancestors would say if they could see this once-thriving and innovative city that they worked so hard to build. During its heyday, Dayton was a shining example of progress, but now it has fallen into a state of rapid decline, with a struggling economy to match.
I'm glad you have picture duplicates. That's quite the flood which happened the year my dad was born. What a shame that a thriving city would now be so destitute.
ReplyDeleteIt is sad how they let so much just waste away. I know it is cheaper to just develop some open space than it is to rebuild some of these older spaces.
ReplyDeleteI'm surprised and not surprised about the area around Wright Patterson being dangerous. Where I grew up, the base influenced the unsavory sorts to desire to live elsewhere. It was a security measure. I'm surprised that Wright Patterson did not do the same. I'm not surprised in that there is a denser population and it is the rust belt.
I know what you mean about the demise of manufacturing towns. My parents' upstate New York hometowns are shadows of their former selves, as is the town where I grew up. Good for you for making the research trip before more of the past disappears.
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean about the demise of manufacturing towns. My parents' upstate New York hometowns are shadows of their former selves, as is the town where I grew up. Good for you for making the research trip before more of the past disappears.
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