Dayton is home to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, the U.S. Air Force Research Labs and the center for Air Force acquisitions.
At the turn of the 20th century. Dayton had more inventions per capita than any other city in the U.S. Dayton inventions range from the airplane, the cash register, Freon and the electric car starter to the pop-top can and the ice cube tray.
The National Museum of the U.S. Air Force is the world’s largest and oldest military aviation museum and Ohio’s most-visited free tourist attraction. The Museum has four hangars, and 19 acres of enclosed exhibit space featuring over 360 aerospace vehicles. You can board and tour four of nine Presidential Airplanes including the plane (SAM26000) that flew J.F.K.'s body back from Dallas and on which Lyndon Johnson was sworn in as President. See the spectacular Memphis Belle, enjoy flight simulators, a NASA Space Shuttle you can board and tour, STEM challenge centers, an incredible gift shop, the Air Force Theatre showing movies each day on an 80' x 60' screen, or the museum's cafeteria.
Dayton is the home to funk music and bands such as The Ohio Players.
Dayton has a National Park!—The Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park, a must-see Dayton attraction, celebrates the ingenuity and innovation of three exceptional Dayton residents and childhood friends: Wilbur Wright, Orville Wright and Paul Laurence Dunbar.
Dayton was designated by the Governor as the state’s Aerospace Hub.
The Dayton Dragons (Class-A affiliate to Cincinnati Reds) hold the record for the most consecutive sold out games of ANY professional sports team in the nation (in 2011 they beat the Portland Trailblazers) and they’re still playing to sell-out crowds.
Business Travel News Corporate Travel Index consistently ranks Dayton as more affordable than 90% of top 100 US cities.
Delicious Esther Price candies and Mikesells Potato chips are made in Dayton.
“You’re Fired” is not a Donald Trump line—it was coined by John Patterson, former President of National Cash Register who put employees desks on the lawn and burned them to let them know they had lost their job/were fired!
Patterson developed the nation’s first sales training schools and was a pioneer of employee wellness initiatives such as factories with windows, cafeterias, on-site recreational parks and more.
The Great Flood of 1913 lead to the formation of the Miami Conservancy District and the development of a dam and levee system that has been mirrored across the nation. Efforts following the flood were the predecessor to FEMA.
Dayton was named as the Queerest City by Advocate magazine in 2015.
A few famous Daytonians—-Martin Sheen, Allison Janney, Erma Bombeck, Jonathon Winters, Rob Lowe, Mike Schmidt, Phil Donahue
The Great Miami River runs through downtown Dayton. The world’s largest river-based fountain is located in downtown Dayton.
History/Heritage
Dayton is the Birthplace of Aviation. Wilbur & Orville Wright grew up, lived and died in Dayton, Ohio. They developed and built their first planes in Dayton and opened the first plane factory and flight school in Dayton. Dayton has a larger assortment of unique and authentic aviation sites than another place in the world.
See an original Wright Brother’s Wright Flyer III airplane at Carillon Historical Park. This is the only plane to be recognized as a National Historic Landmark. Orville Wright himself oversaw the installation and designed the display of the aircraft.
Dayton has been recognized as an All-American City and a Preserve America City.
The first recognized African-American Poet-Laureate Paul Laurence Dunbar lived life in Dayton. His home/museum is one of four components in the Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park and is also a state memorial.
Visit SunWatch Indian Village—a reconstructed village along the banks of the Great Miami River that was home to the Fort Ancient Indians some 800 years ago.
The Dayton VA was the first VA center in the US and potential new home for the national VA archives Carillon Historical Park –65 acre outdoor park/museum with 26+ buildings/sites telling Dayton & Ohio industrial and aviation heritage.
