Dayton, city (2020 pop. 137,644),
seat of Montgomery co., SW Ohio, on the Great Miami River where it is joined
by the Stillwater River; inc. 1805. It is the trade center for a fertile
farm area, but is best known for its involvement with industry, invention,
and aviation. Its chief products are computers; machinery; metal, paper, and
rubber products; and transportation equipment. Printing and publishing are
also important. Dayton grew with the extension of canals (1830s and 40s) and
railroads (1850s), and with the industrial demands of the Civil War. It was
the first large city to adopt (1913) the city-manager form of government
(see city government).
It was the home of the Wright brothers,
who after their pioneering 1903 flight set up a research operation. Much of
their work is preserved in the Dayton Aviation Heritage National
Historical Park (see National Parks and Monuments,
tablenational parks and monuments,
table). Also in the park is the home of their friend the
poet Paul Laurence Dunbar. Dayton's
life for decades before the 1990s was dominated by the National Cash
Register company, which built many civic amenities. The city's institutions
include Wright State Univ., the Univ. of Dayton, and a noted art institute.
Nearby Wright-Patterson Air Force Base is a major employer.
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2024, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
See more Encyclopedia articles on: U.S. Political Geography
