DAYTON
From Miamisburg, enter Dayton via SR 741 and Carillon Park, or cross to the opposite bank of the river to take in SunWatch Village enroute. Otherwise, Dayton is easily accessed from I-70 or I-75.
Calvary Cemetery, Dayton
Clifton Mill
Calvary Cemetery and Earthworks:The large Catholic cemetery off of South Patterson Boulevard, about three miles south of downtown Dayton, occupies the site of the hilltop earthwork shown in Squier and Davis’s Plate VIII, Number 4. From among the beautiful rolling drives and monuments in the northern section, along St. Joseph Drive, glimpses and now-obscured trails into the woods lead to remnants of the northern walls along the steeply rolling bluff-top. Enter behind the Nash Obelisk, past a huge Burr Oak to explore. Interpreting the early drawing, the earthwork apparently encircled much of the modern cemetery. Below, and reachable by car, is the Carillon Historical Park, a collection of early settlement structures and exhibits including Newcom’s Tavern (Dayton’s oldest, from 1796), plus the original Wright Flyer III of 1905. The staff at Carillon Park are preparing trails (from below) to the surviving remnants of the earthwork.
SunWatch Village Archaeological Park: SunWatch is a National Historic Landmark, and through reconstructions as well as museum exhibits a visit to the site gives an excellent idea of Indian town life in the last centuries before European contact, when the so-called “Fort Ancient” culture occupied the central Ohio River Valley (from what is now southeastern Indiana east to modern day West Virginia) and practiced intensive farming. Several houses and poles are re-erected on the 800-year-old remains, based on exact post mold locations discovered during archaeological investigations. The quality of the houses, with their wattle and daub walls and thick thatched roofs, suggest a remarkable level of comfort. The modern name “SunWatch” is derived from the relationships among pole locations, certain house doorways, and the positions of shadows cast by the rising sun at different times of the year, apparently the society’s way of marking out a calendar for agricultural and ceremonial purposes. Native American events, gatherings, and ceremonies are still held regularly at SunWatch.
SunWatch Village
Dayton Aviation:Using the Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park (16 South Williams Street, 45402) as a point of orientation, it is possible to visit four important sites commemorating the legacy of local bicycle makers and flight pioneers Orville and Wilbur Wright: the Wright Cycle Company complex, the Wright Brothers Aviation Center at Carillon Park (also mentioned above), the Huffman Prairie Flying Field and Interpretive Center on Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, and the Paul Laurence Dunbar House. Also at the Air Force Base is the National Museum of the United States Air Force.
Yellow Springs and Clifton Gorge:Home to Antioch College, an impressive cultural life, and a lively village center, Yellow Springs is a former spa, and today serves as a good point of departure for Glen Helen Park, John Bryan State Park, and Clifton Gorge. These offer excellent recreational opportunities including hiking and bike trails, a covered bridge, and a mound. Clifton Gorge is especially spectacular: its steep canyon cliffs, rushing waterfalls, and hiking trails are reached from South Jackson Street in the tiny village of Clifton (4 miles east of Yellow Springs), and hidden by towering 300-year-old trees. The 110-foot, sheer-rock gorge was once named by National Geographic as one of the nation's 50 most beautiful places. Adjacent to the gorge is the historic Clifton Mill, among America’s oldest and largest water-powered grist mills. One of several industrial operations built in the early 1800s to take advantage of the gorge’s rushing water, the mill is now home to the Millrace Restaurant.
Clifton Mill-front
Eating and Sleeping:The Winds Café in Yellow Springs is a casual fine dining restaurant with a seasonal menu and frequent special events (937 767 1144); Ye Olde Trail Tavern is nearby, occupying the oldest building in the village (937 767 7448). The Mill Race Restaurant in the old Clifton Mill serves home-cooked pastries, breakfasts, and lunches, including that regional specialty of Indian origin, cornmeal mush (937 767 5501). Dayton’s historic Oregon District (south of Fifth Street between Patterson and Wayne, dating to 1829) has many eateries, notably Jay’s Seafood Restaurant at 225 East Sixth Street (937 222 7547). Rooms are available at the nearby Inn Port Guesthouse at 137-9 Brown Street (937 224 7678).
SunWatch Village Archaeological Park: SunWatch is a National Historic Landmark, and through reconstructions as well as museum exhibits a visit to the site gives an excellent idea of Indian town life in the last centuries before European contact, when the so-called “Fort Ancient” culture occupied the central Ohio River Valley (from what is now southeastern Indiana east to modern day West Virginia) and practiced intensive farming. Several houses and poles are re-erected on the 800-year-old remains, based on exact post mold locations discovered during archaeological investigations. The quality of the houses, with their wattle and daub walls and thick thatched roofs, suggest a remarkable level of comfort. The modern name “SunWatch” is derived from the relationships among pole locations, certain house doorways, and the positions of shadows cast by the rising sun at different times of the year, apparently the society’s way of marking out a calendar for agricultural and ceremonial purposes. Native American events, gatherings, and ceremonies are still held regularly at SunWatch.