Before it was named Dayton, it was Brooklyn and Jamestown, 1859 from Williams Directory of Cincinnati, 1859	Jamestown, before, c. 1855

...or, colloquially, also known as Jimtown.

 

Cincinnati Commercial Tribune, May 5, 1849

The Old Cottonwood Tree
It was at the s.w. corner of Sixth & McKinney.  Note the size of the two boys in this picture.	“Dear Mrs. Hauser, This is a picture of our old Cotton Wood tree is said to be over one hundred yrs old hope you like it as well as the pumpkins.”	Another view of the Cottonwood Photo by William Brengelman	From a Facebook post by Cam Miller
A hundred years ago, this cottonwood tree was a notable Dayton landmark.  A few more words on the Cottonwood are here. 100 years ago, Dayton residents were serious about this tree.

 

Random Group of Dayton Boys, circa 1910	The sixth birthday of Dorothy Parrotts, who has the doll, on August 21, 1909.	Somewhere in Dayton, October, 1918

 

This is Edna Mae Truesdale, on the Belmont Hill, overlooking Dayton
from a Facebook posting on the page of Old Photos of Northern Kentucky

Klan burns a cross in Dayton in 1925.

Congressman gets Dayton cannons from the US Army Rock Island Arsenal.
Dayton is excited. Then they discover the shipping cost.

The City of Dayton is born	Northern Kentucky Gun Club, 1914	Grandpa Lange
Dayton's Harry Vaughan	Dayton Bicycle Club	Explosion averted. Details
These six newspaper items are from the research of Tammy Cornett, posted on Facebook.

Virginia Marquette at the C&O Depot, August, 1955
8th and Berry

The little Depot in Dayton
From a Facebook post by Sarah Capal. That's Frank Capal in the picture.

 

A “depot” at Dayton on the C & O Railroad	The Gowell Club, 1915  The ad is from the back of the card

 

The Newport and Dayton Street Railway operated a line along Fairfield from the L&N Bridge east into Dayton. The image is from before 1887, when the company was sold to South Covington and Cincinnati Street Railway, and 1870, when the company began. From a Facebook post by Tom Poe

Dayton Fire Department, 1898	Dayton Fire Truck, 1916	Dayton Fire Department, 1941 Key to who's in the picture, here.

 

Dayton Fire Truck
From a Facebook post by Tammy Cornett

Thomas Satterwhite Noble said this painting was a scene in Dayton, Kentucky

 

“A vote for the merger of the communities was a landslide with the community Brooklyn voting 51-6 in favor, and Jamestown voting 97-5 in favor also. Suggested names for the new city included Crescent, Berryville, North Point & Campbleton among others. A newspaper account in 1866 stated the name selected was “Dayton” after Dayton, OH that was founded in 1803.”  -   www.northern-kentucky.com

“Dayton- The citizens of Jamestown and Brooklyn, which places were recently, by a vote of the people consolidated, have named their town “Dayton.” A contract has been given out by the trustees for grading and paving the wharf in front of the place. Success to Dayton, Ky. We predict at some future date she will rival the beautiful city in Ohio after which she was named.” Cincinnati Daily Enquirer, July 4, 1866

The Acts of the Kentucky Legislature to merge Brooklyn and Jamestown, forming Dayton, from March 9, 1867, are here, and amended (pdf) two years later. There were previous Acts, establishing Jamestown (1848), and Brooklyn (1849). The 1871 Act defining Dayton's city limits is here.

Charlie Tharp speaks on the History of Dayton
Nobody knew Dayton history better. 58 minutes.

 

1883 Map of Northern Campbell County	This map of Dayton is mid to late 1800's (note the sand bar)

Earl William Murray, whose NFL record can be seen at this site. From a Facebook post by Tammy Cornett

 

Dayton's Jesse Tannehill's major league record can be found here. He had a no hitter, six 20 game winning seasons, and is one of the few major league pitchers to ever steal home. His obituary.			Jesse's brother Lee Tannehill was also a major  leaguer, and his record is here.
Other Major League Baseball Players from Dayton: Bill “Shang” Kissinger, whose record is here. John “Chick” Smith's major league record is here. Todd Benzinger's major league record is here.

The Casino's, likely a semi-pro team from Dayton
From a Facebook post by Reggie Glaser

The most famous sports star to live in Dayton was likely former  UCLA basketball
coach John Wooden.  Lonnie Wheeler's story from the Kentucky Post is here.  (pdf)

 

It says here that a Dayton man can make gold.	Hangover's cause city council to postpone meeting.
Feud breaks out in Dayton and Bellevue. Five Shot.	Man scalped in Dayton.
The Enquirer ran a feature story on Dayton in 1883.	Dayton banker pasted by IRS agent.
Origins of the name Dayton, here.	A brief piece on the Dayton Centennial from 1950.  Here. (pdf)
In 1911, the Dayton Men's Club had a contest, for school kids, to come up with a slogan for the city.  Entrants are here. They're a hoot.	History of the Dayton's Women's Club is here.
“The disgusting spectacle of drunken women was witnessed in the city yesterday afternoon.  Two women, moderately well dressed, came over here from Cincinnati and promenaded one or two of the prominent streets and then staggered to a street car at the corner of Third and Clay streets and were taken back as far as Newport.  To the credit of Dayton, it can be said they were strangers, supposed to hail from Newport, or Covington.”  from the Kentucky Journal of Sept. 16, 1891.
A few statistics on the City of Dayton's revenues during the depression are here.