Rabbit Run Cottage: Dayton

Recently our little family was able to be part of the welcome

home festivities for an area Honor Flight. If you have yet to hear about

this amazing group, here is the mission statement

from our Dayton, Ohio chapter:

"Honor Flight Dayton’s mission is to take veterans of WW II,

Korean, and the Vietnam War (s) and terminally-ill veterans

of any armed conflict to see their national memorials in

Washington,D.C. These trips are provided at no cost to

all qualified veterans which includes airfare, bus

transportation while in D.C., meals, tee-shirts, and disposable cameras.

In addition to escorting WWII, Korean, Vietnam, and terminally-ill

War Veterans from any war to Washington, DC, Honor Flight

Dayton also proudly honors (1) deceased Veterans who

never saw their memorials and (2) living Veterans who may never be

able to see their memorials. We accomplish this at the memorials by

conducting a ceremony that is referred to as Honoring Yesterday’s Heroes.

It is our desire to show the respect so richly deserved to the Veterans

who fall into these categories.

For those who would like to participate in this program, Honor Flight Dayton

requests a 5 x 7 photo of the Veteran, preferably while in the service. As part

of the ceremony, we will photograph an American flag along with the

Veteran’s picture

at the appropriate memorial(s).

After the trip, the family will receive an 8 x 10 color photo and a certificate

from Honor Flight Dayton honoring their Veteran. The original photo will

also be returned at this time. There is no charge for participating in this

program;

this is Honor Flight Dayton’s way of showing our respect and appreciation to our

Veterans in these categories."

This wonderful family was there to welcome home

a special man...he was one of my father's best friends on

the Dayton Fire Department. In my book, he is a two time hero!

WW II and a Fire Fighter!

My Mom and brother Jim

Bill and Grace

God Bless our veterans!

Hugs,

Susie Q

We began our Spring walk at Carillon Historical Park. The park invites you to

sample Dayton’s rich heritage of creativity and invention! Founded by

Colonel Edward and Edith Deeds, the Park is situated on a beautiful 65-acre

tact of land between the Great Miami River and a glacial moraine.

The Park immerses you in the region's history - from Dayton's founding

in 1796 through two centuries of expansion, industrialism and innovation.

Learn about these revolutionary achievements while strolling through the

Park's 25 historical buildings and interacting with the hundreds

of artifacts in our exhibits.

Where else can you see the original 1905 Wright Flyer III, the world's first

practical airplane and National Historic Landmark,

the 1835 B&O (Grasshopper)

steam locomotive, and the first automobile self-starter?

The William Morris House - 1815 stone cottage built in what is now

Centerville (a suburb of Dayton).

Newcom Tavern, also known as the "Old Cabin", is a historic structure in

Dayton, Ohio. It was built in 1796 by Colonel George Newcom,

one of the first settlers in Dayton. The Newcom Tavern, was

the first structure in the Dayton area.

The size of the cabin was doubled two years after it was built and it

served as Dayton's first school, first church, courthouse, council chamber

and store. It was best known as a crossroads tavern.

The Carillon...The park is named for the 151-foot-tall Deeds Carillon.

The carillon tower was built in 1942.

Today, with 57 bells, the carillon is Ohio’s largest.

Carillon Park refurbished the carillon in 1988, converting it

from an electric keyboard controlled instrument to a traditional,

baton-keyboard mechanical carillon. It is one of the gems of Dayton!

We then headed to Oakwood, just a stone's throw from Dayton, to walk around Hawthorne Hill.

Hawthorn Hill, the Oakwood mansion that Orville Wright called home for nearly 35 years,

The building itself has had a long and colorful history of hosting distinguished visitors. Charles A. Lindbergh,

internationally acclaimed for his 1927 solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean, was invited to visit in June of that

year on his return flight home to St. Louis. During his visit with Orville, throngs of people gathered on the

lawns of the house, hoping for an impromptu view of this newest American hero. The unruly crowd

dispersed only after Lindbergh and Orville appeared together on the front portico balcony for a few short

minutes. Several years later, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and former Ohio Governor James

Middleton Cox stopped at Hawthorn Hill to pick up Orville for a joint visit to Wright Field.

Even after Orville’s death in 1948, the mansion continued to welcome individuals from across the country

and around the world. When efforts to find an individual to purchase the home failed, the executors of

Orville’s estate listed the property on the real estate market. The National Cash Register Company, at the

direction of executives Colonel Edward Deeds and Stanley Allyn, decided to purchase the property on the

very day that the “For Sale” sign was placed in the yard. NCR meticulously cared for the home during its

nearly 60 years of service as a corporate guest house. The company returned the property to the Wright

family in 2006. Now the grand home is available for tours and open to anyone!

I hope you have enjoyed our little walk today and learned a bit about
the history of my hometown!

Warmly,