Dr. Kathy Rowell, vice-chair of the Museum’s board, will be presenting information on the treatment of undocumented children at the U.S./ Mexican border. In recent years, over 100,000 children have been detained for crossing into the United States without documentation. Many of these children spend time in detention centers at the border. She will discuss lessons learned from a recent conference and trip to the U.S./Mexican Border. As part of the presentation, participants will watch segments of the documentary “WHICH WAY HOME.” This film documents the terrible journey facing children who often try to come to the United States to escape violence and poverty in their home communities. We will conclude the session with a visit to the Immigration Exhibit featured in the Museum.
Downtown Dayton
District Day
On Saturday, August 26, the Oregon District Business Association is putting on its second annual District Day event. The free, family-friendly event will begin at 1:00 pm and end at 6:00 pm. Start (or finish) your adventure at the Bier Garden at Fifth and Pine streets and explore the businesses of the Oregon District.
District Day is a chance for people to enjoy the vibrancy of the Historic Oregon District by sampling food from participating restaurants, browsing through retailer’s sidewalk sales, and enjoying live music from local bands and DJs, sponsored by WYSO. There is no admission to participate in activities, but bring cash for the bier garden or if you’d like to patronize one of the District businesses! (Most merchants and restaurants accept major credit cards.)
This year, the event will feature:
- a “Bier Garden” set up with a beer truck serving local beer
- three live funk bands
- dance performances
- WYSO’s Basim Blunt as emcee
- face painting for children, courtesy of Gem City Tattoo Club
- inflatable games
- cornhole boards and other giant games
It’s Saturday, so on-street parking at metered spaces is free! Look for the brightly colored Oregon District parking signs for more free on-street parking, or use the Transportation Center Garage or paid lots in the District for convenient, affordable options.
National Aviation Heritage Alliance Annual Meeting
You are invited to the 2017 Annual Meeting of the National Aviation Heritage Alliance to help us honor our aviation heritage award recipients and learn about the work of the Alliance partners.
When: 22 August 2017
Time: 3-5 p.m.
Where: Dayton Metro Library’s Main Branch, 2nd Floor Community Room, 215 E. Third Street, Dayton OH
Parking: Main Branch Garage (accessible from St. Clair Street) as well as metered on-street spaces
The meeting is open to the public, so you may invite friends and guests to join you at this event and RSVP is not required. For additional information, feel free to email [email protected].
Four Freshmen Concert
From the moment they step on stage, The Four Freshmen will get your heart pounding and your feet moving. With pure energy and great songs from the past and the present, the Freshmen deliver a world of music that will send some listeners back to the bygone era of their youth, while introducing others to a brand of vocal harmony entertainment that is surely to leave them wondering “Why haven’t I gone to see them earlier?” One thing is for sure: when you go to a Four Freshmen concert, you will not forget it.
Date:
August 18 & 19th, 2017.
Time:
5:30p – 7:00p Meet & Greet
7:00p Dinner & Show
Dayton Bar Stars – Jerrod Claytor
The staff at The Century with their 2017 Summer cocktail menu.
The list of reasons that the Century Bar is one of the best bourbon bars in the country is a long one. It starts with the well-curated whiskey collection, brought together by the staff over the years. Everything from daily sippers to rare bottles saved for special occasions. Once that was assembled, they began a cocktail program that is one of the best in the city. Not only are they making specialty cocktails, they are making the syrups, shrubs, and bitters that go in it. They are doing the research to revive some of the classic, lesser known libations and creating some modern delights. They use local ingredients and spirits when they are able, building an impressive library of recipes. Even the atmosphere feels like you have stepped out of Dayton and into a little pocket where time stopped just before Prohibition. The back bar is over 150 years old, and has been sitting in that building for the last eighty years.
The most important differentiator, however, is the staff. Joe Head, co-owner of this fine establishment, has established a system that makes sure the bartenders employed there know more about liquor and cocktails than anyone walking through that door. They can tell you the history of any of the bottles they grab off that elegant back bar, right down to the best way to enjoy it. It is possible they can discuss the actual tree the barrel was made from. One of these bartenders, Jerrod Claytor, knows as much as anyone else about what is going on behind that bar.
Jerrod Claytor of The Century Bar
Jerrod, like many bartenders, followed a wandering path to get to be in one of the more coveted bartender gigs in Dayton. He started off working towards a job in the finance sector, filled with its own unique perils. When he discovered that was not the right fit for him, he started to explore other career options in the Miami Valley. When the Century made its transition from a dive bar to a bourbon house, Jerrod was one of the first people they brought in to help with their expanded hours and new direction. He has been part of this new chapter since almost day one, and it looks like he is going to be there for a long time.
How did you get into bartending?
I started serving and bartending 15 years ago after college. Frankly, it gave me an opportunity to meet lots of people, make fair money, and have the freedom to pursue other endeavors. It wasn’t, yet, a career choice. The more experienced I gained (at one point I worked at four locations) and more responsibilities I was given, I realized this path was apt for me and my personality. I now feel both incredibly fortunate and comfortable to be working alongside such professional people who’ve walked this path with me. Not too many people can say they work with their family and best friends in a nationally recognized bar.
What is your favorite drink to make?
Well-executed classics are great. I am always happy making a simple old-fashioned. It’s a no-fail and for some, a gateway to bourbon and whiskey (my love). I make Manhattans mostly at home.
Which drink makes you internally cringe?
I honestly love cocktails and drink just about anything myself, so I don’t discriminate. I suppose I may internally roll my eyes when folks still order chilled shots or shot backs. Just seems unnecessary.
In his favorite environment with his favorite spirits.
Do you have a favorite spirit you like to work with?
Aside from bourbon and whiskey, I really find cognacs, brandies, and their variations highly versatile and tasty.
When you go out for a drink in Dayton, where is your favorite place to go?
Breweries, restaurants, etc. I really enjoy quiet afternoons on days off at small family bars.
Who is the most famous person you have served?
I served Arlo Guthrie once. I thought that was pretty cool. I had a room full of astronauts including every one of the first moon-landers. I still get goosebumps when I think of that. Surprisingly, the nicest celebrities I’ve served were Donahue and Arnold Palmer.
What do you do when you are not bartending?
Relaxing, cooking, backpacking, cycling, pseudo art projects, and of course, drinking.
What are your favorite trends from the last year?
The emergence of more high-end rums, mezcals, and the continuing validity of handmade or fresh ingredients in bars and restaurants.
Sometimes he travels outside of the bar…
What trends do you see coming to Dayton over the next six months?
More availability of unique whiskey blend and finishes, along with Eurasian malts (Americans curiosity is swiftly fueling these).
What advice do you want to give bartenders just getting into the business?
Be patient, pay your dues, and work hard. Never sit on your hands, keep your mind open and continually learn. Of course, take pride in your work. Oh, don’t make it snooty either.
What do you love most about Dayton?
Dayton is culturally my kind of city – historically and philosophically. It fits my personality. I transplanted here over 20 years ago and it’s always felt like home.
How you normally see Jerrod; a blur and a cocktail in front of you.
Most interesting thing you have seen from behind the bar?
Nakedness.
How has bartending changed in the time you have been in the industry?
Generally, the refocus on quality spirits and ingredients as opposed to synthetic and faux martinis. I think it’s mostly an extension of this generation’s ability to eat better. They also want to drink better!
What do you wish customers knew that helped you do your job?
There’s really no need to start a tab for one drink.
If you were not a bartender, what career would you be pursuing?
Something with plants. Maybe I’d have a greenhouse or something. Don’t really know. I never liked jobs.
Luminaries of Dayton: The Dog as a Cemetery Symbol
The dog symbolizes loyalty, fidelity, watchfulness and vigilance.
The most famous dog at Woodland is the one found atop the monument of Johnny Morehouse, one of the most well-known and visited monuments at Woodland.
There are more than one hundred thousand of Dayton’s finest citizens buried at Woodland Cemetery, but no tombstone or monument commands as much respect and attention as “The Boy & Dog.”
The monument, with 5 year old Johnny and his large canine friend, has been at Woodland for over 155 years. The stone is still in excellent condition. A number of years ago, a large tree nearby fell during a storm and knocked the head off the dog. It was quite an undertaking but the head was re-attached by then Woodland horticulturist, Jim Sandegren, and the monument was once again, as good as new.
For visitor attraction, perhaps the “Boy & Dog” has caused more tears and aroused more interest than any other at the cemetery. The monument, faithful in detail, shows Johnny’s top and his ball, his mouth harp and his little cap. On the base of the monument is the inscription, “In Slumber Sweet.” The monument stands about five feet high, has the dog, perhaps an Irish setter, watching over his sleeping master and Johnny’s head is gently resting against the body of his pet.
Little Johnny Morehouse lived at the SW corner of East Third and June Streets. The truth concerning the death of Johnny and his pet are not known. Two accounts have been speculated. One account speaks to how Johnny, who was five years old, had fallen into the river and the dog jumped in and saved his little master’s life by pulling him from the river. Walter W. Morehouse, a relative of the little boy, and former Director of the City Water Department, believed that the story was true, at least that he always heard it was true. The second account, whether truth or legend cannot be said, is that the boy was drowning and the dog also perished trying to save him, and that the ball, jacks, toy top and the and the mouth harp that are represented on the stone in granite, supposedly were in the boy’s pockets when he was recovered from the water. Investigators trying to trace the truth of this legend, in spite of their detailed search, have found no evidence to support either account. Friends of the family interviewed during the later 1890s say merely that the monument only symbolizes the deep love between the child and his pet. Johnny Morehouse died on August 14, 1860 at five years of age. He is located in Section 82 Lot 546.
Another story passed down is that the dog, still faithful to his master, would come to the cemetery and lay at the grave site of Johnny. Local artist and sculptor, Daniel La Dow, who is also buried at Woodland was the creator of the beautiful and peaceful monument. Many people who come to visit “The Boy & Dog” bring a gift for both Johnny and his canine friend such as small toys, pennies, candy and even biscuits for the dog.
Woodland Cemetery, founded in 1841, is one of the nation’s oldest rural garden cemeteries and a unique cultural, botanical and educational resource in the heart of Dayton, Ohio. Visit the cemetery and arboretum and take one of the many tours Woodland offers free of charge. Most of Dayton’s aviation heroes, inventors and business barons are buried at Woodland.
Woodland Cemetery and Arboretum is located at 118 Woodland Avenue off of Brown Street near the University of Dayton Campus. The Woodland Office is open Monday through Friday 8 am to 5 pm and Saturday 8 am to 12 pm. The Cemetery and Arboretum are open daily from 8 am to 6 pm. The Mausoleum is open daily from 9 am to 5 pm. For more information, call 937-228-3221 or visit the Woodland Cemetery and Arboretum website.
Luminaries of Dayton: Frederick Olt
Frederick Olt was born in Dayton on September 25, 1874. He was the son of John and Philipena (Linxweiler) Olt. After becoming a partner in the butchering business with his father, Fred decided that office work was more to his suiting and obtained employment with the Schantz Brewery as a bookkeeper. Frederick’s sister, Mary, was married to Adam Schantz. In 1904, he advanced to the position of cashier and in 1906, he decided to go into the brewery business with his brothers and started the Olt Brothers Brewing Company. Mr. Olt married Laura H. Greve on April 6, 1902.
Fred Olt died August 28, 1958 at the age of 83. He is located in Section 101 Lot 2712.
Woodland Cemetery, founded in 1841, is one of the nation’s five oldest rural garden cemeteries and a unique cultural, botanical and educational resource in the heart of Dayton, Ohio as you will see as you read through this new MostMetro.com series. Visit the cemetery and arboretum and take one of the many tours Woodland offers free of charge. Most of Dayton’s aviation heroes, inventors and business barons are buried at Woodland.
Woodland Cemetery and Arboretum is located at 118 Woodland Avenue off of Brown Street near the UD Campus. The Woodland Office is open Monday through Friday 8 am to 5 pm and Saturday 8 am to 12 pm. The Cemetery and Arboretum are open daily from 8 am to 6 pm. The Mausoleum is open daily from 9 am to 5 pm. For more information, call 937-228-3221 or visit the Woodland website.
Luminaries of Dayton: Leaving Pennies on a Grave
There are many traditions that involve placing objects, specifically money, on graves. These traditions are usually regional or customary practices and do not necessarily have religious connotations.
Large amounts of pennies which are thrown onto Benjamin Franklin’s grave by visitors each day are a symbol of good luck, and a nod to Franklin’s motto that “a penny saved is a penny earned.”
Some people hold to the tradition of leaving something of yourself when visiting a grave. If nothing else, a coin from your pocket serves as a marker of the passage and your esteem for the departed. It also signifies to any that pass by that the grave was visited and that the deceased is well loved and esteemed and has not been abandoned or forgotten. Coins are also an older form of leaving flowers, a practice prompted by the heavy Romanticism of the Victorian era.
Some believe that to leave a coin on a grave brings good luck. Students in some areas are known to leave pennies on the graves of their school’s founder in the hopes of good luck with exams. 
Some are, perhaps unwittingly, mimicking the ancient tradition where gold coins were buried with the corpse in order to pay the toll charged by Charon, the boatman of the Underworld, for passage to the other side of the river Styx. It was considered sinful not to leave this toll with the dead as it would condemn them to forever wander the shores without end.
It is an old tradition to leave a penny at the grave site of a loved one as a gesture of deep love and understanding. Some coins have distinct meanings when left on the headstones of those who gave their life while serving in America’s military, and these meanings vary depending on the denomination of coin.
A coin left on a tombstone or at the grave site is meant as a message to the deceased soldier’s family that
someone else has visited the grave to pay respect.
Leaving a penny at the grave means simply that you visited. A nickel indicates that you and the deceased trained at boot camp together, while a dime means you served with him in some capacity. By leaving a quarter at the grave, you are telling the family that you were with the solider when he was killed.
In the United States, this practice became common during the Vietnam War, due to the political divide in the country over the war; leaving a coin was seen as a more practical way to communicate that you had visited the grave than contacting the soldier’s family, which could devolve into an uncomfortable argument over politics relating to the war.
No matter what type of item you leave at a grave site, it is seen by others that the person is not forgotten.
At Woodland Cemetery, you will find that the grave sites of the Wright Brothers and P
aul Laurence Dunbar receives the most coins. The coins are picked up periodically and are deposited to the Woodland Arboretum Foundation to care for the grounds and gardens of the cemetery.
Woodland Cemetery, founded in 1841, is one of the nation’s oldest rural garden cemeteries and a unique cultural, botanical and educational resource in the heart of Dayton, Ohio. Visit the cemetery and arboretum and take one of the many tours Woodland offers free of charge. Most of Dayton’s aviation heroes, inventors and business barons are buried at Woodland.
Woodland Cemetery and Arboretum is located at 118 Woodland Avenue off of Brown Street near the University of Dayton Campus. The Woodland Office is open Monday through Friday 8 am to 5 pm and Saturday 8 am to 12 pm. The Cemetery and Arboretum are open daily from 8 am to 6 pm. The Mausoleum is open daily from 9 am to 5 pm. For more information, call 937-228-3221 or visit the Woodland Cemetery and Arboretum website.
Luminaries of Dayton: The 4th of July in Dayton
Simeon Broadwell
The 4th of July in Dayton
The first Independence Day celebration in Dayton was held in 1809. The townspeople assembled on the riverbank, marched to the courthouse, sang together, listened to speeches and heard artillery salutes, and then marched again, meeting at the home of Henry Disbrow for dinner. Activities included wrestling and shooting matches, foot and horse races and dancing into the evening.
In 1810, there were 17 toasts made to mark the occasion including these memorable ones:
Toast No. 3: To “The Constitution of the United States – May its duration be as lasting as the solar system.”
Toast No. 10: To “Agriculture – May our plowshares never rust, and may hungry of nations be fed with our superabundance.”
Toast No. 11: To “Manufacturers – May our exports exceed our imports.”
At the 1815 Fourth of July celebration, Dayton women were finally welcomed to join the parade march.
In 1816, one hundred guests had dinner together, enjoyed a vocal concert at the home of William Bomberger and attended a ball at Col. David Reid’s inn.
In 1822 at dawn, Dayton awoke to the sound of church bells and cannon fire. During the parade, four Revolutionary War soldiers carried the flag – Col. Robert Patterson, Simeon Broadwell, Richard Bacon and Isaac Spining. Nineteen patriotic toasts were given that day. Six more from fellow soldiers. Isaac Spining’s toast was “May the cause that first inspired the heroes of ’76 to shake off
Isaac Spining
the chains of slavery be very dear and supported by all Americans.” And the final toast of the day was to “The heroes of the Revolution that fell to secure the blessings of this day to us: may their children so maintain them that America may be a republic on the last day of time.”
The 1837 Fourth of July celebration was dubbed the celebration that wasn’t. Billed as a grand affair, the opening of the Miami Canal at Piqua was slated for the 4th of July. More than 1,000 people waited patiently for the arrival of Gen. William Henry Harrison in the first canal boat. Neither Harrison nor the boat arrived that day as there was not enough water in the canal.
The ladies of Dayton, determined to establish an orphan asylum, held an Independence Day picnic to raise funds in 1843.
This glimpse back at these early celebrations show that they were about community, sharing and remembering the sacrifices that others made during the birth of our nation.
The Washington Monument – 1986
John Adams wrote to his wife Abigail: “The second day of July, 1776, will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more.”
Of course, the Declaration of Independence was debated in Congress and the wording revised and was finally approved two days later on July 4.
Have a Safe and Happy 4th of July!
Your friends at Woodland Cemetery and Arboretum
Woodland Cemetery, founded in 1841, is one of the nation’s five oldest rural garden cemeteries and a unique cultural, botanical and educational resource in the heart of Dayton, Ohio as you will see as you read through this new MostMetro.com series. Visit the cemetery and arboretum and take one of the many tours Woodland offers free of charge. Most of Dayton’s aviation heroes, inventors and business barons are buried at Woodland.
Woodland Cemetery and Arboretum is located at 118 Woodland Avenue off of Brown Street near the UD Campus. The Woodland Office is open Monday through Friday 8 am to 5 pm and Saturday 8 am to 12 pm. The Cemetery and Arboretum are open daily from 8 am to 6 pm. The Mausoleum is open daily from 9 am to 5 pm. For more information, call 937-228-3221 or visit the Woodland website.
‘Circus 1903’ Review – Victoria Theatre Association –Under the Big Top
In the mood to embrace the fantastical?
Step right up as the Victoria Theatre Association concludes its 2016-2017 Premier Health Broadway Series with a crowd-pleasing Midwest premiere of “Circus 1903” at the Schuster Center.
Circus 1903
A nostalgic ode to P.T. Barnum’s legacy and influence, “Circus 1903,” which premiered in Australia last year and had its American debut in Los Angeles in February, is not a play or musical. Arriving in town mere days after the 71st annual Tony Awards, the show may feel jarringly out of place to theatergoers accustomed to traditional Broadway Series programming. Nonetheless, it is a very entertaining and flashy theatrical depiction of a traveling circus, showcasing marvelous international talent fully prepared to amaze and astound with vibrant, death-defying displays under the direction of Neil Dorward (“The Illusionists”).
Act One standouts include dynamically jaw-dropping contortionist Senayet Assefa Amara (The Elastic Dislocationist) and lovely aerialist Elena Gatilova (Lucky Moon).
In the far stronger and better paced Act Two, exuberant speed juggler Francois Borie (The Great Gaston), skillful acrobats Anny Laplante and Andrei Kalesnikau (Les Incredibles), and handsome foot jugglers Alejandro and Ricardo Rossi (Fratelli Rossi) notably provide breathtaking, encore-worthy routines of astounding athleticism and showmanship.
The entire proceeding is admirably guided by the grandfatherly charm, narrative magnetism and quick wit of David Williamson as Ringmaster Willy Whipsnade. Williamson’s pleasant banter with impressionable youngsters bolsters the show’s heartwarming nature.
A show within a show
By and large, a lack of story structure is an issue and the show-within-a-show concept would be better served in a one-act format. Even so, the superb talent, mostly derived of generations of circus families from Mexico to Russia, and unique puppetry, under the direction of Mervyn Millar, are worth the price of admission. In fact, the show’s two puppet elephants are the brainchild of London-based Significant Object, the creative puppeteers behind acclaimed drama “War Horse.” Todd Edward Ivins’ eye-catching set, Angela Aaron’s attractively colorful turn of the century costumes, Paul Smith’s dazzlingly evocative lighting, and composer Evan Jolly’s dramatic score are added benefits fueling the captivating look and feel of a bygone era.
It can be argued “Circus 1903” is a programming option more inclined to suit a Las Vegas hotel than a Broadway touring house, but it’s certainly a worthwhile, family-friendly, thrill-inducing spectacle.
“Circus 1903: The Golden Age of Circus” continues through June 18 at the Schuster Center, Second and Main Streets, Dayton. Performances are Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday at 2 and 8 p.m., and Sunday at 2 and 7:30 pm. Act One: 50 minutes; Act Two: 45 minutes. Tickets are $30-$97. For tickets or more information, call Ticket Center Stage (937) 228-3630 or visit ticketcenterstage.com.
Circus 1903 flies into the Schuster Center!
