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Downtown Dayton

Live music is back at The Brightside – featuring locals Gabe Maas, Mariah J, & Isicle

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On June 3rd the mask mandate lifts in Ohio, and that means it’s a lot easier to get back to the fun things we’ve been missing since the pandemic shutdown. One of the types of gatherings people have been missing the most is seeing live music. Local venues, like The Brightside, are excited to be hosting concerts again.

The Brightside started hosting music in 2019, and just as they approached their one-year anniversary, the COVID shutdown went into effect. The independent venue located on East 3rd St, near the corner of Keowee, pivoted to weddings, sold merchandise, and hosted virtual events over the past year.

“We’re grateful to the community for their support during this challenging time,” music booker Libby Ballengee, told us. “Our biggest goal was to keep improving the venue and when it’s safe, get back to hosting music events. Those events are so joyful!”

The improvements have included adding UV filters to the ductwork in order to clean the circulating indoor air. The venue was also able to add a patio, where they can host outdoor concerts.

The venue’s first show back since the mask mandate has been lifted features three up-and-coming local musicians who perform an eclectic mix of Soul, R&B, Pop & Electronic music: Mariah J, Gabe Maas & The Bruins, and Isicle. These artists are pushing boundaries in their respective genres, and are thrilled to be performing for Dayton audiences again. This show is planned to be outdoors on patio unless inclement weather.

Learn more about The Brightside’s upcoming shows at: TheBrightsideDayton.com

HOW TO GO:

Where: The Brightside at 905 E 3rd St, Dayton, OH 45402

When: Thursday June 3, 2021 from 7-10pm

Cost:  $10

Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/live-music-with-mariah-j-gabe-maas-the-bruins-isicle-the-brightside-tickets-156363237653

 

 

Perfect Patios for Pups!

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Enjoy the patio at Wheat Penny with your pup!

It doesn’t get much better than quality time outside with man’s best friend and a cold drink in your hand. With the heatwave over and temperatures falling back to normal, some of our most comfortable patio days are ahead of us. Not sure what patios are dog friendly? Have no fear! Listed below are a few of our favorite canine friendly patios in the area. Be sure to check back as our list is sure to grow:

Dayton:

  • The Barrel House – 417 E. 3rd Street, Dayton
  • The Trolley Stop – 530 E. 5th Street, Dayton
  • Mudlick Tap House – 135 E 2nd Street, Dayton
  • Lily’s Bistro – 329 E. 5th Street, Dayton
  • CoCo’s Bistro – 250 Warren Street, Dayton
  • Dublin Pub – 300 Wayne Avenue, Dayton

    Libby Ballengee enjoys Lily’s Bistro’s front patio with Stella.

  • South Park Tavern – 1301 Wayne Avenue, Dayton
  • Wheat Penny Oven & Bar – 515 Wayne Avenue, Dayton
  • Milano’s  – 1834 Brown Street, Dayton
  • Dayton Beer Company – 41 Madison Street, Dayton

Suburbs:

  • Archers Tavern- 9496 Dayton Lebanon Pike, Centerville
  • Bennett’s – 67 S Main St., Miamisburg
  • El Meson – 903 E Dixie Dr, West Carrollton
  • Flavors Eatery – 865 E. Franklin Street, Centerville
  • Heather’s Cafe – 505 S. Main Street, Springboro
  • Mack’s Tavern – 381 Miamisburg Centerville Road, Centerville
  • Milano’s- 9572 Springboro Pike, Miami Twsp, 260 N Fairfield Rd, Beavercreek
  • Mr. Boro’s Tavern – 495 N. Main St., Springboro
  • Ray’s Wine and Spirits Grill – 8268 N. Main Street, Dayton
  • Ritter’s Frozen Custard- 2531 Dayton-Xenia Rd., 2226 Wilmington Pike, Kettering
  • Roma’s Pizza&Pasta – 282 W Central Ave Springboro
  • So Your Yogurt- 971 S Main St, Centerville
  • Ye Olde Trail Tavern – 228 Xenia Avenue, Yellow Springs
  • Zink’s Meats & Fine Wines – 409 Miamisburg Centerville Road, Centerville

Breweries:

  • Crooked Handle Brewing Co.- 60 N. Main Street, Springboro
  • Eudora Brewing Company – 3022 Wilmington Pike, Kettering
  • FigLeaf Brewing Company – 3387 Cincinnati-Dayton Rd, Middletown
  • Fifth Street Brewpub – 1600 E 5th St, Dayton (Dogs allowed Wednesdays only 6-9PM)
  • Lock 27 Brewing – 1035 South Main Street, Centerville
  • Mother Stewart’s Brewing Co – 102 W. Columbia St, Springfield
  • Southern Ohio Brewing – 818 Factory Rd, Beavercreek
  • Toxic Brew Company – 431 E. 5th Street, Dayton
  • Warped Wing Barrel Room & Smokery – 25 Wright Station Way, Springboro
  • Yellow Springs Brewery – 305 Walnut Street, Yellow Springs

 

If you know of other pup friendly patios, post them in the comments below so we can add them.

History, Mystery, Murder and Mayhem at Woodland Cemetery: Joseph Leslie’s Tragic Life

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Joseph Leslie gave his attentions to Mary Miranda Kaylor of New Lebanon, Ohio. Her mother, however, did not care for him and wanted to see her daughter date another young man in the neighborhood whom she did like. Joseph found out about this and it did not sit well with him. One afternoon, as he was in his upper room at the Horner’s Hotel, across the street from the residence of Miss Kaylor, he saw her return from a walk and then sit on her front porch and begin to sew. All it took was one bullet and Martha fell over and lived but just three or four minutes after receiving the shot. That was Friday, August 31, 1866.

Joseph denied the shooting but a six-shooter was found in his trunk with only one bullet discharged; burnt powder was found on the window. The neighbors had no doubt he was guilty and he was soon arrested and placed in jail.

On Friday, December 14, 1866, the Grand Jury handed down an indictment of murder in the first degree. The seating of a jury for his trial began in April 1867. It was a difficult jury to seat as most of the men interviewed had made up their mind that Joseph was guilty. The Daily Empire newspaper even wrote about the role the newspapers played in disseminating information to the public. “It seemed next thing to impossible yesterday, to get a jury on the case of Leslie… parties claiming to have made up their minds in relation to the case from what the papers had published regarding it.” They went on to say, “When newspapers publish full statements of such cases, it fixes the guilt or innocence of the accused in the public mind, and renders a subsequent trial a mere legal farce.”

During one questioning of a potential juror, he was asked if he had any “conscientious scruples regarding capital punishment,” but the man did not seem to understand the question. He was then asked, “Are you opposed to hanging?” and the man immediately replied, “No sir! The scoundrel ought to be hung up!” Evidently, he had read reports in the newspapers.

By the end of April, the trial had begun. Leslie’s defense team had witnesses testify that he was a quiet, law-abiding man that had served in the War. The Captain of his company testified that he was one of the best men under his watch.

On May 3rd, in just an hour and a half, the jury came back with a verdict of murder in the first degree for the shooting Miss Kaylor. Joseph Leslie did not move a muscle upon hearing the verdict nor did his face betray him. One of the deputy’s whom escorted him back to his jail cell said, “Joe, that’s hard!” in which Leslie replied, “Yes, that’s pretty heavy.” While it was thought that Joseph would swing from the gallows, he was sentenced to 10 years in the State Penitentiary.

In June 1881, Joseph had been living at the Soldier’s Home in Dayton and requested to be discharged on June 21st. In the early morning hours on June 27, he shoots himself in the stomach at a beer saloon on Jackson Street. It was reported in one newspaper that upon hearing that Mrs. Miller refused to marry him that he shot himself. Another reported that he couldn’t stand the warm weather. He refused to be taken to the Soldier’s Home and instead was taken to St. Elizabeth’s Hospital. He survived his wounds but soon succumbed by his own hands in December.

The headline in the New York Tribune read “A Murderer Commits Suicide” and the Dayton Journal headline read “The Final Act: In the Career of an Extraordinary Man.”  The Tribune article was a three line snippet of news that called Joseph Leslie “a worthless character” who committed suicide. The Journal wrote a more comprehensive article giving the details of Joseph’s life including his military service.

Joseph Leslie was a member of Co. A, 11th Ohio Volunteer Infantry under the command of Col. De Villiers in the Civil War. He served three years and was known as a fearless soldier and a very determined man. At a skirmish in Big Springs, Tennessee, the fingers of his right hand were mangled by a Minnie ball so that they hung to his hand by shreds of the skin and amputation was necessary. Unfortunately, there was no surgeon nearby so Joseph cut the dangling fingers off with his own pocket knife.

It was reported that Joseph’s behavior was often times erratic. He was a loner, not one to hang around with the other men in his company. At Shiloh and other battlefields, he dug holes in the ground and slept in them at night by himself. He was honorably discharged from the service and received a monthly pension of just $18.00.

Joseph Leslie died on December 29, 1881 of an opium overdose. He was buried in an unmarked grave in the City Lot at Woodland Cemetery on December 30, 1881.

You can visit the gravesite of Mr. Leslie and all of the other people on the History, Mystery, Mayhem and Murder Tour at Woodland Cemetery by going to our Tour page and downloading our Woodland Mobile App. 

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. It is the final resting place of the Wright Brothers, Erma Bombeck, Paul Laurence Dunbar, Charles F. Kettering, John H. Patterson, Gov. James M. Cox, George P. Huffman, George H. Mead, and Levi and Matilda Stanley, King and Queen of the Gypsy’s and more than 111,000 others who made it great in Dayton.

Woodland Cemetery and Arboretum is located at 118 Woodland Avenue off of Brown Street near the University of Dayton Campus. The Cemetery and Arboretum are open daily from 8 am to 6 pm and until 7 pm during Daylight Saving Time. 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.

History, Mystery, Murder and Mayhem at Woodland Cemetery: The Murder of Mamie Hagerty

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Royal Albert Fowler

Royal Albert “Roy” Fowler lived on Harshman Street and his back yard ran up to the back yard of Mary “Mamie” Hagerty. That’s where they met and where Roy became infatuated with Mamie. He bought her gifts and trinkets to show his admiration and they soon became a couple. And not long after, they began having lover’s quarrels.

Mamie had Roy arrested not once but three times. During one incident, he had threatened her life saying he was going to cut her throat so Mamie had him arrested on a charge of carrying a concealed weapon. He served time in the workhouse and it was said that Mamie carried his meals to him and tantalized him while doing it.

On Saturday afternoon, August 18, 1906, Roy went to Mamie’s house and said, “Let’s make up.”

“Go to hell,” was Mamie’s reply.

Roy became so aggravated by her response that he pulled a revolver from his pocket and fired two shots at his sweetheart. Mamie ran from the house screaming and after she got outside, he fired two more shots at her. Mortally wounded, Mamie ran down the street and dropped dead at the corner of Second and Harshman streets at 4:30 in the afternoon.

Roy immediately left the area after the shooting and hopped on a Dayton, Covington and Piqua traction car and rode to West Milton. There he pawned the murder weapon to a man for $2. He stayed overnight there and in the morning boarded another car to Piqua where later that evening he read in the Dayton Herald the story of Mamie Hagerty’s murder. Roy went to police headquarters in Piqua and turned himself in. Dayton police traveled to Piqua and picked Roy up and placed him in the Montgomery County Jail.

Roy was represented by the law offices of attorney John Egan. Witnesses for the prosecution made a strong case against him. Mrs. Hagerty said the January before her daughter’s murder, Roy had thrown her daughter to the floor and attempted to cut her throat with a butcher knife. Jacob Donneker said he heard Roy shout, “God damn you. I’ll fix you,” and then he saw him fire two shots. Another witness, Isador Rosensweet claimed that he yelled to Roy, “Don’t run away, you coward.” Roy was indicted by the Grand Jury. His trial began on December 6, 1906 and he was found guilty of murder in the first degree on December 27. He was sentenced to die in the electric chair on May 29, 1907 at the Ohio State Penitentiary. When asked by the judge if he had anything to say about his sentence Roy replied, “Only this: That when I went over there, I had no more intention of killing her than you had.”

His attorney’s filed a motion for a new trial on nine grounds including allegations that several of the jurors had expressed opinions of the defendant’s guilt before the trial. The request was overruled.

Soon after being moved to Columbus, Roy was looking peaked and worried. He was not eating or sleeping well. The guards believed he was on the verge of a nervous breakdown. They also expected trouble from him. A month later an extra guard was placed to watch over him. He acted up with prison attendants and was suspected by the guards of wanting to end his life. Less than two months after the placement of the additional guard, Roy was threatened with the “paddle and water” treatment unless he became more manageable. He was constantly causing general trouble and had threatened the life of a fellow inmate.

On May 23, 1907, just 6 days before he was to be executed, the Circuit Court suspended his death sentence from May 29 to August 20. He received a reprieve by Governor Harris until October 17 and on that day, the Board of Pardons refused further clemency and November 1 was selected for his day of execution.

In an early October interview, Roy referred to his execution as “the coming event.” He said that he feared dying and wanted to live but he had no hope of favor from the pardon board. He stated he had no inclination towards religion and spent most of his days and time into the wee hours of the morning reading novels about love and adventure. When not in arguments with his fellow inmates, he liked to engage in games of checkers and cards.

Attorney John Egan had worked hard for his client but in the end, he met death at the executioners hand and died a few minutes after midnight on November 1, 1907.

Unmarked grave site for Roy Fowler

Funeral services were held in Dayton on Monday, November 4. He was viewed by more than 3,000 people before the white plush casket he laid in was closed to the public. Only 27 people attended his grave side service. Roy’s last request, that a rose his mother gave him when she last saw him alive and the photo button bearing a likeness of his sweetheart, Mamie Hagerty, which he wore from the time of his arrest be buried with him. His request was granted. At the last minute, the rose his mother gave him was exchanged for another by his mother. She took the other rose home as a keepsake for her wayward son. Royal Albert Fowler is buried in an unmarked grave in Section 111 Lot 3009.

Mary Hagerty is buried in Calvary Cemetery.

 

You can visit the gravesite of Royal Albert Fowler and all of the other people on the History, Mystery, Mayhem and Murder Tour at Woodland Cemetery by going to our Tour page and downloading our Woodland Mobile App. 

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. It is the final resting place of the Wright Brothers, Erma Bombeck, Paul Laurence Dunbar, Charles F. Kettering, John H. Patterson, Gov. James M. Cox, George P. Huffman, George H. Mead, and Levi and Matilda Stanley, King and Queen of the Gypsy’s and more than 111,000 others who made it great in Dayton.

Woodland Cemetery and Arboretum is located at 118 Woodland Avenue off of Brown Street near the University of Dayton Campus. The Cemetery and Arboretum are open daily from 8 am to 6 pm and until 7 pm during Daylight Saving Time. 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.

New patio opening with live music at The Brightside

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New patio at The Brightside

The Brightside, one of Dayton’s newest music and event venues, has been fighting to come back since their COVID shutdown mid-March. Although they’ve hosted private events and weddings, as well as some exclusive virtual concerts this summer, they’ve been pretty quiet.

Owners Carli and Hamilton Dixon used the “downtime” to focus on continuing to improve the building. They took the formerly abandoned coal warehouse at the corner of 3rd and Keowee, and have transformed it into one of the coolest event spots in downtown Dayton. This summer, they repainted the entire exterior, added a new mural and signage, finished a brand new loft space, and most recently, added a patio.

The patio’s first use is happening on Thursday October 22, 2020 with live music from local blues band Wolf Moon Revival from 7-10pm. There will be a food truck on site on what promises to be a lovely, warm evening in late October. The band plans come to back the following Thursday as well (October 29). The venue and the band are making the most of new patio while the weather holds out. Both events are no cost to attend but donations for musicians appreciated.

Dixon’s Violin performs at The Brightside on Sunday October 25th

“We saw the weather was going to be pretty nice the end of October and thought, why not put the new patio to use now?” the venue’s music booker, Libby Ballengee of Venus Child Productions, told us. “We are so excited to have outdoor space to utilize, and couldn’t wait to have live music back!”

 

They also have planned to bring back Dixon’s Violin, a mesmerizing musical act the venue hosted last year to critical acclaim. He will also be performing outdoors at The Brightside on Sunday October 25th from 4-6pm. Dixon, who is no relation to the owners, has performed at Burning Man, TED and Eletric Forest, to name a few. He is sure to delight audiences of all varieties! Tickets are required to attend Sunday’s show, which are $20 in advance, $25 day of show.

The new mural at The Brightside

If weather does not hold out for those shows, they will be pulled inside to the Brightside’s voluminous ballroom, where patrons will be spaced out 6′ apart and be able to order drinks from a contactless ordering system. The venue has also added UV cleaning systems to filter the air in all of their HVAC units.

“We’re doing everything we can to ensure our guest’s safety,” Ballengee continued. “That’s one reason we’ve held off hosting live music. We want to make sure we can host in a way that is safe for our guests, staff and musicians.”

Guests are required to wear masks if they are standing, and are asked to practice social distancing. For more information visit the venue’s website at thebrightsidedayton.com

HOW TO GO:

Thursday October 22, 2020: Wolf Moon Revival

Music 7-10pm

Address: 905 E 3rd St, Dayton

Food truck: Phatty Wagon

No cover – tips for musicians appreciated!

All ages!

 

Sunday, October 25, 2020: Dixon’s  Violin

Music 4-6pm (Doors 3pm)

Address: 905 E 3rd St, Dayton

Tickets required: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/dixons-violin-outside-concert-dayton-4-pm-show-tickets-125024909871

All ages!

 

Thursday October 29, 2020: Wolf Moon Revival

Music 7-10pm

Address: 905 E 3rd St, Dayton

No cover – tips for musicians appreciated!

All ages!

History, Mystery, Mayhem and Murder at Woodland Cemetery: Counterfeiter Nelson Driggs

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Nelson Driggs was known as one of the most famous counterfeiters in the United States. Secret Servicemen from back in the day regarded him “as one of the cleverest counterfeiters in the country.” His life was filled with adventure and crime but there was a soft-side of him too.

Prior to Driggs landing in Dayton, he had served time in the Joliet, Illinois penitentiary for manufacturing counterfeit money. He had been sentenced for fifteen years and served nearly all of it but was released early for good behavior.

When he came to Dayton, he settled in town on South Main Street but soon moved out to the road house known as The Abbey on Home Avenue near the Soldier’s Home. It was here that Driggs is said to have dealt in counterfeit money with his notorious partner Jim Guyon. Guyon was also very well known by the Secret Service and in 1888, the G-men “swooped down” upon The Abbey one evening with Guyon fleeing but Driggs and his wife captured.

The trial of Nelson Driggs and his wife Gertie became one of the most remarkable and interesting trials in the history of the U.S. Courts. The trial was held in Cincinnati and “almost every witness called sprung a surprise in his or her testimony.” Charges against Driggs and his wife were discharged.

Nelson Driggs was also known as a generous man and a good friend to the poor. He was known to house the poor in his home giving them food, clothing and shelter during the winter months and never asking for anything in return. He didn’t like to talk about these small acts of kindness.

He was a man who always paid his bills and one time he went to the Dayton Herald office to pay his subscription bill. He laid a small sack of Mexican dollars on the counter. Of course the money was refused and Driggs vowed to never pay his bill again, but he did pay it, each and every year and promptly too. Rumor was that he made the trip to Mexico to dispose of some of his own counterfeit bills. Upon his return he had a bag of good Mexican money and a herd of ponies.

Nelson Driggs died at The Abbey on December 17, 1895. He was 84 years old. He was laid to rest at Woodland Cemetery on April 23, 1896 in Section 110 Lot 2982.

 

You can visit the gravesite of Nelson Driggs and all of the other people on the History, Mystery, Mayhem and Murder Tour at Woodland Cemetery by going to our Tour page and downloading our Woodland Mobile App. 

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. It is the final resting place of the Wright Brothers, Erma Bombeck, Paul Laurence Dunbar, Charles F. Kettering, John H. Patterson, Gov. James M. Cox, George P. Huffman, George H. Mead, and Levi and Matilda Stanley, King and Queen of the Gypsy’s and more than 111,000 others who made it great in Dayton.

Woodland Cemetery and Arboretum is located at 118 Woodland Avenue off of Brown Street near the University of Dayton Campus. The Cemetery and Arboretum are open daily from 8 am to 6 pm and until 7 pm during Daylight Saving Time. 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.

History, Mystery, Mayhem and Murder at Woodland Cemetery: The Case of Little Leila Mead

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Col. Harry E. Mead

Excerpts from The Dayton Herald. Tuesday, March 19, 1895.

Leila Thruston Mead, the ten-year-old daughter of Col. and Mrs. Harry E. Mead died while under Christian Science treatment at the residence of John R. Hatten and his wife at 1068 South Brown Street (now the parking lot of the Old Hickory Restaurant). The girl was given no medicine, only the “science” applied.

On Tuesday, March 19, Dayton’s Police Chief Thomas Farrell had Hatten and his wife arrested on charges of manslaughter pending an autopsy that was held on the body at the vault in Woodland Cemetery by Coroner Lee Corbin.

Dr. Irvin C. Souders who was president of the Dayton Humane Society was appealed to and urged to take action in the case of Leila Mead, both in relation to the treatment which she received at the hands of Mr. and Mrs. Hatten’s Christian Science institution, and to prevent a recurrence of wrong doing by allowing a helpless victim of disease to die without making an effort to preserve life by medical treatment. The society was forced to wait on results of the autopsy and word from the authorities.

Excerpts from The Dayton Herald. Wednesday, March 20, 1895.

The parents of Leila Mead were devout believers in the society but negative public opinion in Dayton reached a fever pitch after the death of this innocent girl.

Eliza Thruston Houk

The Herald was given the following information about Christian Science. Their philosophy is that the body and all its functions and organs are entirely within the control of the mind, and that the cause of illness is directly or indirectly the result of mental actions. To believe that you are ill or in pain is certain to produce the illness or pain, and that bodily states and mental states are the results of moral states.  The person who is free from sin is free from disease, and everyone is free from sin who persistently denies the existence of sin in himself or in others.

Col. and Mrs. Harry E. Mead, parents of Leila, and Mrs. Eliza Thruston Houk, grandmother of Leila and widow of the late Hon. George W. Houk were acknowledged leaders of the society in Dayton. Claim was made in many cases of disease, chronic and other, that they had been cured by Christian Science and by the society in Dayton.

Mr. and Mrs. John Hatten fled to Springfield after the death of the child but were apprehended, placed under arrest on the charges of manslaughter and brought back to Dayton. They claimed that they called on the Mead home to “treat” the child but later took her to their own home. No medicine was given and they fed her only beef tea and water. The pair made several attempts to secure bail without success until Mr. and Mrs. Mead, the parents of the dead child, bailed the Hatten’s out of custody for $2,000.

On the morning of March 20th, an autopsy was performed at Woodland Cemetery. Coroner Lee Corbin was present. Doctor Negley conducted the autopsy, assisted by Dr. Dupuy. Dr. Goodhue and two male relatives of the child were present although Dr. Corbin ordered them to leave the room.

The Mead Family Monument in Section 101

The autopsy was sketchy at best. While the abdomen and bowels were examined, they did not open the chest nor examine the lungs or heart. They found no trace of typhoid fever but stated they found the brain to be diseased by tubercular meningitis. In other words, a consumption of the brain. While many doctors believed that people could survive the ailment, others believed it to be incurable. Dr. Corbin was very guarded in his statements and his answers were unsatisfactory to many. Dr. Corbin believed in the diagnosis of tubercular meningitis and said that he thought she would not have had long to live anyways. On the other hand, Dr. Negley said that there were cases on record in which cures had taken effect and added that there was some doubt to the correct original diagnosis. Later Dr. Corbin admitted that the child’s life might have been prolonged had the proper treatment been applied.

Leila Mead is listed as Eliza Mead in Woodland Cemetery records. Her death date is listed as March 1895 and her burial date as April 16, 1895. She is located with the Mead Family in Section 101 Lot 1538.

 

You can visit the gravesite of Leila Mead and all of the other people on the History, Mystery, Mayhem and Murder Tour at Woodland Cemetery by going to our Tour page and downloading our Woodland Mobile App. 

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. It is the final resting place of the Wright Brothers, Erma Bombeck, Paul Laurence Dunbar, Charles F. Kettering, John H. Patterson, Gov. James M. Cox, George P. Huffman, George H. Mead, and Levi and Matilda Stanley, King and Queen of the Gypsy’s and more than 111,000 others who made it great in Dayton.

Woodland Cemetery and Arboretum is located at 118 Woodland Avenue off of Brown Street near the University of Dayton Campus. The Cemetery and Arboretum are open daily from 8 am to 6 pm and until 7 pm during Daylight Saving Time. 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.

An Interview with Jared Grandy- Former Community-Police Relations Coordinator

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Daytonians joined activists around the country at the end of May in rising up against police brutality following George Floyd’s state-sanctioned murder in Minneapolis over Memorial Day Weekend. All of this led to an awakening of sorts, wherein white people rather suddenly seemed to come to an understanding that racism hadn’t, in fact, been eliminated in the 1960s and anti-Black racism continues to be a driving force in every imaginable sector of American life.

In the absence of a robust organized resistance, Dayton city leadership and police were able to squash local discontent by Sunday, May 31st, when a 7 PM curfew enforced by armored military vehicles, helicopters, and eerily fascist police announcements threatening arrest cleared the streets, paving the way for Mayor Nan Whaley to declare “Black Lives Matter” even after her city government used the very tactics activists have been marching in the streets to dismantle.

It was against the backdrop that I wanted to speak to someone who’s been at the forefront of trying to solve the problem of municipal police states since well before white people began paying attention. Jared Grandy is the former community-police relations coordinator whose resignation coincided with the national unrest over police brutality. The story he told me over a nearly 90-minute talk holds stark lessons for how high the mountain is that we must climb in Dayton if we care as much about equality and justice as public proclamations and social media say we do.

Jared Grandy

Grandy was the type of civil servant every Daytonian should want out of a city worker. Born and raised in Dayton and a graduate of our public schools who found his passion for learning at Sinclair Community College before undergraduate studies at the University of Cincinnati and law school at Northern Kentucky University, he represents the best of who we can be as a city. 

What he found, however, when he assumed the community-police relations coordinator role, however, wasn’t a welcome mat rolled out for someone with deep roots, a solid legal understanding, and a passion for the city. Instead he ran face-first into Dayton’s bipartisan white supremacist foundation.

Jared Grandy: The reason I was interested in that particular position [community-police relations coordinator], is because at the time I was naive enough to think that, you know, there was a difference that could actually be made locally.

By that time, I mean, that was 2016, so we’ve seen Trayvon Martin, Alton Sterling, Michael Brown, John Crawford, on and on and on, and I just thought this was an opportunity to make a significant difference in my local community, in my hometown, the town I know and love so much, and you know over time it just became apparent that it wasn’t the case that we were there to make any significant change. 

Jason Harrison: What made you think that? Well, how quickly did you make that realization?

Grandy: Relatively quickly. Within a few months I realized that [Dayton Police] Chief  [Richard] Biehl and the Commission to a certain extent wasn’t interested in having the difficult conversation. You would hear Chief Biehl even say to this day that the CPC (community-police council) was about mutual accountability which is another way of saying that you know the community is responsible for ending its own gun violence and we’re here to help with that process. And I don’t necessarily disagree with that, right? That idea of mutual accountability, yes, we are responsible for our community but don’t make that assumption that there aren’t people working on those issues. You know there’s pastors and youth leaders and private organizations that’s been working on gun violence in the urban environment for years across the country.

Harrison: It’s the old trope about “black on black crime.” Just because you’re not aware of the work that’s being done—

Grandy: Correct. That’s exactly it. And Chief is smart enough and savvy enough to not say “black on black crime,” you know he just says “mutual accountability” instead.

Harrison: It’s rebranded.

Grandy: Yeah. It’s just rebranded. That’s my issue with Chief Biehl specifically is he’s so good about using the same old tropes, rebranding them, sounding progressive, sounding liberal, and I think the community gets confused about what they got. With Trump, we know exactly what we have. When you tweet “when the looting starts, the shooting starts,” that’s a pretty clear message, right? But when you say, you know, we’re working on this issue, we care, you think you have somebody who’s listening and progressive but in reality the policies that are implemented are no different than what a conservative like Trump would implement. And that’s what we get stuck with. 

The Dayton Daily News reported Grandy’s resignation as the community-police relations coordinator on June 3rd, just hours before Mayor Nan Whaley held a press conference announcing five police “reforms.” The timing of the city’s press conference—just hours after the Dayton Daily report on Grandy’s resignation—raises questions about whether that press conference was intended not to begin a process of reform but to distract us from Grandy’s message. (Two of the five reforms are mere continuations of existing policy).

Aside from Grandy’s eloquent rage, what I found most interesting about the article was how Chief Biehl used time-honored tactics intended to silence, dismiss, and discredit. But the quotes attributed to the chief fail to puncture Grandy’s arguments and instead serve to highlight just how steeped in supporting status quo white supremacist notions of “objectivity” the Dayton city government is.

Responding to Grandy’s contention that the Dayton police have a “warrior-like” mentality—an accusation I’ve heard from other people close to police officers—Biehl didn’t offer a substantive response, and instead chose only to offer that “Grandy’s three-year experience doesn’t compare to the decade-long relationship his department has with the Community Police Council.”

This is the part of Grandy’s story that I think is worth every Daytonian considering, and it’s a story that every Black person in this country will find familiar. The city was hostile to the idea of meaningfully transforming the police, Grandy recognized this quickly, and left when his conscience wouldn’t allow him to continue giving the city cover for its anti-Black policies. Then that resignation is used as proof that somehow Grandy isn’t serious about making positive change, despite the fact that he’s dedicated his entire professional life to the uplift and security of Black people. 

Grandy simply wasn’t “objective” enough to do his job—which led to two separate write-ups in his personnel file—but the problem is how that objectivity has been traditionally defined in Dayton and around the country. White people have always been in charge of defining who is objective and who isn’t. They’ve even been able to define what data are and are not objective. 

When Grandy and I spoke at my personal training studio, the tense protests that had swept through the country were still fresh. So I brought up an infamous moment from Buffalo when police officers brazenly pushed an elderly man, causing him to fall, hit his head, and sustain serious injuries. Here’s how a police spokesman initially described the event:

“…a 5th person was arrested during a skirmish with other protestors and also charged with disorderly conduct. During that skirmish involving protestors, one person was injured when he tripped & fell.”

Tripped and fell. Thankfully there was a viral video to show otherwise.

Harrison: The passive language is how they’ve been able to get away with it.

Grandy: So, okay. While I was with the CPC, for two years in a row we commissioned and released this data report. Right? And the findings were that the vast majority of use of force incidents that were reported were investigated by the professional standards bureau and those officers were exonerated, right? You could look it up, but I think it was 847 instances of use of force and 841 of the incidents were exonerated.

Harrison: 841 out of 847.

Grandy: Yes. Meaning that, you know, yes, the use of force happened, but the use of force was sanctioned and all was good, right? 

Harrison: Honestly when you said that I was thinking it would be like 80 percent or something like that. That’s damn near 100 percent. 

Grandy: Almost 100 percent. I mean, for statistical purposes that’s 100 percent.

I did look it up, by the way. Grandy’s recollection was exactly right: 841 out of 847 exonerations. You can read the 2018 report here.

Grandy: I was no longer interested in commissioning that data report because the data itself was so biased and it told a false story. Because the data suggests that yes we arrest people and yes we use force but the force is necessary. If the police determine what force is necessary then of course there is going to be a bias.

Which is why I talked to Dr. Richard Stock from the University of Dayton who we paid to do the report, and he said “I can’t figure out how to account for that bias.” So I’m like I’m not doing it anymore because I’m not advancing the narrative that cops are using force legitimately for all practical purposes 100 percent of the time. 

Harrison: This is like the racist claim that like, well Black people commit more crime. 

Grandy: Yeah. For sure. For sure. It advances that. And if you read the FOP response to my resignation they use that in there. They say well Jared Grandy praised the police and reported that most use of force was legitimate. And that’s such a mischaracterization of what happened. Yes, I did at the time praise the professional standards bureau for the way they do their investigations. It was very transparent. It seemed to be thorough. But they left out the part, which never made it to Commission because Commission is this Disney presentation, you know, it’s not meant for hard-hitting conversation. It’s a PowerPoint slide for goodness sakes. Right? But you know, to take that presentation without the context of the conversations that had prior to that presentation and prior to that report where we discussed at length the implicit bias and favor of the police department in this data. So I was frustrated.

Harrison: Did you find that a tension between being a city employee and doing that work?

Grandy: Yeah. I mean, yes. 

Harrison: That’s a perfect example of like, that was a big part of a conversation, but then when it comes to present it publicly there’s pressure—

Grandy: For sure. For sure.

Harrison: There’s a machine here now.

Grandy: Correct. That’s what I’m getting at. There’s a machine. Everything is hunky dory coming out of the commission. Everything is hunky dory when the mayor speaks. So as a city employee, as somebody who works directly under the commission as an HRC employee, of course. Of course I feel the pressure to get on board with that culture, because if I’m the one dissenting opinion then I am the one who is, you know, you have to get rid of that right? 

Jared Grandy is one of the rare people who has been willing to sacrifice the comfort of his public service job to sound the alarm for the rest of us, all the while offering a discomfiting glimpse inside the Democratic Party machine that stands in the way of the transformation necessary to build equality for Black people in the city of Dayton.

I asked Grandy about those personnel write-ups mentioned in the Dayton Daily News article. He said that people were more upset that that was included in the article about his resignation than he was. 

Grandy: People were a lot more offended on my behalf than I actually was. I’m like “Yes! I had a problem being objective. Like, sure, I’m a Black man, of course I’m going to side with the people every time. The thing is they wanted me to be an objective facilitator of conversation. Which at times I tried to be, but over time I realized that some of these people [from the community] wanted me to open the door for more contentious conversation so as to feel like we were making some progress because beforehand, my first year-and-a-half in, I’d invite people to CPC and kid you not, I quote, “Jared this is bullshit I don’t want to be a part of this,” right? “Because why are we here? We’re not talking any of the things that really matter to the community.” 

What Grandy did was even the playing field for ideas, such that the voice of the people was elevated to be equal to those of the officials in power. He had the temerity to declare their lens of the world as critically important in a city and a country that views the white lens as normative. 

Grandy: I wanted to give them permission to talk about the issues that they really cared about. Prior to that moment what we had, was, you know, even though we had very smart courageous people on the CPC, it’s intimidating to have the chief of police, the city manager, the commissioners, sitting there, and they took advantage of that power dynamic and they really controlled the narrative.

The Dayton Daily News article about Grandy’s resignation was a case study in attempting to control the narrative. “Grandy has struggled to maintain neutrality in his role as community-police relations coordinator and serve as a facilitator, instead of an advocate, according to a January 2020 performance improvement plan in his personnel file.”

But Grandy isn’t ashamed of those write-ups. He’s proud. And we should be too. 

Grandy: That whole article to me was like, yes, indeed, I did all of this stuff. When my grandkids read this article they’ll be proud because I’m on the right side of history.

A Walk Through the Cemetery is Just What You Need!

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We are living in strange times these days. Viruses are named after birds, pigs and now beer. New words for the dictionary will be added by the end of the year: “self-quarantining” and “social distancing.” Fake news. Real news. Wash your hands. And the hoarding of toilet paper! Bars and restaurants closed. Libraries and casinos closed. Strange times indeed.

There are things to do and places you can go that will allow you to be socially distanced from others yet enjoy the beauty of emerging spring. Visit the cemetery! Yes! We’re serious, visit the cemetery.  Woodland Cemetery and Arboretum is an open air museum that will delight you with the the visuals of greening grass and emerging flowers. We’ve seen the crocus bloom and the daffodils should be fluttering forth very soon.

If you’ve never been to Woodland  Cemetery and Arboretum you just might be amazed with all of the architectural wonders and beautiful sculptures throughout the grounds. There are over 110,000 people buried at Woodland and nearly 100,000 markers and monuments ranging from rugged boulders, left here from the glaciers, to Greek statues and temples. You’ll see a full sized dog, angels and trumpeters and lambs, crosses and flowers all made of cut stone.

There are unique poems and stories etched into the stones and symbols of death from a long ago era. What’s more is that you can learn about the history of Dayton’s citizens through one of the virtual tours offered by the cemetery’s mobile app. There are three tours you can walk, drive or sit on your couch and attend. A free downloadable app is available from the cemetery’s website at woodlandcemetery.org or click here to go straight to the app site.

The Historic Tour features several of the buildings and notable residents at Woodland. This tour offers an audio feature where you sit back and listen to the narrative. There is also the Dayton’s Walk of Fame Tour and the Celebrated African -Americans at Woodland Cemetery Tour. Give it a try and learn about a few of the men and women who made it Great’n Dayton.

If going to the cemetery, there are over 200 verdant acres of rolling hills and 9 miles of paved roads. Truly a much better workout than you can get at the gym. There are at least nine remaining trees designated as “Ohio Champions.” How fun would it be to find them all. You can stop at the front office and get free brochures of several walking tours or purchase a booklet that features both walking tour and historical bios on each of the people on the tour. Bring a picnic and sit down by the pond. Dogs, bring your humans and get them off the couch. And definitely bring your camera to take in the view and a photo of the beautiful “Gem City.”

Woodland Cemetery and Arboretum sits in the heart of downtown Dayton on over 200 verdant acres of rolling hills with over 3000 tress on the property. This historic cemetery, founded in 1841, welcomes thousands of visitors who tour the grounds each year to visit the grave sites of inventors of powered flight, Wilbur and Orville Wright; poet Paul Laurence Dunbar; Matilda and Levi Stanley, Queen and King of the Gypsies; writer Erma Bombeck; inventor Charles F. Kettering; and entrepreneurs John H. Patterson (NCR); George P. Huffman (Huffy Bicycles); and George Mead (Mead Paper Co.).

Ekoostik Hookah back in Dayton with Subterranean

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Ekoostik Hookah, the original Ohio jam band, returns to Dayton on Friday February 28, 2020 at The Brightside. PHOTO CONTRIBUTED.

For nearly 30 years, əkoostik hookah, Ohio’s original jam band, has been touring and inspiring musicians across the nation. Many of Dayton’s own psychedelic rock bands have been inspired by this talented group, including Subterranean, Dayton’s own up-and-coming powerhouse!

It’s been a few years since əkoostik hookah has performed on a Dayton stage, so it’s particularly exciting to have them back downtown for a show on the big ballroom stage at The Brightside Music & Event Venue on Friday February 28, 2020.

For old fans, seeing Hookah, as they are affectionally known, is a walk down memory late. Founding members, Dave Katz (keys, vocals, acoustic guitar), Steve Sweney (guitar), and longstanding drummer, Eric Lanese, have been the mainstays, providing the foundation and longevity that few acts have been able to maintain. Eric Sargent (guitar, vocals) arrived in 2010 and Matt Paetsch in 2018 (bass).

For new fans, this is an opportunity to rediscover not only one of  Ohio’s  most recognized and influential acts in the touring music scene, it’s also a chance to see the next generation in Subterranean! They approach improvisation with intent, pushing stylistic boundaries with  their  infectious grooves. Each show is truly a unique experience!

HOW TO GO?
When: Friday February 28, 2020. Doors 7:30pm / Music starts at 8:30pm
Where: The Brightside – 905 E 3rd St, Dayton. On site parking available.
Cost: $12 adv ticket available at link above or via SoundValleyDayton.com  / $15 day of show
Who: All ages welcome! Handicapped accessible.