About an hour before sunset on Independence Day, I wandered the "Great Miami River Recreational…read moreTrail" and found myself at the Third Street Peace bridge. The spot felt unexpectedly beautiful and cars driving over would miss most of this. The bridge's clean modern lines come from its 2021 rebuilt. It is a prestressed concrete I-beam structure with wide paths that connect West Dayton and downtown, necessary since the original bridge's deterioration and Interstate 75 slicing across between the two neighborhoods. What really stands out up close are the artistic details worked into the piers and railings. Carved reliefs that include a large panel honoring the 1963 Dayton Unity March and Adinkra symbols chosen by Bing Davis give the bridge a sense of story and purpose. The way the evening light hit those textures made the whole span feel like a quiet outdoor gallery on the river. On a bright sunny day, park nearby and walk. This is lovely. [Review 982 of 2026 - 358 in Ohio - 26161 overall]

Located on a traffic island on Main Street, a short hop from the Main Street Bridge over the Miami…read moreRiver, the Montgomery County Civil War Memorial stands as one of Dayton's most prominent downtown fixtures. The column rises on a 73-foot granite column topped by a statue modeled after Private George Washington Fair, a Dayton carpenter who served in the Union Army. It was unveiled on July 31, 1884, drawing an enormous crowd of roughly 100,000 people, far moer than the city's population at the time. The inscriptions on it are unusually declarative for a Civil War monument, including "The Federal Union must and shall be preserved," "The Republic rests on the virtue, intelligence and patriotism of its citizens" and "Liberty and Union, now and forever, one and inseparable." These lines give the memorial s clear ideological voice, echoing the country's 19th-century civic pride. For a monument that has watched over Main Street for well more than a century, it has had its share of attention and debate. In 1948, the entire column and its 9 1/2 foot statue were relocated to ease traffic congestion, a move that drew crowds almost as large as the original unveiling. The biggest controversy came when officials argued over whether to open the copper time capsule sealed inside the monument during its dedication. Still, the inscriptions remain the defining feature: bold statements carved in stone that continue to broadcast the county's Civil War convictions to everyone passing through downtown Dayton. [Review 977 of 2026 - 353 in Ohio - 26156 overall]

Also known as Hyde Road Covered Bridge, this is one of the prettiest covered bridges I've ever…read morevisited AND one of the youngest! Built in 2014, it does not span a river, but instead crosses over the Little Miami Scenic Bike Trail going between Xenia and Yellow Springs. It's roughly 85 feet in length. The story behind this bridge is that it was named after local engineer and covered bridge lover Richard P. Eastman. Richard fought to save many of the covered bridges in his county and heavily influenced the building of the bike trail the bridge crosses. According to one article, the trail may not have ever happened if it weren't for the efforts of Eastman. He even has the nickname of The Godfather of the Little Miami Scenic Trail which was part of the "Rails to Trails" movement of turning abandoned railway tracks into recreational trails. The article also stated "He was the only county engineer in the state of Ohio who wanted to do a project like this." While the trail is well loved and appreciated today, it required a passionate fighter to get the project underway and completed. Richard was that man, making the bike trail a huge part of his legacy during his years as engineer. Richard died in 2011 at age 91. [SOURCE] https://ysnews.com/news/2014/05/new-bridge-honors-builder-richard-eastman The bridge itself is a gorgeous autumn color with multiple windows, decorative entrances and a cupola! I bet this bridge provides an iconic backdrop in the fall season! The design seems to be a modified version of the Town Lattice Truss building style found in many long standing historic covered bridges. It is said Richard raised his family not too far from this bridge which makes this a touching memorial. What a great legacy! When visiting please note there aren't many places to park, so be respectful of nearby residence and their property. Be brief and don't park on lawns. There are currently no signs that restrict parking to view the bridge, but I'm sure that would change with abuse and carelessness.

This statue is located in front of the Main Branch of the Dayton Public Library. It is a nice…read morestatue that sits upon a pedestal and overlooks Cooper Park. The statue was dedicated in 1910 and is in great shape considering its age. They must do periodic maintenance on it. It does have the green tint to it like the Statue of Liberty that is caused by oxidation. The statue is standing on a stone pedestal high above the park. The sculpture depicts President Mckinley wearing a suit and long overcoat, with his right hand resting on an American flag which is draped over banded arrows and is left arm raised directly out in front of him, as if he is hailing. McKinley was an Ohio native and eventually became the Governor of the state and 25th president of the United States. He also served as an Ohio representative in Congress and a soldier in the Union Army. The bronze plaque on the pedestal reads as follows: To The Memory of William McKinley born Jan. 29th, 1843 died Sept. 14th, 1901 soldier in the Army of the Union representative in Congress Governor of Ohio President of the United States statesman, patriot, martyr a Christian gentleman whose sublime faith in his last moments was a crowning glory of a virtuous life this monument is a tribute by the Citizens of Dayton and the Children of its Schools "Nearer My God to Thee" It is interesting to note that over 11,000 local school children donated the $4,000 needed to build the statue. Metered street parking is available on the streets suroounding the park that the statue is located. The parking is free after 6PM and on weekends. This is a nice piece of Dayton history and a nice spot to visit. However, as with most sculptures that I have visited and reviewed, this is not a very long stop. I was there less than 5 minutes. You may want to consider planning out additional stops at many of the other attractions in the area, or making this stop part of a larger itinerary to maximize your time and trip. I would start with Cooper Park, which it is located in, the Military Memorial or RiverScape MetroPark to make a half to full day of your excursion.

Beautiful surprise on the backroads between Yellow Springs and Xenia!! Interesting history behind…read morethis bridge, built in 1877, in use until 2003 and now just a walk/drive-up living history lesson. The area around this Greene County treasure, between Yellow Springs and Xenia, is so beautiful, especially in the fall, that it should be on everyone's "must see" list if they're in area, or even worth a special trip!! There's a small parking area, and if you get a good map (google was helpful, surprisingly!!) a wonderful hiking/biking destination as well. Make the time for this one, and its wonderful "cousin" in Yellow Springs, Richard P. Eastman Covered Bridge (review coming soon...)!!

Great bridge with an easy pull out to view the bridge and take pictures while not obstructing…read moretraffic. The budge no long has traffic going across it, but you can walk across it to get views from both sides. There also is nice signage, including the historical maker. I was there during the winter time but imagine it is very nice during all seasons.

I continue to be impressed with the Dayton Metro Library system, and the Miami Township branch is…read moreno exception! There are multiple different places to read or get work done, including three 4-person study rooms, a 6-person group room, conference room for up to 20 people, community room for up to 40 people, and a large quiet area with reading chairs and tables. There are also multiple tables throughout the main area of the library. Lots of windows let in a good amount of natural light which is always a plus. The children's areas are near the front and somewhat sectioned off, which helps with noise. There are male/female bathrooms right by the entrance, and a family restroom in the back near the quiet room. The inside is clean and well-maintained. Overall, another great DML branch!

Well, if your into history and have time, this place has it all. If your looking for information on…read morefamily history and historical documents from the Miami County area. This place has books, maps, manuscripts, wills, land records, and tons of photos from as early as the first picture that was taken of Troy. Some of the photos are from the air or of what down town Troy used to look like back in the Railroad hay-days. Its amazing history and information that will definitely take quite a few hours just to see a small part of Troy's History

A very well organized space of historical documents for not only regional to Miami County, but…read moresurrounding areas. The layout is nice and easy to navigate to find what you need.

Neat little stop off to see a covered bridge. And this one you could drive under which you can't…read morealways do at these types of places.