It's summertime in the East Side. Come with me!
click on any photo to get a larger view.
click on any photo to get a larger view.
Old man checking out the morning on
Drummer Street off of East Fifth.
Drummer Street off of East Fifth.
Pimp walking his prostitute down East Fifth Street.
Huffman Place, on where else, Huffman Avenue.
Little line of lovely houses on Bolton Ave.
Boarding House on East Fifth street is now
boarded up, for sale for a measly $18,000.
boarded up, for sale for a measly $18,000.
A young couple on Samuel Street come to terms with living in a
society that values consumption based upon inanity.
society that values consumption based upon inanity.
On Van Lear Street, old homes that smell of cigarette
smoke and cat urine are coming down one by one.
smoke and cat urine are coming down one by one.
Crap hole apartment building on McClain St.
With a little punk-rock spirit and guidance though,
this area could be an American Bohemian destination.
With a little punk-rock spirit and guidance though,
this area could be an American Bohemian destination.
Butch's Bar on McClain and Bolton is a great place
for the culturally effete to get their ass kicked.
for the culturally effete to get their ass kicked.
Whoever is behind these used car lot sales tactics,
one thing is for sure, they sure know how to sell an
old crack house.
one thing is for sure, they sure know how to sell an
old crack house.
The Last Call on Xenia Ave. is a good place to
begin and finish the last phase of your life.
begin and finish the last phase of your life.
The new Ruskin School is going up on Bolton Street,
just in time for the new cardboard cutouts of teachers who
have been procured for the 2007-08 DPS school year.
just in time for the new cardboard cutouts of teachers who
have been procured for the 2007-08 DPS school year.
If you're in the market for some brick walls to
build a new home in, this burnt-out old wreck on
McClure is the home for you.
build a new home in, this burnt-out old wreck on
McClure is the home for you.
Homes like this one McClure used to thrive before the days
of sprawl and big-box corporatization.
of sprawl and big-box corporatization.
St. Marys Church on Xenia Ave., where from time
to time crackheads walk into the church during mass
and strip down completely naked. Yes, this has actually happened.
to time crackheads walk into the church during mass
and strip down completely naked. Yes, this has actually happened.
CJ's Dugout offers an escape from the
street reality on Xenia Avenue.
street reality on Xenia Avenue.
While some might not believe it's possible, a trip through
the Northside Neighborhood of Cincinnati bears me out,
if you want to improve the Xenia Ave. corridor, make
it available and promote it heavily
to bohemian style businesses and the area will turn
itself around in 10 years. Yellow Springs is much
too expensive for the new breed of American Bohemian.
the Northside Neighborhood of Cincinnati bears me out,
if you want to improve the Xenia Ave. corridor, make
it available and promote it heavily
to bohemian style businesses and the area will turn
itself around in 10 years. Yellow Springs is much
too expensive for the new breed of American Bohemian.
Trashy backyard on Nassau.
Why does it seem that paralysis
and patriotism go hand in hand?
and patriotism go hand in hand?
This could easily be some funky hippy restaurant. Dayton
needs to start going after the fleeing population of Yellow
Springs and other like communities and start creating bohemian
zones. The Xenia Avenue corridor is primed for it.
Dayton used to be a place where those socially
unacceptable in small conservative towns across the
state headed to because of its liberal social atmosphere.
They're all going to Columbus now and we are missing
out on their talents and spirit.
needs to start going after the fleeing population of Yellow
Springs and other like communities and start creating bohemian
zones. The Xenia Avenue corridor is primed for it.
Dayton used to be a place where those socially
unacceptable in small conservative towns across the
state headed to because of its liberal social atmosphere.
They're all going to Columbus now and we are missing
out on their talents and spirit.
Another opportunity to bring your cost of living below that of your income.
Kids still pile their bikes in front of
the carry-out on Xenia Ave. to buy candy.
the carry-out on Xenia Ave. to buy candy.
Front porch where life beyond that sneaking into the
back window once flourished on Xenia Ave.
back window once flourished on Xenia Ave.
Before scrap yards stopped accepting it,
crackheads were all over Dayton stealing aluminum siding
right off of the sides of houses in broad daylight. It was like free
manna from heaven made expressly by god for those willing to
take what is not theirs.
crackheads were all over Dayton stealing aluminum siding
right off of the sides of houses in broad daylight. It was like free
manna from heaven made expressly by god for those willing to
take what is not theirs.
I know this isn't true of all of Dayton, but in the lower
East End the more unkept the premises of a Daytonian
is, the more likely it is that an American flag will be
decorating the scene - or a Hank Williams Jr. mug decorated
with the Stars and Bars.
Somehow, a lot of people see
hanging a flag over a yard full of beer cans and Big Mac
wrappers as some sort of sacred national honor.
East End the more unkept the premises of a Daytonian
is, the more likely it is that an American flag will be
decorating the scene - or a Hank Williams Jr. mug decorated
with the Stars and Bars.
Somehow, a lot of people see
hanging a flag over a yard full of beer cans and Big Mac
wrappers as some sort of sacred national honor.
Another low cost opportunity for an urban pioneer to thrive.
DJ's Nitecap on Xenia is a strong presence
for alcholics and those longing for that
smoky pee smell.
for alcholics and those longing for that
smoky pee smell.
A garden gone ungrown. This is a free-food growing
zone as far as I'm concerned.
zone as far as I'm concerned.
Clyde Brewer's shop on Xenia Ave. I don't know ifit's still in business or not.
The old Home Store on Xenia Ave. is still selling
appliances.
appliances.
The overpass from US 35 leading to the Steve Whalen
Blvd. as seen from Xenia Ave.
Blvd. as seen from Xenia Ave.
Fixing bikes on the sidewalk on Xenia Ave.
Dayton is still the concrete lawn goose
capitol of the United States of America.
capitol of the United States of America.
These shitty one-story apartments built
in the 1960s and early 1970s are the architecture
of choice for drug dealers and prostitutes.
in the 1960s and early 1970s are the architecture
of choice for drug dealers and prostitutes.
805 Xenia Ave. is a pretty cool modernist
1950s looking building, that looks like nothing
much is going on there except for folks hanging
laundry out the window.
1950s looking building, that looks like nothing
much is going on there except for folks hanging
laundry out the window.
Those backyard blowup pools from Wal-Mart are all the rage.
Thank God for good cheap, labor from China, or this
petrochemical goods frenzy we are caught in would
never be possible.
Thank God for good cheap, labor from China, or this
petrochemical goods frenzy we are caught in would
never be possible.
Man and child sit idly on the sidewalk
on a warm sunny afternoon on Xenia near Parrot Street.
on a warm sunny afternoon on Xenia near Parrot Street.
A back view of the new Steve Whalen Blvd.
exit as seen from Xenia Ave.
exit as seen from Xenia Ave.
Posts
12 comments:
Great pics. I used to ride my bike down Xenia all the time. I'm glad to see it's kept its funky . . . charm? Is that the word I'm looking for? I stopped going that way when they closed the overpass on McClure.
Man, $18K for that boarding house! I love those turrets. I wonder if I could talk my wife into buying it. When I was just a sprat I was extremely jealous of the kid in Ray Bradbury's _Dandelion Wine_ because his bedroom was in the top floor of one of those turrets. I could try a City Slickers kind of thing on her. You know, I tell her I've lost my way, life is flavorless, what's it all about? And she'd say, "OK, Honey. Go and find (buy) your smile."
If it works, I'll ask you over.
EAST SIDE........STILL KEEPING IT REAL
Another outstanding view of city life in Dayton. I'm proud to say that it's my home.
Cheers from S. Park, DD. Keep them picts coming.
I don't know where to begin. I love this neighborhood. My grandma moved here the year that St. Marys was dedicated. (I know that makes me really old.) I have family pictures of the 'hood back in the day. Maybe it's time to post some of these and compare them with yours.
Somehow you've captured the sounds and the smells of this unique time and place. Brilliant.
You've inspired me again.
xenia has a lot of potential. i was bummed that stone soup didn't quite make it. it seems like the city is starting to put more attention towards cultivating the arts. they're infusing new energy in the oregon, which has been overly (and surprisingly) vacant since i moved here. perhaps they can be persuaded to put some investment into xenia next.
just stumbled across this page. Awesome pics! I'm very freakin' impressed! Even if you did make me puke by taking a pic of Drek'n'Slime Aground. I won't hold it ag'in ya, tho. Cheers, MisterG
good photographs of the streets of
Dayton Ohio
I stumbled upon your blog looking for Desoto-Bass (I assisted constructing an earth sculpture there in 1982 and wondered it it was still there). Now I have spent hours fondly looking at street scenes and places I instantly know although I left Dayton in 1984. I was a walker so got to know the city intimately. How can I thank-you for putting it all together and offering dead-on insight on Dayton's place in this consumerist culture on the skids. Please continue
FYI - You're an asshole for assuming that the teachers at Ruskin are "cardboard cutouts from teachers from DPS." My wife is one of those teachers, and I know many of her coworkers. The teachers at this new school are some of the best, if not the best teachers in DPS. Pull your head out of your ass and start blaming the parents for some of the mediocrity in the schools. The teachers can only do so much. By the way, your attitude completely sucks.
"Little line of lovely houses on Bolton Ave." should read ..."Centre Ave".
It's my daily view from my house located in the Huffman Historic District. I loved your pictorial biography of Dayton, and your comments about where improvements can be made.
I started off my morning today researching Dayton and how it used to be and what can happen to make the change we so badly need. I was volunteering yesterday with my husband at the 2nd Street Public Market, promoting our Holiday Home Tour in the Huffman Historic District. We met a good man by the name of Jeff G. who told us the history of Dayton and it's fall. He's an East Dayton lifer. He spoke of the Urban Renewal of Dayton in the 1960's when powerful industrial companies brought thousands of transplants from Appalachia here to work for a minimal wage. They lived in the areas which still actively populate their "kin" and have left this area full of rebel flags and beer cans and blight scenery. He told us of a moment when everyone knew it was over. In his words, "We all stood there as this less than savory family literally removed the large window at the front of the house and pulled their vehicle half way into the house"
My husband and I often talk about starting some sort of grass roots revolution to take Dayton back. I've worked with the Dayton City Planners on other business ventures and I already know there is too much red tape to move too far. Thankfully I work for the corporate office of a local federal contractor who now employs one of Dayton's City Commissioners who has the same vision as I do for this once grand city.
My family lived in this neighborhood beginning when they emigrated to the U.S. in 1859. Kochendorfer, Harshman, Neumann, Schmeisser, Rohr, Rapp. I visited the area a few years ago. Thanks for the great pictures. If anybody recognizes those names please contact me at jadrma@aol.com.
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