Tom Gilliam

Mystery Monday – June 6, 2016

June 6, 2016 By Tom Gilliam

Welcome to Week 19 of Mystery Mondays. The answer to Week 18’s Mystery Photo is: The exterior wall of the historic Victoria Theatre facing First Street. 2016 marks the 150th Anniversary of the Victoria Theatre. Read all about this Dayton icon here. I took this photo on May 6, 2016.

Not many right answers this week, but we congratulate our randomly drawn winner Robin of Dayton! Rapid Fired Pizza certificates are coming your way!

We challenge you to tell us where in the Dayton area this photo was taken by filling out the form below. We’ll do a random drawing from all those with a correct answer and the winner will get 2 pizzas from Rapid Fired Pizza.

Enter here:

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We’ll post the winner next Monday with details about the photo as well as a new photo to challenge your knowledge of the Dayton area.

Thanks for playing and good luck!

Here’s our Mystery Photo for Week 19:

Photo by Tom Gilliam of DaytonGram & Tom Gilliam Photography.

Mystery Monday – May 30, 2016

May 30, 2016 By Tom Gilliam

Welcome to Week 18 of Mystery Mondays. The answer to Week 17’s Mystery Photo is: The cupola of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church, built 1890, in Downtown Dayton. This church was designed by architect Charles Insco Williams in the Romanesque Revival & Queen Anne architectural styles and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Closed in 1996, the church reopened in 2001 as a Vietnamese Catholic church. I took this photo on May 19, 2016.

We congratulate our randomly drawn winner Rachel of Union! Rapid Fired Pizza certificates are coming your way!

Enter here:

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We’ll post the winner next Monday with details about the photo as well as a new photo to challenge your knowledge of the Dayton area.

Thanks for playing and good luck!

Here’s our Mystery Photo for Week 18:

Photo by Tom Gilliam of DaytonGram & Tom Gilliam Photography.

12th Annual Patriot Freedom Festival This Weekend at the Dayton VA Campus!

May 27, 2016 By Tom Gilliam

The Grotto (built in 1867-1868) at the historic Dayton VA campus, site of the Patriot Freedom Festival. – May 5, 2016

Memorial Day Weekend is fast approaching. Area pools will be opening, The Five Rivers Fountain of Lights at RiverScape MetroPark in Downtown Dayton will start shooting water again plus there will be plenty of parties & barbeques with family and friends. This weekend is also the unofficial start of Summer. The main reason we have this extended holiday weekend is to honor the men and women who have died while serving in the U.S. military by visiting cemeteries or memorials, holding family gatherings and participating in parades.

It also happens to be the most fitting weekend for the 12th Annual Patriot Freedom Festival on Saturday & Sunday, May 28-29, 2016 from 11 AM to 6 PM (both days) at the historic Dayton VA Medical Center Campus on 4100 West Third Street. This event is hosted by the American Veterans Heritage Center, a non-profit organization whose sole mission is “To preserve the best of our past…by improving the present…to create a better future for our heroes, our United States Veterans.” In short, the AVHC is the VA’s historical society. This year’s festival theme is Honoring Women in the Military. The festival is family friendly including free admission and free parking.

The bandstand (built in 1871) at the historic Dayton VA campus, site of the Patriot Freedom Festival. – May 5, 2016

The Dayton V.A. (Veterans Affairs) Medical Center Campus was built in 1867 when it was known as the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers and later the Dayton Soldiers Home. President Abraham Lincoln signed the creation of the Dayton VA into legislation on March 3, 1865. In 2012, the entire Dayton VA Medical Center campus was awarded with a National Historic Landmark status. 2017 marks the 150th Anniversary of the Dayton VA Medical Center with many events and festivities going on throughout the year.

I recently sat down with Tara Browne, a very enthusiastic volunteer for the AVHC. She has many reasons and much motivation to volunteer for this organization. Her father and sister both served in the U.S. Air Force (30 years and 10 years respectively). Browne’s grandfather on her mother’s side served under General MacArthur in the U.S. Army during World War II. He had four brothers who also fought in WWII. One of them was actually in the Battle of the Bulge and survived.

“When I was out in California, I did a lot of work with the homeless. I just kind of started feeding the homeless on the street as I found them. The more stories I heard, the more people I got to know on the streets and the more I realized that a lot of them were veterans. When I moved back from California to Ohio, I actively sought out volunteer opportunities at the Dayton VA because I knew I wanted to get more involved with that. So that’s how it started. Now I’m involved with the VA as well as Team Rubicon, Team RWB and the Invictus Games,” said Browne.

The Grotto (built in 1867-1868) at the historic Dayton VA campus, site of the Patriot Freedom Festival. – May 5, 2016

In 2015, Browne’s first year volunteering for the AVHC, she served as Event Co-Chair for the Patriot Freedom Festival. “I think it’s great because for one it opens up the VA, this awesome historical location that most people don’t even know is there or have forgotten about it. It opens it up to the public. It provides a lot of interesting things to do and interesting ways to learn not only about the history of Dayton, but about the impact that Dayton itself has had on veteran history. The VA was one of the original three and is one of the only ones of those original three that’s still open and functioning to this day. That was Civil War era and has made it all that way through. So, I think it’s a really cool learning time and just a fun, safe place for families to be,” said Browne.

Here is Browne’s rundown of what to expect at the festival.

The Grotto (built in 1867-1868) at the historic Dayton VA campus, site of the Patriot Freedom Festival. – May 5, 2016

“There’s a lot of activities for families. There were pony rides last year. There are all these different displays around the area. They have a lot of Civil War displays. There are bands, food vendors, clothing vendors, different sorts of wares and all sorts of small businesses from the Dayton area set up tents. It’s an eclectic festival where you get to see different aspects of Dayton.”

“There are tours of the cemetery, a Gold Star Wives & Mothers ceremony going on plus there’s a lot that goes on in the chapels. The Grotto is going to be open and that’s been really refurbished/redone over the past several years since 2014. The grounds itself are relatively open for people to walk around, see and really get the feeling for the campus.”

A couple of days ago, I briefly spoke with Mike Turner, United States Marine Corps veteran/volunteer Events Secretary for the AVHC and asked him to share some highlights of the Patriot Freedom Festival. “I would say the most popular thing to do is to see all the reenactors, military displays and our free entertainment. The most unique thing about our festival is that we are on the National Historic Landmark Designated Campus and you can tour it. Also, our guests can see military groups and equipment from the Civil War to the current era plus being able to thank the Veterans that are here,” said Turner.

Building 116, formerly the Headquarters/library and future home of the VA National Archives at the historic Dayton VA campus, site of the Patriot Freedom Festival. - May 5, 2016

Building 116 (built in 1871), formerly the Headquarters/library and future home of the VA National Archives at the historic Dayton VA campus, site of the Patriot Freedom Festival. – May 5, 2016

In April 2016, an announcement was made that the VA National Archives will be moving from Washington, D.C. to the Dayton VA campus. The plan is for the archives to be housed in Building 116 (formerly the Headquarters, built in 1871) and Building 129 (formerly the Clubhouse, built in 1881). “The National Archives has no timetable really since 20-26 million needs to be raised first,” said Turner.

Said Browne in reference to 2015’s Patriot Freedom Festival, “We have people who didn’t even realize the festival was going on and just stumbled on the campus because they saw signs and showed up so you have a variety of people. My personal favorite part of the festival is seeing everyone come, getting to educate people, getting to be there in a very veteran & family friendly atmosphere and being a part of the celebration of our American veteran history.”

Recap of festival activities: honoring ceremonies, historical military reenactors, guided historical tours, children’s activities, barrel train, kid’s corner, gardening, equestrian team, the Miami Valley Military History Museum and more.

For more information about the Patriot Freedom Festival, visit americanveteransheritage.org, facebook.com/patriotfreedomfestival and follow @theavhc on Instagram & Twitter. Also, donations to the American Veterans Heritage Center can be made by clicking here.

Photography by Tom Gilliam of DaytonGram and Tom Gilliam Photography.

Mystery Monday – May 23, 2016

May 23, 2016 By Tom Gilliam

Welcome to Week 17 of Mystery Mondays. The answer to Week 16’s Mystery Photo is: The John Henry Patterson Memorial Monument at Hills & Dales MetroPark. I took this photo on April 10, 2014.

John H. Patterson, co-founder of the National Cash Register Company (NCR), donated the land to create Hills & Dales Park and hired world famous landscape architect, Frederick Law Olmsted, the architect responsible for Central Park in New York City to design the park, which opened in 1907. The monument to Patterson was built in 1928, six years after his death. For more information about the history of Hills & Dales MetroPark, visit history.metroparks.org/parks/hills-dales.

We congratulate our randomly drawn winner Tessa of Centerville! Rapid Fired Pizza certificates are coming your way!

Enter here:

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We’ll post the winner next Monday with details about the photo as well as a new photo to challenge your knowledge of the Dayton area.

Thanks for playing and good luck!

Here’s our Mystery Photo for Week 17:

Photo by Tom Gilliam of DaytonGram & Tom Gilliam Photography.

Mystery Monday – May 16, 2016

May 16, 2016 By Tom Gilliam

Welcome to Week 16 of Mystery Mondays. The answer to Week 15’s Mystery Photo is: The grotto on the Dayton V.A. (Veterans Affairs) Medical Center campus. I took this photo on May 5, 2016.

The grotto was built in 1867-1868 when it was known as the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers and later the Dayton Soldiers Home. Signed into legislation by President Abraham Lincoln on March 3, 1865, the home was established in 1867.

Tours of the grotto will be available during the American Veterans Heritage Center’s 12th Annual Patriot Freedom Festival this Memorial Day weekend on Saturday & Sunday, May 28-29, 2016 from 11 AM to 6 PM on both days. This year’s festival theme is Honoring Women in the Military. The event is family friendly including free admission and free parking with food trucks, craft vendors, free live music & entertainment! Festival activities include: honoring ceremonies, historical military reenactors, guided historical tours, children’s activities, barrel train, kid’s corner, gardening, equestrian team, Miami Valley Military History Museum and more.

We congratulate our randomly drawn winner Charles Dickerson of Kettering! Rapid Fired Pizza certificates are coming your way!

Enter here:

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We’ll post the winner next Monday with details about the photo as well as a new photo to challenge your knowledge of the Dayton area.

Thanks for playing and good luck!

Here’s our Mystery Photo for Week 16:

Photo by Tom Gilliam of DaytonGram & Tom Gilliam Photography.

Mystery Monday – May 9, 2016

May 9, 2016 By Tom Gilliam

Welcome to Week 15 of Mystery Mondays. Many of you guessed this was at The Masonic Center, but the answer to Week 14’s Mystery Photo is: The library inside the Engineers Club of Dayton on Monument Avenue across from RiverScape MetroPark in Downtown Dayton. I took this photo on November 16, 2015.

The Engineers Club of Dayton was founded in 1914 by Colonel Edward A. Deeds and Charles F. Kettering. The club’s current building was dedicated on February 2, 1918 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

We congratulate our randomly drawn winner Muthanna of Fairborn! Rapid Fired Pizza certificates are coming your way!

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We’ll post the winner next Monday with details about the photo as well as a new photo to challenge your knowledge of the Dayton area.

Thanks for playing and good luck!

Here’s our Mystery Photo for Week 15:

Photo by Tom Gilliam of DaytonGram & Tom Gilliam Photography.

Mystery Monday – May 2, 2016

May 2, 2016 By Tom Gilliam

Welcome to Week 14 of Mystery Mondays. The answer to Week 13’s Mystery Photo is: The entrance door of St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church (built in 1868) on Wayne Avenue outside the Oregon Historic District in Downtown Dayton. I took this photo on February 26, 2015.

We congratulate our randomly drawn winner Violet Johnston of Xenia! Rapid Fired Pizza certificates are coming your way!

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We’ll post the winner next Monday with details about the photo as well as a new photo to challenge your knowledge of the Dayton area.

Thanks for playing and good luck!

Here’s our Mystery Photo for Week 14:

Photo by Tom Gilliam of DaytonGram & Tom Gilliam Photography.

Mystery Monday – April 25, 2016

April 25, 2016 By Tom Gilliam

Welcome to Week 13 of Mystery Mondays. The answer to Week 12’s Mystery Photo is: The Hartman Rock Garden in Springfield. I took this photo on November 2, 2015.

We congratulate our randomly drawn winner Tricia Orihood of Dayton! Rapid Fired Pizza certificates are coming your way!

The Hartman Rock Garden is an American Folk Art site located on 1905 Russell Avenue in Springfield. Open 365 days a year from dawn until dusk, admission is free but donations are encouraged to maintain this work of art. The garden is one of the nation’s most intriguing and revered works of in situ folk art, an outsider art phenomena where self-taught artists construct fascinating worlds out of concrete, metal, stone, and whatever else they can find. Harry George “Ben” Hartman started work on the garden in 1932 during the Great Depression when he was laid off from his job as a molder. He worked on the project for 12 years until his death in 1944. Learn more about the history behind the Hartman Rock Garden by visiting hartmanrockgarden.org.

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Here’s our Mystery Photo for Week 13:

Photo by Tom Gilliam of DaytonGram & Tom Gilliam Photography.

ThinkTV GreatTV 40th Anniversary Auction Begins Tonight!

April 18, 2016 By Tom Gilliam

Inside the ThinkTV Studio on South Jefferson Street in Downtown Dayton

The 40th annual ThinkTV GreatTV Auction starts tonight, Monday, April 18, 2016 at 6 PM and will be broadcast live on ThinkTV 16 and ThinkTV 14 until its conclusion on Saturday night, April 23, 2016. The auction broadcast will start at 6 PM each night. Proceeds from the GreatTV Auction help support ThinkTV’s many educational services including early childhood and K-12 educator workshops, teacher professional development and ensures that ThinkTV will continue to provide greater Dayton with award-winning PBS programs like the recent two part documentary series Jackie Robinson by filmmaker Ken Burns plus locally produced series and specials.

Goods and services available on the auction block include sports memorabilia, jewelry, ticket packages from Dayton performing arts organizations, travel, tuition grants, works of art and much more.

Bids can be placed on major gifts valued at $500 or more by clicking here.

I recently visited the ThinkTV offices and studio on April 8, 2016 for a short tour/photoshoot with Isaiah Ashba, Manager of Events & Projects for ThinkTV. “Celebrating our 40th Anniversary is really a tribute to our community- the support we receive each year, hundreds of donors and volunteers are truly the ones that make the GreatTV Auction such a special event for us. 450-500 volunteers dedicate around 3,800 hours,” said Ashba. In addition, hundreds of local businesses and national companies have donated thousands of items in support of the auction.

“The GreatTV Auction is very much a volunteer-driven event. We have a crew of volunteers who have been writing copy for the auction items every Saturday since January,” said Operations Committee volunteer Jessica Singleton.

Keep up with the ThinkTV GreatTV Auction on TV by tuning in to ThinkTV 16 & 14, streaming it live at thinktv.org/auction and on social media via these helpful links below.

facebook.com/thinktv

twitter.com/thinktv

instagram.com/thinktvpbs

Photography by Tom Gilliam of DaytonGram & Tom Gilliam Photography

Mystery Monday – April 18, 2016

April 18, 2016 By Tom Gilliam

Welcome to Week 12 of Mystery Mondays. The answer to Week 11’s Mystery Photo is: Replica of the Wright Brothers’ 1905 hangar at Huffman Prairie Flying Field on Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. I took this photo on August 7, 2015.

We congratulate our randomly drawn winner Katie Fleitz of Dayton! Rapid Fired Pizza certificates are coming your way!

Here’s some information about the Huffman Prairie Flying Field via the National Park Service’s website.

When the Wright brothers returned to Dayton, after their historic first flights at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, on December 17, 1903, they looked for a suitable flying field closer to home. Dayton banker, Torrence Huffman allowed the brothers to use his pasture, which was located eight miles northeast of Dayton, rent-free. Here in 1904 and 1905, through a series of unique experiments, the Wright brothers mastered the principles of controlled, powered flight and developed the world’s first practical airplane.

In 1904, the brothers made 105 flights, totaling 49 minutes in the air with their 1904 Wright Flyer II. With this flying machine, they made the first turn and the first circle in the air. They also employed a starting derrick for the first time and Wilbur set a new distance record.

The Wrights and their Wright Flyer II outside of the original hangar at Huffman Prairie Flying Field; Photo courtesy of the Library of Congress

When the brothers returned to the Huffman Prairie for the 1905 flying season, they brought along an improved machine, the 1905 Wright Flyer III. This flying machine, which evolved throughout 1905, could bank, turn circles, and make figure-eights. On October 5, 1905, Wilbur piloted the plane for a world record of over 24 miles in 39 minutes. About two weeks later, the brothers ended their experiments for 1905 feeling that they now had a practical airplane that they could market. In the 1905 flying season, the brothers stayed aloft for 262 minutes in just 50 flights.

The Wright brothers returned to Huffman Prairie Flying Field in 1910. The field was used by their new business, The Wright Company, as a testing ground, flying school, and home to their exhibition team. The Wright Company ceased use of the flying field in 1916.

Today, Huffman Prairie Flying Field is located on Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1990.

The 1905 Wright Flyer III can be viewed inside the Wright Brothers Aviation Center at Carillon Historical Park and is the only fixed wing aircraft to be designated a National Historic Landmark.

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Here’s our Mystery Photo for Week 12:

Photo by Tom Gilliam of DaytonGram & Tom Gilliam Photography.

Mystery Monday – April 11, 2016

April 11, 2016 By Tom Gilliam

Welcome to Week 11 of Mystery Mondays. The answer to Week 10’s Mystery Photo is: The waterfall at Dave Hall Plaza near the Crowne Plaza Hotel on the corner of Fourth & Main Streets in Downtown Dayton. I took this photo on July 14, 2014.

We congratulate our randomly drawn winner Mariah Busher of Dayton! Rapid Fired Pizza certificates are coming your way!

Source: Levitt Pavilion Dayton Facebook page.

Here’s some information about Dave Hall Plaza, which also happens to be the future site of the Levitt Pavilion in 2018.

Dave Hall Plaza, dedicated in 1971, was named for Dave Hall, former Dayton City Commissioner from 1963 to 1965 and Dayton Mayor from 1965 until his retirement in 1970. Festivals such as the Dayton Jazz Festival, Dayton Blues Festival, Dayton Rock Festival, Dayton Reggae Festival and AleFest Dayton all take place at Dave Hall Plaza.

Source: Levitt Pavilion Dayton Facebook page

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Here’s our Mystery Photo for Week 11:

Photo by Tom Gilliam of DaytonGram & Tom Gilliam Photography.

Happy Opening Day in Dayton!

April 9, 2016 By Tom Gilliam

The view of Fifth Third Field via center field on Dragons Media Day – April 6, 2016

Even though it still feels like Winter and snow covers the ground, Spring is upon us and Minor League Baseball returns to Dayton! TODAY, April 9, 2016 at 4 PM, the Cincinnati Reds Class-A affiliate Dayton Dragons will play the home opener of their 17th season taking on the Bowling Green Hot Rods on Opening Day at Fifth Third Field in Downtown Dayton. Today’s game will mark the 1,122nd consecutive sellout for the Dragons franchise which continues to hold the all time record for consecutive sellouts in professional sports. Call (937) 228-2287 for lawn seat availability, click here to order lawn seats on Ticketmaster or visit the Fifth Third Field Box Office starting at noon today.

Final preparations being made to the playing field during Dragons Media Day.

As of this writing, the Dragons dropped their 2016 Midwest League opener Thursday night 7-1 and second game Friday night 9-4, both losses to the Bowling Green Hot Rods on the road.

Catcher Tyler Stephenson during Dragons Media Day – April 6, 2016

There’s plenty of talent to check out on this season’s roster including the Reds’ 2015 #1 draft pick, catcher Tyler Stephenson, who was the fourth highest-drafted high school player in the nation last June, first baseman James Vasquez, pitchers Ty Boyles and Tanner Rainey, center fielder Narciso Crook, second baseman Shed Long, third baseman Brantley Bell (son of former MLB player & coach Jay Bell) and shortstop Cory Thompson, who played baseball back in his home state of South Carolina with Shoeless Joe Jackson’s great great grandson.

Dayton Dragons 2016 Roster

Team workout during Dragons Media Day

Catchers: Tyler Stephenson, Mitch Trees, Jose Duarte.

Infielders: James Vasquez (1B), Shed Long (2B), Shane Mardirosian (2B/LF), Cory Thompson (SS), Brantley Bell (3B), Hector Vargas (utility), Mitch Piatnik (INF/OF).

Outfielders: Argenis Aldazoro, Narciso Crook, Jose Siri.

Starting Pitchers: Ty Boyles, Jacob Constante, Jose Lopez, Tanner Rainey, Franderlyn Romero.

Relief Pitchers: Manuel Aybar, Ariel Hernandez, Jake Johnson, Jeremy Kivel, Juan Martinez, Sarkis Ohanian, Austin Orewiler, Jesus Reyes.

Third baseman Brantley Bell (son of former MLB player & coach Jay Bell) during Dragons Media Day

2016-04-06 Dayton Dragons Media Day @ Fifth Third Field 162

First year manager Dick Schofield on Dragons Media Day

The 2016 Dragons will be led by first year manager and former MLB shortstop Dick Schofield (preceded by José Nieves), new pitching coach Derrin Ebert (preceded by Tom Browning), third year hitting coach Luis Bolivar and second year catching coach Corky Miller.

Opening Day Festivities

The Dragons Opening Day game will feature great entertainment for fans of all ages. The National Anthem will be performed by WiiildFlower, a singing trio featuring local teenagers Jordyn Mitchell, Kennedy Cook, and Drea Wallace, winners of the Dayton Daily News national anthem contest. Check out the list of additional Opening Day activities below.

Face painters
Petting Zoo
Skydivers flying in the Red, White, and Blue
Dove Release after the National Anthem
WPAFB Honor Guard presenting our nation’s colors
Flag bearers from WPAFB.
Dayton Dragons Drumline
Rhythm X Drumline on the plaza

Dayton Dragons on Social Media

facebook.com/dragonsbaseball

twitter.com/dragonsbaseball

instagram.com/dragonsbaseball

daytondragons.com

All photography by Tom Gilliam of Tom Gilliam Photography & DaytonGram

Mystery Monday – April 4, 2016

April 4, 2016 By Tom Gilliam

Welcome to Week 10 of Mystery Mondays. The answer to Week Nine’s Mystery Photo is: The observatory at Moraine Farm in Kettering, former home of Colonel Edward A. Deeds and Mrs. Edith Walton Deeds. I took this photo on June 18, 2015.

We congratulate our randomly drawn winner Danny McKelvey of Kettering! Rapid Fired Pizza certificates are coming your way!

2014-9-26 Moraine Farm Observatory Laboratory

Inside Moraine Farm’s laboratory just below the observatory. – September 26, 2014

Here’s some information about Moraine Farm’s observatory from the Kettering Health Network‘s Moraine Farm brochure.

The observatory dome is one of the architectural highlights of the house. When built, the Warner & Swasey 7-inch refracting telescope in the observatory was one of the first privately owned telescopes of its type in the world.

The laboratory just below the observatory houses a large arc slide projector that Colonel Deeds pointed out the window to project images of vacation photographs from glass lantern slides which had been colored by hand.

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We’ll post the winner next Monday with details about the photo as well as a new photo to challenge your knowledge of the Dayton area.

Thanks for playing and good luck!

Here’s our Mystery Photo for Week 10:

Photo by Tom Gilliam of DaytonGram & Tom Gilliam Photography.

Mystery Monday – March 28, 2016

March 28, 2016 By Tom Gilliam

Welcome to Week 9 of Mystery Mondays. The answer to Week Eight’s Mystery Photo is: Orville Wright’s statue as part of the full scale stainless steel replica of the Wright Brothers’ 1905 flyer at RiverScape MetroPark‘s Dayton Inventors River Walk in Downtown Dayton. I took this photo on February 1, 2016.

We congratulate our randomly drawn winner Heather Leppla of McPherson Town! Rapid Fired Pizza certificates are coming your way!

Here’s some information about the 1905 Wright Flyer replica from Five Rivers MetroParks.

The full scale stainless steel replica of the Wright Brothers’ 1905 flyer, the one in which Orville claimed the brothers really learned to fly, was created for RiverScape by Alabama artist Larry Godwin. The flyer is poised in mid-take-off with Wilbur at the controls and Orville looking over his shoulder at his brother from the ground. Wilbur and Orville owned a bicycle shop during the time they developed their flying machine, and it was the box for a bicycle tube that led to their success where others had failed. Wilbur held the small rectangular box, open at each end, and twisted it. In that movement he imagined “wing-warping,” the concept they applied to control the plane in the air. A series of quotes in the pavement beneath the flyer reveal the brothers’ consuming fascination with flight and their unbending persistence that led to their success as the inventors of the heavier-than-air flying machine.

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We’ll post the winner next Monday with details about the photo as well as a new photo to challenge your knowledge of the Dayton area.

Thanks for playing and good luck!

Here’s our Mystery Photo for Week Nine:

Photo by Tom Gilliam of DaytonGram & Tom Gilliam Photography.

Mystery Monday – March 21, 2016

March 21, 2016 By Tom Gilliam

Welcome to Week 8 of Mystery Mondays. The answer to Week Seven’s Mystery Photo is: The River Run Mural on the Great Miami River across from RiverScape MetroPark in Downtown Dayton. I took this photo on September 30, 2015.

Artist Amy Deal’s River Run Mural across from RiverScape MetroPark in Downtown Dayton – September 30, 2015

With a record number of entries this week, we congratulate our randomly drawn winner Lacie Shepherd of Springboro! Rapid Fired Pizza certificates are coming your way!

The nearly 1,000 foot River Run Mural debuted in Fall 2015 on the almost 90 year old northern flood wall of the Great Miami River in advance of this year’s RiverScape River Run. Created by local artist Amy Deal, the mural was painted on the flood wall by the K12 & TEJAS Gallery. Read more about the River Run project here.

Artist Amy Deal’s River Run Mural across from RiverScape MetroPark in Downtown Dayton – September 24, 2015

Amy recently shared these thoughts with me about her creation.

“I included imagery that would relate to all ages and show off the health of our rivers. The imagery also reflects Dayton’s rich history. The crossed lines represent the Wright Flyer and the circles represent our history with the bicycle. The river is a wonderful location for healthy activity – running, skating, kayaking, rowing. The colors were chosen to work with all 4 seasons. They are exciting yet subtle enough that the wall is not constantly screaming in your face – more calming.”

“I love watching the water levels. I’ve had some friends comment that the kayaker is really kayaking today. I was initially worried that there would be a dirty water line after the water recesses, but it’s been fine. I can’t wait for the River Run this summer!”

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We’ll post the winner next Monday with details about the photo as well as a new photo to challenge your knowledge of the Dayton area.

Thanks for playing and good luck!

Here’s our Mystery Photo for Week Eight:

Photo by Tom Gilliam of DaytonGram & Tom Gilliam Photography.

Mystery Monday – March 14, 2016

March 14, 2016 By Tom Gilliam

Welcome to Week 7 of Mystery Mondays. The answer to Week Six’s Mystery Photo is: The Ludlow Building on 136 South Ludlow Street in Downtown Dayton. I took this photo on March 27, 2015.

Congratulations to our winner Curt Dalton! Rapid Fired Pizza certificates are coming your way!

The Ludlow Building in Downtown Dayton – March 27, 2015

The Ludlow Building, built in 1916, was designed by the Pretzinger & Musselman architectural firm for Adam Schantz, Jr., who used his father’s estate to redevelop Ludlow Street into an important commercial thoroughfare. This building has distinct facades (one in brick with terra-cotta & metal trim and two in glazed terra-cotta veneer) designed to make one building look like three different buildings. The Terra-Cotta Historic District where the Ludlow Building sits, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places (added on May 31, 1984).

This building was formerly occupied by Reynolds & Reynolds as part of it’s downtown campus before relocating it’s headquarters to Kettering’s Miami Valley Research Park in 1999. The current occupants are Premier Health Partners and Dayton Public Schools.

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We’ll post the winner next Monday with details about the photo as well as a new photo to challenge your knowledge of the Dayton area.

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Here’s our Mystery Photo for Week Seven:

Photo by Tom Gilliam of DaytonGram & Tom Gilliam Photography.

Tom Gilliam

Mon 18

Tue 19

Wed 20

Thu 21

Fri 22

Sat 23

Sun 24

Centerville Community Blood Drive

Quiz Night at The Pub

Trivia

Danny Rebel and the KGB

LGBT AA group

King of Wands: A Divine Masculine Rewilding Circle

Trivia Night

Ballroom Dance Lessons

Open Coworking Day

Storytime @ Home

94th Annual Waffle Shop