Early Christians used the anchor as a disguised cross and as a marker to guide the way to secret meeting places. It is a Christian symbol of hope, it is found as funeral symbolism in the art of the catacombs. It is also an occupational symbol in sea-faring areas or the attribute of St. Nicholas, patron saint of the seaman, it symbolized hope and steadfastness. An anchor with a broken chain stands for the cessation of life. Anchors are also a Masonic symbol and often found on Mason’s graves as they were a symbol for well-grounded hope.
Woodland Cemetery, founded in 1841, is one of the nation’s five oldest rural garden cemeteries and a unique cultural, botanical and educational resource in the heart of Dayton, Ohio as you will see as you read through this new MostMetro.com series. Visit the cemetery and arboretum and take one of the many tours Woodland offers free of charge. Most of Dayton’s aviation heroes, inventors and business barons are buried at Woodland.
Woodland Cemetery and Arboretum is located at 118 Woodland Avenue off of Brown Street near the UD Campus. The Woodland Office is open Monday through Friday 8 am to 5 pm and Saturday 8 am to 12 pm. The Cemetery and Arboretum are open daily from 8 am to 6 pm. The Mausoleum is open daily from 9 am to 5 pm. For more information, call 937-228-3221 or visit the Woodland website.






The Mead monument was once the tallest obelisk at Woodland Cemetery. Today, just a few short feet away from the Mead family lot stands the tallest obelisk, that of John Alexander Collins. During a search through the Wright State University Archives, a series of photographs were found of storm damage at Woodland involving the Mead monument. On the back of each photo was written “Storm Damage July 1944.” I did some checking with the local National Weather Service office in Wilmington and found out that there was a heat wave and drought in the summer of 1944. On July 11th the temperature was 100 degrees; on July 12th the temperature dropped to 83 degrees. The local office did not have written records dating back that far other than a few statistics but stated that with a dramatic drop in temperature, it was possible that a storm had blown through.
Maryland Avenue revealed a Wednesday, July 12, 1944 page 1 short article titled, “Lively Shower Brings Relief from Heat.” The first paragraph states, “Residents of Dayton and vicinity Wednesday were given at least a temporary respite from the prevailing high temperatures with the first break coming shortly before 10 am Wednesday when the city was visited by a shower which peppered down right lively for about 10 minutes. It is estimated that about one-hundredth inch of rain fell.”
Most Dayton and Miami Valley residents know that the wind can pick up in an instant in the area and knock a few trees down. Perhaps the answer to what happened was truly blowing in the wind.



Angels are often referred to as Agents of God. They direct you towards Heaven. They are the guardians of the dead and they symbolize spirituality.

Shana, this place is gorgeous. I’m guessing it was a blank canvas when you moved in, where did you find the vision to bring this to life? 










It’s not a difficult task to discover
The Downtown Dayton Partnership is helping to roll out a new juried art show. The
You can meet the artists from the juried show pop-up galleries in their spaces, and you can check out an array of other arts activities sprinkled around downtown, including:
Nucleus CoShare
I am a Dayton native. I left after graduating Fairview High School to attend Haverford College, graduate school at Western Reserve University, and military service in the Air Force in Turkey and Italy. I returned to practice dentistry for 50 years, much of that as a partner with my father, Dr. Jack Saidel. That was always my intention and I have fulfilled it happily.
Now, we have entered the age when down-sizing is becoming a cogent decision. Both of us have dealt with the concept of a smaller residence. We realized that Dayton’s arts are the center of our life’s activities. This made downtown Dayton a major choice for us. Our move downtown puts us at the epicenter of the arts, music, dining and friends.
We also need space for our relatives and children. We regularly fill our big home with their presence for family events. We also host many artists performing here for the opera, Vanguard concerts, etc. We knew a two- or even three-bedroom apartment would be too confining. Many visits to condominium-type dwellings yielded nothing that came close to our needs. We came upon an interesting concept, vertical rather than horizontal, that was advanced by Charles Simms in his design for Monument Walk.
We know the Simms family well. Charlie, as the younger member, and his father Charles are experienced builders and good friends. And we know with Ann Simms looking over their shoulders, everything will be perfect.
Cincinnati native Jon White wasn’t happy stuck behind the wheel of his car. When the 31-year-old landed a job in Dayton, he initially tried to commute from his new job in Dayton back to his home in Cincinnati. But spending hours on the road took its toll on Jon, and he decided to find a new home that offered more freedom and flexibility. “I didn’t feel healthy commuting like that every day. I wanted to live close to work and close to entertainment,” Jon said. The location at Dayton Towers apartment complex
checked off Jon’s requirements for proximity for 9-to-5 and 5-to-9 activities. “I bike to work just about every day,” he said. “and I still have easy access to the highway if I need to travel somewhere, and it’s a quick trip to access the bike trails for recreation.”
population is more dense, you’ll see more people, and when you walk or bike instead of drive, you have more interactions.” Within his own apartment building, Jon said he has met a wide range of ages and backgrounds of people who choose the convenience and excitement of downtown living. “There are families with kids, senior citizens, University of Dayton and Sinclair College students, young professionals like myself — people from all walks of life live here,” he said. “There’s a real sense of community.”
Mingling with other Dayton Towers residents is how Jon met his group of friends, who enjoy Dayton Towers’ proximity to Oregon District businesses as well as theaters, art galleries, recreational activities, and other amenities within easy walking or leisurely bike riding distance. Of course hanging out on the patio or balconies is a popular choice with the amazing city views. Regardless of how he now spends his additional free time as a downtown resident, Jon said he’s happy with his choice to ditch the commute and dive into the live-work-play environment his downtown address provides. “It’s a lifestyle I prefer to have.”
Tickets are available at this link:
lovers filling the space at the Ponitz Center confirm the hype. While the silent auction allows more tentative bidders (yours truly) to explore fascinating pieces by local artists, and raise the price in $10 increments, the live auction (hosted by Doug Sorrell) is always a treat. This year – especially so – as a beautiful piece from
whopping $6,100 for the cause!
Insider tip! There is a FREE show at Trolley Stop this Friday April 29th, 2016 with two incredible bands, Grover and Common Center. Plus that fabulous patio? It’s a no brainer for Friday night fun!

invites you to interact with the art. While there are some actual hands-on opportunities, around every corner you’ll engage in a very personal experience. Whether it’s dual holograms that offer a different experience for each viewer based on their own height and distance from the piece or a work where the colors are plugged into a randomizer to guarantee a unique show for each viewer – this exhibit is always changing and created especially for you.


One of the city’s most beloved local rock bands,