The Dayton and Montgomery County Public Library contains a wealth of material for studying Dayton's past. Many of the sources are only available in our Dayton Collection, a research collection housed at the Main Library. Dayton Collection items are considered reference material and are for use in the library only. However, there are many basic Dayton history sources which are widely held throughout the system and which may be checked out. To locate books in the library on a Dayton topic, use the online catalog to do a subject, title, author or keyword search.
Indexes to Newspapers and Magazines
Premium Reference Databases such as Electric Library, Archives USA, Ancestry.com, Ohio Historical Society. Electronic indexes to articles in newspapers, magazines, books and other sources.
Readers Guide to Periodical Literature. Paper index for older articles.
Dayton Daily News Archives (Active Dayton). Another premium reference database for full text searching of newspaper articles from 1990 - present.
NIX. An online index to articles from the Dayton Daily News, the Journal Herald and Dayton Magazine from 1985 - present.
Index Dayton Newspaper Clipping File. Indexes microfiche of articles from Dayton papers prior to 1985.
Dayton Journal Index Gen-R O71.77173 DJ
Remember the Ladies: A Bibliography on Women in Montgomery County History R386 305.409
Local History Files
Ask the East Reference Desk at the Main Library for information from these sources.
Dayton Pamphlet File
These files house pamphlets, booklets, and other uncatalogued materials that contain valuable historical tidbits sometimes unavailable in more conventional sources.
Dayton Continuation File
Newsletters, annual reports, programs, and other publications of community organizations are kept in these files. Organizations are indexed in the INFORM database of local community organizations.
Local History/Correspondence File
Another fine source for hard-to-find historical facts.
Dayton Information File
A card file of answers to frequently asked Dayton questions, such as "Why is Dayton called 'the Gem City'?"
Dayton Map File
Maps of Dayton & Montgomery County dating from 1802 - present.
Dayton Broadsides File
Posters and oversized pictures highlighting Dayton's past.
Photographic Files
A photographic collection made up of the Lutzenberger Picture File and the Montgomery County Picture File. Both of these photographic collections contain local historical photographs on a variety of subjects dating from the late 1800s to the 1930s..
Books
These books are located throughout the system and can be checked out. Be sure to check the online catalog for locations and availability.
History of Black People in Dayton and Montgomery County, Austin, Charles Mosley 977.172 A935H
Dayton and Montgomery County, Resources and People, Conover, Charlotte Reeve, 977.173 C753D
Dayton, Ohio: An Intimate History. Conover, Charlotte Reeve 977.173 C753DAY
The Story of Dayton, Conover, Charlotte Reeve 977.173 C753S
History of the City of Dayton and Montgomery County, Ohio, Drury, A. W. 977.173 D796
Pioneer Life in Dayton and Vicinity, 1796-1840, Edgar, John Farris 977.173 E23P
The History of Montgomery County, Ohio 977.172 H673 or H673A
Dayton, a History in Photographs, Junior League of Dayton 977.173 J95D
Montgomery County, Ohio: A History Written by the People of Montgomery County, Ohio 977.172 M78813
Dayton's African American Heritage: A Pictorial History, Peters, Margaret 977.173 P482D
200 Years of Progress: A History of Dayton and the Miami Valley, Roberts, Carl 977.1 R6431T
Dayton, the Gem City, Ronald, Bruce W. and Virginia 977.173 R768D
Where the Rivers Meet: A Children's History of Dayton and the Miami Valley, Ronald, Bruce W. and Virginia 977.173 R7688W
The Land Between the Miamis: A Bicentennial Celebration of the Dayton Area, Ronald, Bruce W. and Virginia 977.173 R7688L
Dayton, Gem City of Ohio, Sanders, William Leslie 977.173 S215D
Early Dayton, Steele, Robert W. 977.173 S8814
For the Love of Dayton: Life in the Miami Valley, 1796 - 1996, Zumwald, Teresa 977.173
For Sale: 1913: Preserving the Memories of Dayton's Great Flood
1913 Flood Book - 2nd Printing Now Available!
1913: Preserving the Memories of Dayton's Great Flood is a publication that will be of interest to the professional archivist and the casual history buff, as well as helpful to individuals creating exhibits, publications and institutional disaster preparedness plans.
Flood history and technology, personal memories and archival documentation are included in the book. University of Dayton professor Una M. Cadegan explains why a community or individual yearns for a connection to past disasters. Dayton's only living flood survivor Charles Otterbein Adams relates his experiences and those of his twin sister Lois, and his family during and after the flood. Professor Emeritus Carl Becker of Wright State University details the history of flooding in the Dayton area, and the realization after the 1913 disaster that the Miami Valley needed a major plan for flood control. He describes the year long battle to establish the Miami Conservancy District, created in 1914 to build a system of dams which continue to protect the Miami Valley from devastating floods. Chief Engineer of the Miami Conservancy District, Douglas N. Johnson, outlines the history of the conservancy district, the construction of the network of dams and continuing efforts to preserve and improve the efficiency of the system. Finally, the need for protecting a community's historical materials from the ravages of flooding is addressed by Dayton Metro Library Director Timothy Kambitsch.
Library archivist Elli Bambakidis coordinated the flood symposium and edited the publication. Some of the rare photographs included in the book may be found through the Local History link on our Dayton Metro Library web site.
Copies of 1913: Preserving the Memories of Dayton's Great Flood may be purchased for $25 at the Service Desk in the library Magazine Room, 215 E. 3rd St. in downtown Dayton. Library hours are 9:00 - 9:00 Monday - Thursday, 9:00 - 5:30 Friday and Saturday. For more information call 227-9500 ext. 310.
Copies may also be purchased by mail for $27 (including shipping) Make checks payable to "Dayton Metro Library" and send with your address to Dayton Metro Library, Local History Room, 215 E. Third St., Dayton, OH 45402.
Research & Databases 
