Want to Go?
WHAT: Carillon Historical Park Museum Store
WHERE: 1000 Carillon Blvd., Dayton
WHEN: 9:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday - Saturday; noon to 5 p.m. Sunday
COST: $7
INFO: 937-293-2841 or www.daytonhistory.org
There are several local artists who have items for sale at the Carillon Park Museum Store. The late David Smith has two books available: “Sgt. Smith’s Sketchbook” and “The Gem City Through an Artist’s Eye: Drawings & Watercolors.” The latter features many Dayton landmarks: Louis Traxler House on Yale Avenue, Main Street Bridge and Deeds Carillon. The WWII veteran passed away this past May 22 at the age of 95.
“He was a very gifted artist and a wonderfully nice man,” said 9-year Museum Store manager Lynda Vanover.
Fine wood chests and cases are made locally at a fourth-generation business, Gerstner & Sons in Dayton. It’s fitting that the Museum Store carries this; the historical business celebrated its 100th anniversary 10 years ago. Other items that can be ordered from Gerstner are large tool storage chests, jewelry boxes, rolling files, and collectors tables.
The husband-and-wife team of Mill-Cliff Publishing are Frank Miller and Barbara Clifford, who live in Clayton. They supply historic posters and memorabilia: a martial law handbill after the Dayton flood, a Collier’s cover, or a 1909 “Wright Welcome Home” announcement are some examples.
Curt Dalton is a historian/photography curator who has written many books about Dayton history.
“His book, “Dayton Inventions: Fact & Fiction” is probably our No. 1 book,” said Vanover. “We’ve made ornaments from the images he has curated.”
Other decidedly Dayton products are pen & ink drawings by Kathy Gross of Waynesville. She specializes in finely-detailed drawings of homes, businesses, historical buildings and colleges. She has drawn the DAI, Victoria Theatre and Newcom Tavern, among others. Special edition drawings of the Wright Flyers are available. Brian Platt of Dayton created a collage of Dayton sites and buildings that is very popular, according to Vanover.
The store carries blacksmithing items made by Ross Gaby, an education/living history assistant who walks around in period dress. The blacksmithing demonstrator had been working that day, as he had dirty stains on his hands and apron.
“I go out to the early settlement area of the park and do historic demonstrations.
Today I was doing ironwork and making various objects like hooks and replicas of 18th-century style rose-head nails,” said the Dayton resident.
He showed me some items he’d made, including a large cooking fork. Who knows? He may follow in the footsteps of Brady Kress, who started out as a blacksmithing demonstrator at the park and now directs the entire park and Dayton History.
Other historical creations include tatted snowflakes and other designs by Jeanine McAfee. Tatting is a cross between embroidery and crochet. Some interesting items, though not produced locally: pull-tab purses made in Mexico for Fair Trade; Dayton, Wright Flyer, and Ohio pillows; and ties with Dayton memorabilia designs.
“Our sales have grown a lot over the past nine years, with all of the increased activity, the new brewery, and the expansion of the park. We have a lot of WWI items. I call it the forgotten war; we have books, poster, magnets, and merchandise,” said Vanover.
The 11th annual Rail Festival sponsored by Dayton History and the Carillon Park Rail and Steam Society will be held next weekend, June 25 and 26. That might be a good time to check out the Museum Store.
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