Abraham Lincoln
Courthouse Square, Dayton
The monument, created by Urbana artist Mike Major, was commissioned to commemorate Abraham Lincoln’s visit to Dayton on Sept. 17, 1859. That day, Lincoln reportedly stood on a box on the curb facing the steps of the Old Courthouse and spoke to the crowd for close to two hours.
President William McKinley
Cooper Park
This statue, located in Cooper Park next to the Dayton Metro Library’s main branch, was dedicated to his memory Sept. 17, 1910.
McKinley was also the governor of Ohio, an Ohio representative in Congress and a soldier in the Union Army.
A plaque on the monument reads, “This monument is a tribute by the citizens of Dayton and the children of its schools.”
President John F. Kennedy
University of Dayton
“Kennedy’s Eternal Flame” is located outside of the Kennedy Union on the University of Dayton campus.
The full-length portrait, which is abstract at the bottom but becomes detailed at the head, is over 8 feet tall.
The original sculpture was made of cement and marble by William Joseph Thompson in 1964 and was recast in bronze by John Leon in 1998.
>> RELATED: 8 famous statues around Dayton
About the Author