Few things are as delightful to the avid explorer in us all as a city’s art. Through public murals,
statues, and graffiti the history of a place is preserved. Stories are told, from one intrepid mind to
another, the meaning and memory of an entire community chiseled, sewn, and sprayed into
immortality. It’s what makes Dayton a city for all seasons, a gem worth revisiting time and time
again.
They say you always remember your first love and the same could be said for that first edifice in
a city to catch your eye. For me, it was strikingly modernist chief branch of the Dayton Metro
Library, its sleek lines and glass facades a delight to the artistic eye. Its most striking feature,
however, lies in its back entrance, towering over the concrete paths that untangle like vines
through Cooper Park. Past and present are represented in this space, by the daring angles of the
library and the stern figure of President William McKinley. Juxtaposed in a part of downtown
where bits of nature and the old Dayton survive, one can easily enjoy a ride through a hundred
years of the city’s history in a simple ten-foot walk.
Murals are more than just a colorful collection of images. This one, found at alongside the Tejas
Gallery, celebrates the cultural history of Dayton. While many associate the Gem City with
industry, manufacturing, and the Wright Brothers, here its thinkers and poets are also lauded. It is
hard to look at this colorful mosaic of faces and places and not wonder how many of them can
you name? And for those seen for the first time, just what sort of impact did they have on this
city?
Despite ending in 1865, the American Civil War still casts a long shadow over the United States.
Cities like Dayton, which would be home to many veterans and those that found freedom on the
Underground Railroad, is no exception. This stone obelisk pays tribute to them and the long
conflict that left over 600,000 dead and a nation in need of healing.
The Dayton Arcade’s TANK is a place that creatives frequent regularly. A kaleidoscope of color
dominates the subway entry, a wondrous opening bound to get the muses going. Vibrant
rainbows of color swirl in a mosaic that reflects the many shades of artistic expression. It’s lively,
inventive, and like the other pieces of art on this list, a perfect representation of the city.
Ismael Mujahid
Reporter/Photographer