The Cash & Pop Tabs??

It's been quite a while since I've walked around Riverscape in Downtown Dayton.  Almost three years.  Yikes!  I decided it was time to check it out again, this time with camera in hand (it IS one of the MetroParks that I can cross of the list of needing to visit).

It was an absolutely gorgeous day (more beautiful blue skies with cottony clouds, but I'll spare you those pictures), a bit on the hot side, but with a nice breeze.  I spent about 35-45 minutes walking around, and that was enough.

I was lucky to get a pretty good parking spot (at a meter, which is free on the weekends) close to an intersection and just across the street from Riverscape.

I'd never seen plumeria growing before - it smells heavenly!!

Kayaking on the Great Miami is becoming more and more popular . . . I kind of want to learn, but am a little leery of having to learn how to flip the kayak.

The water fountains for the kiddies to play in; I've seen it when it's been timed to music, which the kids really enjoyed.  There were quite a few kids, but I timed it to NOT get them in the picture . . . don't want to be mistaken for anything other than a photographer!

A little bit of Dayton history, especially since I've previously written about the 1913 flood.  Amazing that a log cabin managed to deal with the flood waters better than the more modern buildings.

This pavilion is where the entertainment is held - concerts, etc. during the summer.  I'm also assuming it's where the ice rink is in the winter (can't think of another area large enough to accommodate one).

I took this photo for the "weather vane."  Love the idea of one of the Wright brothers hanging on so the wind won't blow him away.

I liked this photo for a couple of reasons:  1)  Some of the older architecture that has managed to survive; and 2) you can see where the river is and how high it had to rise just to barely flood the immediately surrounding streets.  Add another 7-8 feet (at a minimum; the pictures of the flood at its peak have the water almost to the top of the lampposts) to get an idea of how severe the flooding was.

I liked how the Queen Anne's Lace was growing out of the retaining wall.

Kayaks available to rent . . . not today for me, but possibly at some point . . .

There were several poems by Paul Laurence Dunbar inscribed on the sidewalk.  This one is entitled  "To The Miami" (click on the underlined link to be able to read the poem).  Dayton has long been known as the birthplace of aviation, but there are many authors, poets, and inventors from the city, including Paul Laurence Dunbar.

This display is in recognition of the computer search engine and Lexis Nexis, both originating out of Dayton, Ohio.

I think this is my favorite view of this sculpture - it appears that one of the Wright brothers is flying the plane right out of the tree.

  
Any of us who have enjoyed a beverage in a can with a pop top have Ermal Fraze to thank.  While not a native of Dayton, he had moved to Dayton and started Dayton Reliable Tool & Manufacturing Company before obtaining patents on the original ring pull can and the currently used push-in, fold back tab.  We salute you, Mr. Fraze!!

The grounds at Riverscape have beautiful landscaping.  This view shows a nicely shaded area that's almost a retreat from the busy-ness of the street and businesses close by.

Beautiful roses . . .

This is the bottom of one of the towers for the fountains.  It shows how high the water reached in 1913 (figure the door show is probably around 6-7 feet tall).

This sculpture isn't part of Riverscape proper, but is so close I had to include it.  This is titled "The Incorruptable Cashier" in recognition of NCR (National Cash Register, or to many Daytonians, The Cash), which until recently was a proud Dayton business.  It has since moved out of the state.  Sigh.  The keys at the front indicate the amounts to press from $0.01 at the far right all the way to a whopping $20.00 at the far left!

I liked the shadow on the pavilion - it resembles the wings of the Wright Flyer, which I'd almost bet was intentional.

A Dayton history lesson of sorts, revisiting the 1913 flood and some of the amazing inventors from Dayton, plus pictures of older architecture, sculptures, flowers, cooling waters, and kayaks.  What more could you ask for on a Saturday toward the end of June?  A nice cold beer in a can, complete with sincere gratitude to Ermal Fraze!  I'll have to settle for a Diet Dr. Pepper in a can to salute Mr. Fraze, but it might be followed by an ice cold bottle of beer . . . or vice versa!

Dam!

I've been posting pictures taken at several of our local MetroParks, and today is no exception.  I visited Huffman MetroPark, which is very close to the house.

One of the reasons we have some of the MetroParks goes back to March of 1913.  Next year will be the 100th anniversary of the Great Dayton Flood.  As a result of the damage and death toll related to the flood, NCR (National Cash Register, or "The Cash") spearheaded a campaign to raise funds to prevent future floods.

A great book to read for a better understanding of what people went through is Promises in the Attic by Elisabeth Hamilton Friermood.  But to put some numbers to it, the amount of water from the flood was nearly 4 trillion gallons (approximately the amount of water to flow over Niagara Falls in four days).  The damage caused was estimated at $190 million (in 1913; in today's economy it would be well over $2 billion).

The relief committee raised over $2 million (in 1913 dollars!), and Arthur E. Morgan was selected to oversee the flood control program.  Among the research they performed was a trip to Egypt where information regarding the Nile flooding had been preserved in writing for many more years than our own flood histories.  The better their understanding of floods, the better prepared they would be to create an effective plan.

It was 1914 before the Ohio General Assembly passed the Ohio Conservancy Act, permitting the creation of regional agencies to provide flood protection to communities within the state.  Shortly thereafter, leaders from the Miami Valley petitioned to form the Miami Conservancy District.  The district was formed in 1915 and is one of the oldest conservancy districts in the state.

A series of 5 dams were built between 1918 and 1922 under the direction of the Miami Conservancy District, and it was the world's largest public works project of its time.  The cost of the flood system?  More than $30 million.

Planning to the point of obsessiveness, careful financing, legislation, and implementation all working together enabled the most comprehensive flood protection in the nation.

Since completion in 1922, the dams have stored floodwater more than 1,700 times.  Dayton has not experienced another devastating flood since that of 1913.  PBS has run a special on the flood several times, as well as one on those who created the system of dams.  I remember more modern engineers being amazed at the thought behind the system and how the engineers were ahead of their time in planning for the future.

So, out of disaster, I am able to walk the paths of numerous MetroParks and visit lakes at the dams built to prevent the area from catastrophic flooding.  The natural growth, wildlife, and critters are all part of the wonderful package.

I can't begin to imagine what many people endured since the warnings regarding the flood came too late for the majority to evacuate.  Many people were forced to move to their attics to survive; once there I'm sure they realized what is important in life, and made many promises for after the flood. Whatever promises were made, I am very grateful they kept the one about not allowing another flood to destroy Dayton.


The beauty that is waiting to be captured at our MetroParks is a living testimonial to the endurance, determination, and spirit of the 1913 Daytonians.