Oregon Historic District Society Records

The first meeting of the Organization for the Burns-Jackson Area was held September 12, 1973. Twelve of those present were then residents of the area - the remainder, prospective residents or interested parties. By the conclusion of the second meeting two weeks later, the group had voted to call themselves the Oregon Historic District Society, adopted a constitution, elected trustees and voted to file Articles of Incorporation. Their constitution read in part: "To create a sense of community; to help make neighborhood life secure and comfortable; to establish an atmosphere in which to live, work and recreate ourselves." Each year the Oregon Historic District Society sponsors a tour of homes and business buildings in the area in an effort to acquaint others with what the community has accomplished.

The Oregon Historic District is a celebration of the history of Dayton through the evidence of its architectural heritage. In 1810, Dayton was a small community of 383 persons living on the banks of the Great Miami River. There was no Oregon, no Miami-Erie Canal, just a meandering gully to the east where the canal would eventually be constructed. This gully flowed south from the Mad River to a point just below the town where it joined the Great Miami. The only establishment east of here was a sawmill located near East Fifth and Wyandot Streets. South of this, near East Sixth Street, was a sawmill ground.

Wide diversification of architectural styles and life styles in such a small area is one of the most intriguing aspects of Oregon. The origin of the name Oregon is remote and uncertain. It appears in local histories and early newspapers, as of March 11, 1845, when David Z. Pierce placed an ad in the Dayton Journal & Advertiser which read in part "I have laid out and offered for sale on terms to suit purchasers, 80 desirable building lots on that part of the city known as Oregon". This seems an excellent indication that the area had been known as Oregon for some time before this date.

Oregon was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. The District today consists of twelve city blocks bounded on the north by Fifth Street, on the east by Wayne Avenue, on the south by the Route 35 Expressway and on the west by Patterson Boulevard, once the site of part of the Miami-Erie Canal. The construction of the expressway established the final definitive boundary of Dayton's oldest neighborhood as it exists today. The Oregon District itself is home to historic houses, restaurants, bars, and locally owned retail shops. Oregon also has a rich tradition of supporting artists in all forms, from traditional paint and canvas artisans to musicians. Small art galleries and artist showcases have become a mainstay within the Oregon District.