The YMCA in Dayton was formally organized in 1870. In 1887 the YMCA erected a four-story brownstone at 32 East Fourth Street. “It is the finest building west of the Alleghenies,” YMCA secretary David A. Sinclair boasted at the time. “It will take care of our wants for fifty years to come.” By 1908 they had outgrown the building. The structure eventually became the State Theater, which was razed in 1970. YMCA’s next building was erected at the northwest corner of Third and Ludlow, on a site donated by Mary Bell Ecker in her will. At the time it was the second largest YMCA building in the world. Completed in 1908, the structure included Turkish baths, 60 showers, a restaurant, bowling alley and game room. Twenty years later the YMCA had also outgrown this building. The structure is now the Dayton Municipal Building. When the YMCA building on Third and Ludlow was built a remodeled house adjoining it was opened for boys. David A. Sinclair started the YMCA Youth’s branch in 1874 in hopes that he could develop leaders among the young boys who would stay with the Y as they grew into young men. During the 1913 flood the house was given over to the militia and the Red Cross set up an emergency hospital there. When it was announced that the next location for the YMCA was going to be at 117 West Monument Avenue some were against the idea, stating that the location was “out in the country”, and too far away to draw members. But plans weren’t changed and in 1929 this beautiful building of Northern Italian architecture was completed. Now known as The Landing, part of the building became an apartment complex in 1992.
Posted on: Thu, 09 Oct 2014 22:20:14 +0000
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