After the completion of the Miami-Erie Canal in 1829, Dayton was connected to Cincinnati, and the city has thrived ever since. Named after a landowner who served as a captain in the American Revolutionary War, Dayton was incorporated in 1805 and originally had only several hundred inhabitants. Dayton is now home to nearly 1 million people and is the sixth-largest city in Ohio.

The city of Dayton has recorded the first wave of deindustrialization in U.S. history. In the 1980s, even before the" first wave," central American cities like Dayton were at or near their pre-recession levels.

Since the 1920s, Dayton has contributed to the remarkable economic prosperity of much of our country. Dayton's commercial and industrial growth stimulated the development of new industries such as steel, steel mills, and automotive production. Much of this innovation is due to Dayton's location at the intersection of the Great Lakes and the Ohio River, and its proximity to the Mississippi.

Dayton is home to the University of Dayton, Wright State University, as well as the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.

In 2011, Dayton was recognized by HealthGrades for its outstanding health care, and many Dayton-area hospitals have consistently been of clinical excellence. An estimated 32,000 people are working in hospitals in the Dayton area, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Thanks to Five Rivers MetroParks, Dayton has 340 miles of paved bike paths, including one that follows the river. Leisure facilities include Carillon Park, known for concerts and historical exhibits, including a replica of the Wright Brothers' bike shop. Dayton, after all, is the known as the birthplace of aviation since Orville and Wilbur Wright built their Wright Flyer in Dayton.

In downtown Dayton, you'll find a revitalized and thriving area called the Oregon District, where you can enjoy a number of shops, restaurants bars and restored homes.