Properties on the National Register of Historic Places
Dayton's Historic Walking Tour

[1]  Fort Yamhill Blockhouse -  Located in the NE Corner of Court House Square Park, this historical landmark is a memorial to Joel Palmer who served as Superintendent of Indian Affairs. Built in 1855 & 1856 by Willamette Valley Settlers, on Fort Hill near the present community of Valley Junction, as protection against Indians who had been moved onto the reservation.  The federal government sent troops for protection and Fort Yamhill was established August 30, 1856. Named for the Yamhill River, the Fort was abandoned by army authorities in the 1860’s, and was moved from the top of Fort Hill to Grand Ronde and used as a jail.

In 1911 the Blockhouse was moved from Grand Ronde to Dayton after J G Lewis petitioned the Dayton City Council to move the fort from Grand Ronde where it had fallen into despair.  The City Council enacted a resolution to petition the Governor of Oregon and the Secretary of War to have the Blockhouse relocated in Dayton to honor General Joel Palmer.  Today the Blockhouse has undergone extensive restoration and is an exact replica of the original blockhouse.

[2]  Gabriel-Will Residence; 401 3rd  Street - Built in 1885 by Christopher and Sarah Taylor, for their daughter Ella and her husband Gustov Detmering.  In 1906 the home was purchased by Bingham and Louisa Gabriel, Gabriel operated a dry good store with John Nichols.  The house later became the home of Roy and Cecil Will, which the house was also named after.  The house was later remodeled and operated as a restaurant in 1989.

[3]  Foster Oil Company; 216 Ferry Street - Built in 1936 according to Yamhill County building records, this site was formerly the location of the IOOF Yamhill Lodge #20.  Sanborn Fire Insurance Company maps 1891 – 1912 also show a barber shop and hardware store at this location, prior to the construction of the Foster’s Building.

[4]  Harris Building; 302 Ferry Street - Constructed in about 1913, the first floor was a drug store operated by Robert Harris until his death in 1926.  The second story was used as offices and subsequently as the IOOF Lodge.

[5]  Commercial Club SC Stuckey Building; 310 & 312 Ferry Street - Built in 1911 and was the site of the Commercial Club.  In 1912 the first and second floors were divided in half. In the north half of the building, Litscher and Detmering, a grocery store and post office were located on the first floor, and the Commercial Club on the second floor. In the south half of the building, general Merchandise was located on the first floor and a printing office on the second floor.

[6]  Oregon Mutual Merchant Fire Insurance Association; 308 Ferry Street -Built in 1910 after the fire of 1906, in about 1915 the building became the Dayton Post Office. August Detmering was appointed by President McKinley in 1897 and was postmaster until 1914.

[7]  McNamar Building; 304 Ferry Street - This commercial building was built after the fire of 1906 on the former site of the Armstrong & Baxter Livery Stable. McNamar sold the property in 1914 to Lester Shippy, owner of the General Merchandise Store. 

[8]  Dayton Common School; 506 4th Street - The former Dayton Common School was constructed before 1860 and was the first elementary school in Dayton until 1875 when a new school was constructed.

[9]  Fisher Butcher Shop; 400 Ferry Street - Built in 1918 and housed the local butcher shop which was operated by Carl Fisher. 

[10] Gottlieb Londershausen Residence; 402 Main Street - Built 1912 and was the home of Gottlieb Londershausen who owned and operated his own shoe and harness repairing shop for over 29 years, before dying in 1918.  Members of the Londersausen family are buried in the Brookside Cemetery.

[11] Andrew Smith Residence; 308 5th Street - Built in 1859 this was the second home of Andrew Smith, co-founder of Dayton.  He married Joel Palmer’s daughter, Sarah and together they had 5 children. 

[12] James Mellinger Residence;  414 5th Street - Built in 1904, for James Mellinger who moved to Dayton in 1903, and started a real estate business.  When the Dayton Bank opened in 1904 he took on the responsibilities of cashier as well.  He died in 1932 and is buried in the IOOF Cemetery, with his wife, Elizabeth.

[13]  William Hibbert Residence; 426 5th Street - This house was constructed in 1906 by Herman Wilson who had a lumber outlet in Dayton.  He supposedly built the house for his bride to be, but when his marriage plans fell through he sold the house without ever having lived in it.  William Hibbert purchased the house from Wilson in 1909 and moved into it with his wife, Whilemina.  He died in 1934 and is buried in the IOOF Cemetery.  His wife lived in the house until 1971.

[14] Samuel Sigler Residence; 521 Ferry Street - Built in 1904 for Samuel Sigler and his wife, Debbie, they owned a lumberyard located behind the house.  The Siglers resided in their home on Ferry Street until 1929 when it was sold to George and Alice Casper.

[15]  Lewis – Shippy Residence; 421 6th Street - Built in 1891 and 1892 by Benjamin Lewis as his retirement home.  After Lewis’ death in 1900 his widow Mary moved out of the house.  The house was then rented by Lester Shippy who was a dry goods merchant.

[16]  Joel Palmer House; 600 Ferry Street - Upon Joel Palmers return to Dayton in 1857 he built this home for his family residence.  While living in Dayton Palmer was active in local politics, serving as Speaker of the House of Representatives in 1862, and State Senator from 1846 to 1866.  He died in 1881 and is buried in the Brookside Cemetery.

[17]  Frank Hole Residence; 623 Ferry Street - Constructed in 1910 and sold to Emily Nichols, wife of Isadore Nichols, businessman and Hop grower in Dayton.    In 1915 the property was sold to Frank and Cora Hole.  Frank Hole owned and operated the Dayton Planing Mill and Box Factory. 

[18]  Dayton High School; 801 Ferry Street - Built in 1936 and constructed with PWA Funding.  Upon opening the school enrolled 103 Students.

[19]  Berry-Sigler Investment Property; 700 Church Street - In 1911 the property was acquired by S.W. Sigler, who was owner of a local lumber yard, and F.E. Berry, a hop-raiser and part-time inventor of "lightning plants." The house was built in 1917 and it is unknown who lived in the house. 

[20]  Mabee – Mayberry Residence; 309 7th Street - First owned by Malhinda Maybee who acquired the property from BP Cardwell in 1889.  It is assumed that her husband Emerson Mabee, who was a carpenter, built the home.  John and Venita Mayberry bought the home in 1929, John Mayberry is buried in the IOOF Cemetery.

[21]  Jessen – Goodrich Residence; 324 6th Street - Built sometime in the late 1890’s.  The original owner, designer and builder, are unknown.  Johan Jessen who owned the home from 1906 to 1910 was a local physician in Dayton from 1906 to 1916.

[22] Curtis W Powell Residence; 524 Ash Street - Built in 1917. Powell who was in Company G, 20th Ohio Infantry during the Civil War, died in 1921 at the age of 90 and is buried in the Brookside Cemetery. 

[23]  O.B Rippey Residence; 523 Ash Street -  Constructed about 1890 under the ownership of William T Hash, who sold the property to Joseph Lewis in 1891.  In 1911 OB and Fanny Rippey purchased the property from Lewis. 

[24]  Morse House; 101 5th Street - Benjamin and Rosina Morse bought this piece of property for $110.00.  It appears the Morses’ built the house soon after purchasing the property in 1881.  Benjamin Morse was a blacksmith by trade and in 1887 went into business with John Mauts as “Morse and Mauts Blacksmith Shop”.

[25] Fletcher - Stretch Residence; 401 Oak Street - The first owner of this home was Mary A Fletcher, who took title of the property from Joel and Sarah Palmer in 1878.  After various owners, title of the property transferred to Ada Stretch, wife of Nathaniel Stretch the school custodian.  Mr Stretch died in 1942 and is buried in the IOOF Cemetery.

[26]  Robert Morris Residence; 409 Oak Street - This house was built in the late1870’s or early 1880’s and was purchased for $6.00 at a Sheriff’s Sale by William Hash in 1873.  Little is known about Robert and Isibella Morse who later owned the property according to the 1900 census. 

[27]  Free Methodist Church; 411 Oak  Street - Known locally as Dayton’s third church, this building was constructed in 1885 for the Free Methodist congregation.

[28]  Hash House; 120 5th Street - Built some time between 1910 and 1912 and was originally owned by John Hash, whom little is known. Owned by Monahan family at the time of nomination. 

[29] Carter - Goodrich Residence; 521 Church Street - Built in 1908 and originally owned by Isabella Carter, daughter of John and Harriett Baxter.  Little is known about Isabella or her Husband James Carter who was a farmer.  Mr. Carter died in 1891 and is buried in the Brookside Cemetery.  Later Orr C Goodrich who was a dentist, bought the home and lived there with his wife, Gertrude until 1943.

[30]  Gabriel – Filer Residence; 525 Church Street - Constructed in 1916, by Roy Gabriel, son of Bingham Gabriel.  Sold to Emmett and Lena Filer in 1927.  Mr. Filer was a local business-man and former Mayor of Dayton.

[31] Evangelical United Brethren Church; 302 5th Street - Constructed between 1883 and 1887, a split in the congregation caused the sale of the church in 1894 to George Foster, a primary organizer of the Christian Church.  

[32] John Baxter Residence; 407 Church Street - Built around 1890 and was the home of John and Harriet Baxter, both are buried in the Brookside Cemetery.

[33] Methodist Episcopal Parsonage; 202 4th Street - Church records indicate that a parsonage committee was appointed in 1858 and a building was built sometime later (around 1868) on land donated by Andrew Smith.

[34]  Avery Residence; 403 Church Street - Built in 1895 and was the home of Edwin and Lizzie Avery and their 4 children.  Mr Avery was a Hop Farmer who had a hop-yard near Dayton.

[35]  Methodist Episcopal Church; 302 4th Street - Built in 1862, the former Dayton Methodist Episcopal Church was the first church built in Dayton.  Extensively altered in 1912 it is currently the home of the Dayton Pioneer Evangelical Church.

[36]  Londershausen (Paul) Residence;  309 Main Street - Paul Londershausen moved to Dayton in 1889 and continued to live here for 59 years.  He served as a City Councilman and was a Hop grower and farmer by trade.  This house was built in 1921 and is one of a few bungalow style homes built in the Dayton area.

[37]  First Baptist Church;  301 Main Street -Built in 1886 and dedicated in November of that same year, this building is one of the oldest brick buildings in Yamhill County and the first brick church to be built in Dayton. 

[38]  COURTHOUSE SQURE PARK – Located in the heart of downtown Dayton, the land was donated by Joel Palmer in hopes that the County Seat would be placed in Dayton. Subsequently the block was used as a park and as a site for City Hall and other public structures including a water tower.  

This park is the home of many historical mementoes, including a fountain, bandstand and a historic blockhouse. The Original Bandstand which was built in the 1920’s was rebuilt after being destroyed by the Columbus Day storm of 1962.

[39] Brookside Cemetery; 3rd & Mill Streets - Joel Palmer set aside land for the Brookside Cemetery in the 1850’s. Specially marked graves show who voted at Champoeg in 1843 for Oregon's Provisional Government.   Joel Palmer, Francis Fletcher, Pleasant Armstrong & Medorum Crawford are just a few buried in the Brookside Cemetery. 

[40] Mellinger - Ponnay House; 102 Tribbett Court - Dr. James E. Mellinger built this house in 1891.  At the time, the house was located on a farm 1½ miles from town.  In 1892 he sold the property to his sister Cora Ponnay and her husband Henry.  They lived in the house for a brief time before JW Armstrong leased the residence in 1895.  The original address was on Palmer Lane, but was changed with the construction of new housing and streets.