Dayton, Ohio was founded in 1796 by a group of settlers led by Jonathan Dayton, a Revolutionary War captain and later a senator from New Jersey. The city quickly grew into a bustling industrial center, thanks to its strategic location on the Great Miami River and its proximity to natural resources like coal and limestone. In the early 1900s, Dayton became known as the “Birthplace of Aviation” due to the Wright brothers, Orville and Wilbur, who developed and built the world’s first successful airplane in their bicycle shop in the city. The aviation industry continued to thrive in Dayton, with companies like Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and the National Aviation Hall of Fame calling the city home. Today, Dayton is a vibrant city known for its cultural attractions, including the Dayton Art Institute and the Schuster Center for the Performing Arts. The city also boasts a strong economy, with a diverse range of industries including healthcare, manufacturing, and aerospace.