University Park in Dayton in Montgomery County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

The Great 1913 Flood Exhibit Building

Photographed by Craig Doda, May 22, 2021

1. The Great 1913 Flood Exhibit Building Marker

Inscription.
How deep did the water get? The blue line above the front doors marks the depth of the 1913 flood waters where you are now standing: 18.2 feet.

On the morning of March 25, 1913, the citizens of Dayton awoke to the sounds of factory whistles blowing and church bells ringing amid the heavy rains. It was a warning that the Great Miami River was on the verge of breaching the levees.

The Great 1913 Flood and what happened in its aftermath changed Dayton and the Miami Valley forever.

Built in 1962 in Carillon Historical Park. The Flood exhibit was added in 2012.

Signage funded by Warren E. and Thelma L. Snyder

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Disasters • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical date for this entry is March 25, 1913.

Location. 39° 43.699′ N, 84° 12.11′ W. Marker is in Dayton, Ohio, in Montgomery County. It is in University Park. It can be reached from Carillon Boulevard 0.2 miles west of South Patterson Boulevard, on the left when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Dayton OH 45409, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Ohio’s Miami Valley. It is also in the American Midwest and in the Corn Belt. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy, the territory of the Mississippian Culture, and the Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Dayton Sales (within shouting distance of this marker); Bowling Green Depot (within shouting distance of this marker); Dayton Cyclery (within

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shouting distance of this marker); Corliss Engine Building (within shouting distance of this marker); Smith Covered Bridge (within shouting distance of this marker); Wright Hall (within shouting distance of this marker); United States Naval Computing Machine Laboratory (within shouting distance of this marker); Wright Cycle Company (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Dayton.

Photographed by Craig Doda, May 22, 2021

2. The Great 1913 Flood Exhibit Building Marker

The Great 1913 Flood Exhibit Building Display image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Craig Doda, May 22, 2021

3. The Great 1913 Flood Exhibit Building Display

The Great 1913 Flood Exhibit Building image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Ian Lefkowitz, May 30, 2025

4. The Great 1913 Flood Exhibit Building

The exhibit inside the building documents the breadth and depth of the flooding as well as the rescue efforts undertaken.

Credits. This page was last revised on July 26, 2025. It was originally submitted on May 23, 2021, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. This page has been viewed 363 times since then and 22 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on May 23, 2021, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. 4. submitted on July 26, 2025, by Ian Lefkowitz of New York, New York. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.