Elephants in the Canal

Elephants in the Canal. . , Dayton's Miami Erie Canal Basin was a hub for social life. Well-furnished packet boats were used for short excursions. Sunday picnics on the canal were common, particularly during summer. School children found the shallow waters of the canal ideal for swimming. In winter, the canal froze over and attracted ice-skaters. The wide, open space surrounding the the canal basin was a natural location for markets and street fairs. Hotels, such as the Swaynie House on First Street (replaced by the Delco Building in 1913), invited social gatherings for residents and visitors., [Caption:] , Left image: Elephants bathe in the canal during a street fair in 1899 as crowds gather along Canal Street. The photograph is taken from the landing near the old Public Library looking northeast toward Canal Street. Warehouses, machine shops, and other businesses lining the street have since been removed for the parking lot between Second and Third Streets. Right image: High school students aboard a packet boat in summer 1898, soon after the completion of the old Dayton Public Library, seen in the background. The photograph is taken looking southwest from Canal Street toward Third Street.