Lanier Township near Gratis in Preble County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Myron Edgar "Scottie" Scott

1907 - 1998

— Hall of Honor —

Myron Edgar "Scottie" Scott Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Craig Doda, June 28, 2025

1. Myron Edgar "Scottie" Scott Marker

Inscription. Scottie lived nothing short of a fascinating life. He began working for the Dayton Daily News as a cartoonist while in high school and then became an accomplished photographer for the paper as well. Some of Scottie's photos even made it into Life magazine where they were viewed by thousands.

Later, upon seeing boys racing "soap box" like contraptions with baby buggy wheels, he thought up the names for the "All-American Soap Box Derby" and even the famous "Corvette" automobile!

Inducted into the Hall of Honor September 24, 2022

As recorders of Preble County history, PCHS and The Register-Herald are natural partners in co-sponsoring the Hall of Honor

Erected 2022 by Preble County Historical Society - The Register-Herald. (Marker Number 49.)

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Arts, Letters, Music • Roads & Vehicles • Sports. A significant historical date for this entry is September 24, 2022.

Location. 39° 39.507′ N, 84° 32.85′ W. Marker is near Gratis, Ohio, in Preble County. It is in Lanier Township. It is at the intersection of Swartsel Road and Ohio Route 122, on the right when traveling south on Swartsel Road. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 9693 Swartsel Road, Eaton OH 45320, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Ohio’s Till Plains.

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

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8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Mr. Hiram Evans (1808-1876) & Mrs. Elanor Humphrey Evans (1805-1850) (here, next to this marker); Henry Horn (here, next to this marker); James I. Nisbet (here, next to this marker); Harry Raymond McPherson (here, next to this marker); Dr. Charles Floyd Hildebolt II, D.D.S., Ph.D. (here, next to this marker); Gabriel "Old Gabe" Smith (here, next to this marker); Kenneth J. Garber (a few steps from this marker); Paul E. (1914-2007) & Ruth Phelps Fitzwater (1916-2004) (a few steps from this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Gratis.

Also see . . . Myron Scott (Wikipedia). Excerpt:

Myron E. Scott (September 16, 1907 – October 4, 1998) was the creator of the All-American Soap Box Derby. He is also credited with naming Chevrolet's sports car, the Corvette.

Scott was born in Camden, Ohio. After school hours, he worked for the Dayton Daily News and learned photography, and had pictures published in Life Magazine and other publications.

In 1933, as chief photographer for the Dayton Daily News, he came across a few boys racing one another down a hill in vehicles made of orange crates and soap boxes. With the intention of getting a good photo story and local race with prizes, he persuaded the boys to return with more racers and soapbox cars.

Scott was so enthusiastic with the
Photographed by Craig Doda, June 28, 2025

2. Preble County Historical Society & Nature Reserve - Hall of Honor
whole concept that he acquired its copyright; the national-scale Soap Box Derby grew out of this idea. In 1934, Scott managed to persuade 50 cities across the United States to hold soap box car races and send a champion each to Dayton for a major race, a proposal that Chevrolet subsequently sponsored in 1935. The race was later held at Talmadge Hill in Akron, Ohio.

Scott later went on to work for Chevrolet, where he named the Corvette. Chevrolet wanted a non-animal name starting with "C" for the sports car in 1953, and Scott chose the name of a fast ship, the corvette.

(Submitted on July 22, 2025.)

Credits. This page was last revised on July 22, 2025. It was originally submitted on July 3, 2025, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. This page has been viewed 93 times since then and 20 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on July 3, 2025, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.