Webster Station in Dayton in Montgomery County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Patterson Commons - The Evolution Of An Urban Space

— Patterson Boulevard Canal Parkway —

Photographed by Craig Doda, June 28, 2025

1. Patterson Commons - The Evolution Of An Urban Space Marker

Inscription.
Bounded by Fourth Street to the north, St. Clair Street to the west, and Patterson Boulevard to the east, the space known as Patterson Commons has undergone many changes since the Miami Erie Canal Era. In the nineteenth century, small industrial establishments produced their goods here, as the canal flowed on the east side of this block. After the canal was filled for the construction of Patterson Boulevard, warehouses replaced many of the earlier industries. The space was cleared of all structures and occupied by a parking lot during the 1970s. Urban design and development projects during the 1980s-2000s led to the construction of a new RTA building and the landscaping of Patterson Commons to rehabilitate it as a public place.

The Patterson Commons area as seen in Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps of Dayton from 1887 and 1950. In 1887, small industrial establishments occupied the space. In 1950, old buildings had been removed or were used as warehouses.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Industry & Commerce • Parks & Recreational Areas • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical year for this entry is 1887.

Location. 39° 45.473′ N,

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84° 11.249′ W. Marker is in Dayton, Ohio, in Montgomery County. It is in Webster Station. It is at the intersection of North Saint Clair Street and South Patterson Boulevard, on the right when traveling north on North Saint Clair Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 100 N St Clair St, Dayton OH 45402, 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: Patterson Commons, 1890s: The Miami Erie Canal Era (here, next to this marker); Fluid Dynamics (here, next to this marker); Patterson Commons, 1930s: Patterson Boulevard Construction (here, next to this marker); Patterson Commons, 1980s-1990s: Claiming Public Space (here,

Photographed by Craig Doda, June 28, 2025

2. Patterson Commons - The Evolution Of An Urban Space Marker

next to this marker); Patterson Commons: The 1913 Flood and Aftermath (here, next to this marker); Patterson Commons, 2000s: Open Space Development (here, next to this marker); Patterson Commons, 1970s: Space for Automobiles (here, next to this marker); Oregon: Dayton's First Historic District (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Dayton.

Credits. This page was last revised on July 26, 2025. It was originally submitted on July 4, 2025, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. This page has been viewed 69 times since then and 10 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on July 4, 2025, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.