Things to do in Dayton

Fraze Pavilion

We have a wonderful outdoor venue in a suburb of Dayton in Kettering, Ohio called The Fraze Pavilion, about 15-20 minutes from the Convention Center. Tuesday Aug. 4th Joan Baez is playing at 8PM. If you aren't doing Frank Tangredi's play or reading you might want to get tickets. They are still available. For those too young to remember, or those of us too old to retrieve the memories from back then, Joan Baez marched on the front lines of the civil rights movement with Martin Luther King Jr. and at another point stood with Nelson Mandela. I just recently saw her at Pete Seeger's 90th birthday party. She's still going strong you old hippies and peace activators. You can pull up the info at [Fraze]. Tickets available through [Ticketmaster] 1-800-745-3000. $20 lawn and terrace seats and $25 for Plaza and Orchestra.

You will also note that the Heroes of Woodstock are there on Sunday Aug. 2nd. However it starts at 6:30 so players might miss some of it getting there. This features Jefferson Starship, John Sebastian from the Lovin' Spoonful, Big Brother & the Holding Company minus Janis Joplin of course, Country Joe McDonald, and Tom Constanten from the Grateful Dead. A few sides.

This venue has a large fountain/ waterpool outside and is a park as well. Many people if they can't afford or the concert is sold out just sit outside and listen. This is permissible. Umbrellas are not allowed. You are not allowed to bring in your own drinks and they DO check purses and bags. No cameras. You can order box suppers ahead of time and beer, wine, water and coffee are served as well as hot dogs, ice cream, pizza and pretzels without prior orders.

If you plan to order tickets for the Fraze be sure and ask for the free parking pass. We have discovered that for some reason Ticketmaster doesn't automatically offer them and they are available!

Woodland Cemetery and Arboretum

Dayton has the fifth oldest Cemetery and Arboretum in the US., [Woodland], founded in 1841.

On this site there there are many pictures of the ponds, its beauty, section on how to do gravestone rubbings etc. Those bringing children to Dayton will find this to be quite an historical, learning experience for them. The gateway and chapel office are on the National Registry for Historical Places. There are 200 acres of over 3,000 magnificent trees, flowers, birds and grave sites of many famous people.

The Wright Brothers were buried here along with Erma Bombeck, previous syndicated writer and columnist of humor, Paul Lawrence Dubar, Afro-American poet, many founders of industry in the Dayton area such as Mead, NCR and Huffy from Huffy bicycles.etc.

You can enter and tour on your own or stop at the office and pick up headphones for a self guided tour between the hours of 8 AM- 3 PM. Unfortunately their formal guided tour is the Wed after our tournament. They also have a contact person for a car driven tour for the handicapped, inclement weather tours and groups tours. Contact Debra Mescher 937-228-3221. Some trees were damaged last fall when the landlocked state of Ohio, most unusually got hit with the tail end of Hurricane Ike and lost electricity for up to 5 weeks for some. I have not been back since storm damage but you can Google it and look at how some of the big trees split.

Willie spent time doing grave rubbings with her son's Montessori class one year. It really is a lovely area. There is a civil war area with a cannon etc. It is a rather large area so downloading the map and lot numbers and where you might be most interested in visiting will help.

There is now a Mausoleum you can walk into and many ponds with ducks and wildlife. It sits abutted to The University of Dayton, which ironically is where the son Willie took to the cemetery, now works. Those arriving early for registration could grab a cab or drive to Woodlawn, a short 10 minute drive. Family members who are not playing and enjoy beauty might want to attend.

Hawthorne Hill Home

This is another National Historic Landmark, built in 1914, that players or family can visit. During the 2007 Player's Championship, negotiations were still underway with the posh suburb of Oakwood, as to how to open the home but satisfy the community so there would be no additional traffic, parking near the home etc. The historical organization agreed to sell the tickets and take tourists by van from Carillon Park across from the Marriott where many of you are staying. The van will drive by many lovely large homes in the Oakwood area on the way to Hawthorne Hill. They will give you the history of the NCR park which is also reopening this summer and the NCR's Sugar Camp that originally was a tent camp in 1884 that the founder of NCR (National Cash Registry) John Patterson used to cover up some work that the women of war times were doing that was actually part of the code breaking that NCR is known for. These developed into 60 cabins that NCR used for training housing.

You now have the opportunity for just $12 to see the home where Orville, Katherine and their father lived and what was supposed to be Wilbur's home but he was deceased before the completion of the home. He died in 1912 of Typhoid Fever at age 45. The Dayton flood of 1913 delayed the finishing of this home.

Willie took this tour recently. NCR bought and used it for many years and the kitchen is the only area you don't get to tour for it was totally modernized for the convenience of NCR to house guests.

In the rest of the house they have large photos of the original rooms to compare to today and one room, the den, is set up with Wilbur's original chair that he created like a lazy boy to offset an injury he had incurred. Many pieces of furniture, are the original and overall it is gorgeous! If you get a guide as dedicated and full of knowledge as she did, you will feel the life style and dynamics of the Wright family, including the number of weddings held there, the famous people such as Howard Hughes who have stayed there and more. The Wright brothers, as you may know, had many inventions and the central vacuuming was one. The tour guide had a funny story to share about the maid and the vacuum.

Ordinarily this tour only occurs on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Reservations are required. 937-293-2841. This fits if you are a family member not playing SCRABBLE. Go ahead and make your own reservations. Soon! The van only holds 10. Also for $15 your tour can include Carillon Park as well, a museum in itself.

However, the timing doesn't work for the SCRABBLE players. With prior notice and reservations they will make exceptions. I am willing to make arrangements for a group to go if there is enough interest. Please contact Willie privately at [wswankpitzer@woh.rr.com] and she will see if we can pretty much fill a van. While waiting for the van, the inside of the admissions office has 2 different films going about the flood of Dayton, history of aviation etc.

Please contact Willie as soon as possible if you want to tour after playing hours, the day of registration or after play on Wednesday or if your flight leaves on Thursday or you are just staying in the Dayton area. It is well worth the money.

It's worth just sitting and watching those. Also the cafe that anyone can go to by just entering the park (no fee) is called "CULPS" has the original recipes of a restaurant that used to be in downtown Dayton in the 1930's and 40's. They have a long mural on the wall showing a scene of the original restaurant from back in WWII and is modeled with a counter and stools etc. besides tables. You can also eat on a patio. Food is reasonably priced. They have soups, sandwiches and salads, hamburgers etc. The desserts are the original recipes. The menu itself is another historical lesson. Open 7 days a week 11-3 PM.