3 ways Dayton has always been a car town

Dayton's history with the automobile stretches back practically as far as the invention itself. As described by one local car enthusiast, Concours d’ Elegance chairman Skip Peterson, “We’re one notch below Detroit.”

Here are three ways Dayton's car history is as strong as any around:

1. The sheer number of cars built in Dayton. There were 28 makes of automobiles built in Dayton and 53 makes if one counts the broader region that includes Middletown and Springfield.

2. Inventions here helped make the car easier. The automotive inventions of Dayton's Charles F. Kettering, like the self-starting motor, spark plugs, quick-drying automotive paint, leaded gasoline and shock absorbers, shaped automotive history.

3. Passion has turned to collector cars. This weekend's Concours d'Elegance at Carillon Park is the Midwest's premier classic & antique automobile and motorcycle show.

>>> READ MORE: Motor City II: How cars shaped Dayton’s identity

>>> PHOTOS: Early automobile history in Dayton

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