Dayton is a medium-sized city in southwest Ohio. It was first settled in 1796, with Ohio joining the Union in 1803. Its population currently reaches over 140,000.
Dayton has always been big on industry. It prides itself on being the first in aviation, where Orville and Wilbur Wright invented the first successful airplane, Charles F. Kettering created the electric car starter, and more. Dayton was also headquarters for NCR and General Motors. However, with the closing of them in 2009 and 2008 respectively, unemployment has increased. Over 1000 jobs were lost from NCR and over 33,000 jobs were lost as a result of the closing of GM. Since the 1980s, Dayton’s population has been in decline, mainly due to the loss of manufacturing jobs and decentralization of metropolitan areas, as well as the national housing crisis that began in 2008.
The Turkish Community in Dayton, Ohio 1940-Present 