Hamilton Journal-News

Curt Dalton isn't a car guy. He is a storyteller and a historian, so when he was approached about writing a book about the history of the motor cars in the Miami Valley, he jumped on it.

"I don't care if is has four or eight cylinders, a manual or automatic transmission, I'm interested in the people and the passion for invention. These were pioneers, individuals who pushed to create something, and those stories are fascinating," Dalton said.

Dalton, 49, has lived in the Dayton area for about 25 years. During the day he is the visual resource manager for the Dayton History Archive Center, but his passion is writing. Miami Valley's Marvelous Motor Cars is his 15th book about Dayton's history.

"Some local guys — Mike Self, Ben Thompson and Roger Miller — approached me with the idea, and they also helped pave the way to find the information and the photos for the book. They also contributed a number of the pieces, with the goal being a book car club members would buy, " Dalton added.

"I published 300 copies, and I still have about 100 available. But when they're gone, they're gone."

Profiles of more than 50 automobiles are featured in the 92-page soft cover book, with more than 110 photographs.

Among the many interesting stories of cars and manufacturing in the Dayton area, you'll read about Cordie J. Ruse, the machinist and part-time employee of the Wright Brothers, who is believed to have built the first gasoline-powered vehicle in Dayton in 1896.

There is some legend that Orville Wright helped Ruse solve some of his problems, and that Wilbur Wright wanted nothing to do with powered vehicles.

Harry Stutz, of Stutz Bearcat fame, is actually a native of Ansonia and was building very popular engines in the Dayton area when he moved to Indianapolis and achieved automotive legend status.

The Stoddard-Dayton is arguably the most recognized name in Miami Valley automotive history. A Stoddard-Dayton was the pace car for the first Indianapolis 500 in 1911, but in 1909, in the first auto race ever held at the famous Speedway, Louis Schwitzer drove a Stoddard-Dayton to victory, averaging 57 mph for the two-lap event.

Dalton spent more than two years gathering information and photos and traveled to Pennsylvania to visit the archives of the Antique Automobile Club of America to procure more facts and photos for the endeavor. The writing took another six months, with the finished product for sale in September of this year.

The book is only available at the gift shop at the Carillon Historical Park, for $19.95. The Carillon Historical Park also has a number of Dayton-built automobiles in its permanent collection, housed in the Dayton Sales Building on the park grounds.

Park hours are 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday and from noon to 5 p.m. Sunday.

The park is closed on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day.