Dayton

Dayton exists because two bicycle mechanics understood something fundamental about flight: the problem wasn't engines—it was control. Orville and Wilbur Wright lived and worked here, and in 1910 opened the first U.S. airplane factory in Dayton. The 'Birthplace of Aviation' label stuck because it was literally true.

But what made Dayton special wasn't just the Wright brothers—it was what came after. Wright-Patterson Air Force Base became the center of military aerospace research, and employment there has doubled in the past two decades. The defense ecosystem attracted contractors, engineers, and a culture of precision manufacturing that persists today. Federal dollars flowing through Wright-Patterson created an economic anchor that survived manufacturing declines that gutted other Ohio cities.

Now history is rhyming. In 2023, Joby Aviation selected Dayton for its first scaled manufacturing facility—a $500 million investment to produce up to 500 electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft per year, creating up to 2,000 jobs. Governor Mike DeWine called it 'a new era in aviation manufacturing and aerial mobility.' Construction began in 2024 with production slated for 2025.

The 2024 metrics confirm the trajectory: the Dayton Development Coalition announced projects totaling $1.2 billion in capital investment, more than $176.7 million in payroll, expected to generate 2,500+ new jobs and retain 8,200+. The region ranked #1 for economic development activity for its size.

Dayton's pattern is founder effect amplified by institutional persistence. The Wright brothers created a niche—aviation innovation—and Wright-Patterson Air Force Base institutionalized it. Now electric aviation returns to the same place for the same reason: accumulated expertise in making things fly. The bicycle shop became a factory became a base became a tech hub, each iteration building on the last.