I have often found Sanborn Maps to be helpful for tracking the physical evolution of a site. The Dayton-Montgomery County Library keeps old phone books and a "City Directory" dating back to the early 1900's. While searching the phone books can be tedious, they can help isolate when a building was erected by flagging when a business first appeared at a given address. The City Directory is a little easier because it is organized by street and address although street names and numbers sometimes change.
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Richard Holmes AIA
The Architectural Group, Inc.
Dayton OH
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