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78-564: Gentile was born in Piqua, Ohio , the son of Italian immigrants Patsy and Josephina Gentile, who immigrated in 1907. After a fascination with flying as a child, his father provided him with his own plane, an Aerosport Biplane. He managed to log over 300 hours flying time by July 1941, when he attempted to join the US Army Air Corp. The U.S. military required two years of college for its pilots, which Gentile did not have, so he enlisted in

156-727: A T-33A-1-LO Shooting Star trainer, AF Ser. No. 49-0905 , in Forestville , Maryland , leaving behind his wife Isabella Masdea Gentile Beitman (deceased October 2008), and sons Don Jr., Joseph and Pasquale. Gentile was buried with full military honors in Saint Joseph Cemetery in Lockbourne, Ohio . Gentile's awards and decorations include: The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting

234-399: A speakeasy . The building suffered disrepair and neglect for a period, and renewal plans seemed unable to secure funding. In a public-private redevelopment, the building was fully renovated during a two-year project. Since 2008, its major tenant has been the city's public library. In addition, the building is the location of The Scottish Thistle, a full-scale restaurant and bar, complete with

312-536: A "cake trimmer", and purchased the most modern equipment then available. He met the leading citizens of Piqua. They were impressed with French, who had graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in three years, and had entrepreneurial spirit. They decided to invest in a new company he wanted to start. The French Oil Mill Machinery Company was founded May 25, 1900, with French as president, to make "improved oil mill machinery". By 1905

390-773: A "salute to the union", is fired on Independence Day at noon by any capable military base. New York City has the largest fireworks display in the country sponsored by Macy's , with more than 22 tons of pyrotechnics exploded in 2009. It generally holds displays in the East River. Other major displays are in Seattle on Lake Union ; in San Diego over Mission Bay ; in Boston on the Charles River ; in Philadelphia over

468-532: A March 8, 1944 mission near Berlin, Gentile and Godfrey teamed up to claim six Bf 109s between them. Gentile was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for that mission. After downing three more planes on April 8, he was the top scoring 8th Air Force pilot when he crashed his P-51, "Shangri-La", on April 13, 1944, while buzzing the 4th FG's Debden airfield for a group of assembled press reporters. Blakeslee immediately grounded Gentile as

546-488: A P-51 Fighter Airplane in the 336th Fighter Squadron, 4th Fighter Group, Eighth Air Force, in aerial combat against enemy forces on April 8, 1944. On this date Captain Gentile destroyed three enemy fighters and assisted in destruction of a fourth in a single engagement. Captain Gentile's unquestionable valor in aerial combat is in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflects great credit upon himself,

624-572: A patio for live entertainment. The building is now known as Fort Piqua Plaza. Beginning in 1886, there were 14 companies in Piqua set up that sold underwear. There were underwear manufacturers in the city until 1993. The Underwear Festival, in which participants wore underwear publicly and which had entertainment events, was established in 1988. Each instance was for two days. In 1990 the Associated Press stated: "Organizers cautioned that

702-423: A picnic or barbecue; many take advantage of the day off and, in some years, a long weekend to gather with family members or friends. Parades are often attended in many towns and cities, some being hours-long, with many floats and participants. Parades are often held in the mid-late morning (before get-togethers), with longer spectacles sometimes extending into the early afternoon. Fireworks displays typically occur in

780-479: A result, and he went back to the US for a planned tour selling war bonds . In 1944, Gentile co-wrote with well-known war correspondent Ira Wolfert One Man Air Force , an autobiography and account of his combat missions. Gentile's initial claim of 30 aircraft destroyed (including 7 on the ground) was later reduced to a final tally of 19.83 aerial victories and 3 damaged, with 6 ground kills, in 350 combat hours flown plus

858-427: A section of Fighter Aircraft on a bomber escort mission to targets in the vicinity of Berlin, Germany, saw a flight of bombers being attacked by approximately fifty enemy fighters. With only his wing man as support and without regard to the overwhelming odds against him, Captain Gentile immediately attacked the enemy formation and by extremely courageous flying and skillful gunnery destroyed three enemy planes and broke up

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936-582: A signatory of the Declaration of Independence, James Monroe , another Founding Father who was elected president, also died on July 4, 1831, making him the third President who died on the anniversary of independence. The only U.S. president to have been born on Independence Day was Calvin Coolidge , who was born on July 4, 1872. Independence Day is a national holiday marked by patriotic displays. Per 5 U.S.C.   § 6103 , Independence Day

1014-735: A single 190 on 25 February. By late 1943, future Group Commander Col. Don Blakeslee pushed for re-equipment with the lighter, more maneuverable P-51 Mustang . After conversion to the P-51B at the end of February 1944, Gentile built a tally of 15.5 additional aircraft destroyed between March 3 and April 8, 1944. His first victory flying the P-51 was on 3 March, when he claimed a Do 217 in the Wittenberg area. Together with his occasional wingman John T. Godfrey , they were known as 'Captains Courageous', 'The Two-Man Air Force', and 'Damon and Pythias'. On

1092-493: A variety of businesses over the years, including a barbershop, grocer, bank, the local telephone company business office, Western Union , a combination bus station and taxi office with a very popular soda fountain and lunch counter, and others. Just prior to the start of the Prohibition era , the hotel's bar was moved to the basement level. It is rumored to have closed only its outside entrance during those years, operating as

1170-498: Is a federal holiday, so all non-essential federal institutions (such as the postal service and federal courts ) are closed on that day. While the legal holiday remains on July 4, if that date happens to be on a Saturday or Sunday, then federal government employees will instead take the day off on the adjacent Friday or Monday, respectively. Other non-essential that are non-government related may also be closed that day. Families often celebrate Independence Day by hosting or attending

1248-574: Is believed to be derived from a Shawnee language phrase: Othath-He-Waugh-Pe-Qua, translated as "He has risen from the ashes," related to a legend of the people. It became associated with the Pekowi , one of the five divisions of the Shawnee people , who were eventually known as the Piqua. In 1749, Fort Pickawillany was constructed by the British to protect their trading post at a Miami village of

1326-413: Is predominantly clayey glacial till, transitioning to mostly Loamy glacial till. Starting on March 23, 1913, rain began to fall for five days. The heaviest rainfall occurred on March 25 with anywhere from 2” in the southeast corner of Ohio to 5” in the area between Piqua and Troy. All together, the total amount of precipitation for this five day period was recorded from 5” in the southeast of Ohio to 11” in

1404-592: Is the east–west Conrail corridor; originally built as the Pennsylvania Railroad two-track throughway, this track was abandoned in 1985 during restructuring of the railroad industry. A section of it was renovated as a bike trail in the summer of 2001, and it is now known as Linear Park. The remaining rail line serving Piqua is the north and southbound Baltimore and Ohio line, now operated by CSX Transportation (CSXT). Independence Day (United States) Independence Day , known colloquially as

1482-403: Is typically one of the busiest United States travel periods of the year, as many people use what is often a three-day holiday weekend for extended vacation trips. The Philippines celebrates July 4 as its Republic Day to commemorate the day in 1946 when it ceased to be a U.S. territory and the United States officially recognized Philippine Independence . July 4 was intentionally chosen by

1560-519: The Battle of Piqua , after which the town and surrounding fields were burned. The Shawnee relocated north and west to the Great Miami River. Piqua was settled as two separate Shawnee villages late in 1780, known as Upper Piqua and Lower Piqua. In 1790, General Harmar found the site on the Great Miami River abandoned and in ruins, as did General Wayne in 1794. As Gen. Anthony Wayne's Legion

1638-464: The COVID-19 pandemic forced cancellations of shows. Some local or regional firework sales are limited or prohibited because of dry weather or other specific concerns. On these occasions the public may be prohibited from purchasing or discharging fireworks, but professional displays (such as those at sports events) may still take place. A salute of one gun for each state in the United States, called

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1716-598: The Chateauesque style. It looms over many of the surrounding buildings in the neighborhood. A "sister" house in Dayton, Ohio, was designed by the same architect. Piqua's shopping mall, Miami Valley Centre Mall , opened in 1988 and was renovated in the mid-1990s. Miami Valley Crossing (formerly Piqua East Mall, opened in 1970) was redesigned and updated in the late 1990s as a plaza with several anchor stores. According to Piqua's 2018 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report,

1794-590: The Declaration of Independence , a statement explaining this decision, which had been prepared by the Committee of Five , which asked Thomas Jefferson to author its first draft. While Jefferson consulted extensively with the other four members of the Committee of Five, he largely wrote the Declaration of Independence in isolation over 17 days between June 11, 1776, and June 28, 1776, from the second floor he

1872-886: The Fourth of July , is a federal holiday in the United States which commemorates the ratification of the Declaration of Independence by the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, establishing the United States of America . The Founding Father delegates of the Second Continental Congress declared that the Thirteen Colonies were no longer subject (and subordinate) to the monarch of Britain , King George III , and were now united, free, and independent states. The Congress voted to approve independence by passing

1950-480: The Lee Resolution on July 2 and adopted the Declaration of Independence two days later, on July 4. Independence Day is commonly associated with fireworks , parades , barbecues , carnivals , fairs , picnics , concerts , baseball games , family reunions , political speeches , and ceremonies, in addition to various other public and private events celebrating the history, government, and traditions of

2028-879: The Philadelphia Museum of Art ; in San Francisco over the San Francisco Bay ; and on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. During the annual Windsor–Detroit International Freedom Festival , Detroit, Michigan , hosts one of the largest fireworks displays in North America, over the Detroit River , to celebrate Independence Day in conjunction with Windsor, Ontario 's celebration of Canada Day . The first week of July

2106-652: The Piqua Nuclear Generating Station . The facility was built and operated between 1963 and 1966 as a demonstration project by the United States Atomic Energy Commission . The Atomic Energy Commission bought out the contract with the City of Piqua in order to terminate the operations early, citing higher-priority needs for manpower and funding, lack of programmatic interest, and technical problems. According to

2184-816: The Royal Canadian Air Force and was posted to the UK in Dec 1941 as a Pilot Officer. Gentile flew the Supermarine Spitfire Mk V with No. 133 Squadron, one of the three famed RAF " Eagle Squadron "s beginning in June, 1942. His first kills (a Ju 88 and Fw 190 ) were on August 19, 1942, at Dieppe during Operation Jubilee . In September 1942, the Eagle squadron pilots transferred to the USAAF, becoming

2262-520: The United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 11.89 square miles (30.79 km ), of which 11.62 square miles (30.10 km ) is land and 0.27 square miles (0.70 km ) is water. The Great Miami River runs through Piqua. The area at the south end of town on the east side of the river is known as Shawnee. As of the census of 2010, there were 20,522 people, 8,318 households, and 5,425 families residing in

2340-462: The War of 1812 . Firework shows are held in many states, and many fireworks are sold for personal use or as an alternative to a public show. Safety concerns have led some states to ban fireworks or limit the sizes and types allowed. In addition, local and regional conditions may dictate whether the sale or use of fireworks in an area will be allowed; for example, the global supply chain crisis following

2418-650: The freedmen to the free state of Ohio, and to buy land and supplies to help them establish a settlement. The will was challenged but in 1846, his 383 slaves gained their freedom. Most of these freedmen settled in Rumley, Ohio . Some eventually founded Rossville and an associated cemetery, known as the African Jackson Cemetery . These are located on the northeast side of the Great Miami River; they may be accessed by nearby North County Road 25-A. The community has since been incorporated into Piqua. Piqua

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2496-737: The 8th Air Force, and the United States Army Air Forces. A Civil Air Patrol squadron based in Sidney, Ohio was named in honor of Don Gentile. On Independence Day Weekend (July 6) 1986, a statue of Don Gentile (pictured) was dedicated in his hometown Piqua Ohio . Gentile Air Force Station in Kettering, Ohio was named in his honor in 1962. The installation closed in 1996. Winston Churchill called Gentile and his wingman, Captain John T. Godfrey , Damon and Pythias , after

2574-509: The Armed Forces of the United States. The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting a Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster in lieu of a Second Award of the Distinguished Service Cross to Captain (Air Corps) Dominic "Don" Salvatore Gentile, United States Army Air Forces, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving as Pilot of

2652-409: The Declaration was signed nearly a month after its adoption, on August 2, 1776, and not on July 4 as is commonly believed. By remarkable coincidence, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, the only two signatories of the Declaration of Independence later to serve as presidents of the United States , both died on the same day: July 4, 1826, which was the 50th anniversary of the Declaration. Although not

2730-529: The Distinguished Service Cross to Captain (Air Corps) Dominic "Don" Salvatore Gentile, United States Army Air Forces, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy while serving as Pilot of a P-51 Fighter Airplane in the 336th Fighter Squadron, 4th Fighter Group, Eighth Air Force, in aerial combat against enemy forces on 8 March 1944, in the European Theater of Operations. On this date Captain Gentile, while leading

2808-486: The English city of Gloucester , its cathedral rang bells in 2019 and 2020 for the anthem " The Star-Spangled Banner " every July 4 for its links to the anthem , commemorating its status as the birthplace of John Stafford Smith , who composed the tune on which the anthem is based. (federal) = federal holidays, (abbreviation) = state/territorial holidays, (religious) = religious holidays, (cultural) = holiday related to

2886-638: The Gem of the Ocean "; " God Bless America "; " America the Beautiful "; " My Country, 'Tis of Thee "; " This Land Is Your Land "; " Stars and Stripes Forever "; " Yankee Doodle "; " God Bless the U.S.A. " and " Dixie " (in southern states); " Lift Every Voice and Sing "; and occasionally (but has nominally fallen out of favor), " Hail Columbia ". Some of the lyrics recall images of the Revolutionary War or

2964-723: The Lange family, was located on the downtown square at the northeast corner of Main and High streets. It produced its signature product along with Sprite , Tab and Fresca in glass bottles for the Upper Miami Valley; metal canned products were shipped in from a plant in Speedway, Indiana. In the mid-1970s, the plant was bought by the Dayton Coca-Cola Bottling Company. The increased demand for Coke products in two-liter plastic bottles and cans made

3042-679: The Piqua Seventh Day Adventist School, and the Nicholas School. Piqua is home to Edison State Community College , established as Ohio's first general and technical college in 1973. The Piqua Daily Call was published daily from 1884 to 2019 before being consolidated with the Troy Daily News to form Miami Valley Today , which is published Tuesday through Friday in Troy . Piqua is home to

3120-692: The United States because it corresponds to its Independence Day, and this day was observed in the Philippines as Independence Day until 1962. In 1964, the name of the July 4 holiday was changed to Republic Day. Rebild National Park in Denmark is said to hold the largest July 4 celebrations outside of the United States. While not an Independence Day celebration by any means, the city of Trois-Rivières , Quebec , Canada celebrates its founding every July 4, having been founded on July 4, 1634. Trois-Rivières

3198-580: The United States. Independence Day is the national day of the United States. During the American Revolution , the legal separation of the thirteen colonies from Great Britain in 1776 actually occurred on July 2, when the Second Continental Congress voted to approve a resolution of independence that had been proposed in June by Richard Henry Lee of Virginia declaring the United States independent from Great Britain's rule. After voting for independence, Congress turned its attention to

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3276-428: The age of 18 living with them, 44.9% were married couples living together, 14.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 6.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 34.8% were non-families. 28.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 2.96. The median age in

3354-420: The age of 18 living with them, 50.4% were married couples living together, 12.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.4% were non-families. 27.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 2.99. In the city the population was spread out, with 26.5% under

3432-460: The age of 18, 9.0% from 18 to 24, 28.9% from 25 to 44, 21.3% from 45 to 64, and 14.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.7 males. The median income for a household in the city was $ 35,681, and the median income for a family was $ 41,804. Males had a median income of $ 31,808 versus $ 22,241 for females. The per capita income for

3510-484: The aging local plant obsolete; it was closed down and razed by the end of the decade. A newer bottling plant was constructed in Huber Heights . A statue of pilot Don Gentile was erected at the site of the defunct plant. The Val Decker Packing Company, which operated until 1981, was a local producer of hams, hot dogs, and other meats and lard under the tagline "Piquality." The large red steel cans, which contained

3588-566: The celebration. The highest ever were in Salem, Massachusetts , with pyramids composed of as many as forty tiers of barrels. These made some of the tallest bonfires ever recorded. The custom flourished in the 19th and 20th centuries and is still practiced in some New England and northeastern towns. Independence Day fireworks are often accompanied by patriotic songs, such as " The Star-Spangled Banner " (the American national anthem ); " Columbia,

3666-451: The city was $ 18,719. About 9.6% of families and 12.2% of the population were below the poverty line , including 18.0% of those under age 18 and 7.9% of those age 65 or over. The city of Piqua is the home of Hartzell Propeller , a producer of small aircraft propellers. Evenflo (formerly Questor Juvenile Furniture) is the leading manufacturer of infant and toddler car seats, and has become one of Piqua's leading employers and industries. In

3744-405: The city was 38.1 years. 24.8% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.7% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25.6% were from 25 to 44; 26.2% were from 45 to 64; and 14.7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.0% male and 52.0% female. As of the census of 2000, there were 20,738 people, 8,263 households, and 5,585 families residing in the city. The population density

3822-477: The city. The population density was 1,766.1 inhabitants per square mile (681.9/km ). There were 9,311 housing units at an average density of 801.3 per square mile (309.4/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 92.4% White , 3.3% African American , 0.2% Native American , 0.7% Asian , 0.4% from other races , and 2.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.4% of the population. There were 8,318 households, of which 32.6% had children under

3900-489: The company was exporting its patented and rugged vegetable oil mill extraction machinery all around the world. Today, the company has customers in over 80 countries, still serving the vegetable oil extraction market (to press such seeds as soybeans, cottonseed, rapeseed, canola, and many others). In addition, the company is a world leader in synthetic rubber dewatering and drying machinery, and in hydraulic molding presses for rubber, thermoplastic and composite materials. During

3978-686: The conflict. After the battle, the British and Miami abandoned this site. The Miami rebuilt Pickawillany, and Piqua later developed near their village. The British soon took over the area after defeating the French in the French and Indian War . Until 1780, Piqua had been the capital town of the Shawnee located on the Mad River about 23 miles southeast of the modern town (near Springfield). That year, an expedition by Gen. George Rogers Clark culminated in

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4056-747: The evening, at such places as parks, harbors, off of boats, sporting venues, fairgrounds, public shorelines, or town squares. Decorations (e.g., streamers, balloons, and clothing) are generally colored red, white, and blue, the colors of the American flag , and many homes and businesses will decorate their properties with miniature American flags. The night before the Fourth was once the focal point of celebrations, marked by raucous gatherings, often incorporating bonfires as their highlight. In New England , towns competed to build towering pyramids, assembled from barrels and casks. They were lit at nightfall to usher in

4134-472: The former Medalist factory site. The Meteor Motor Car Company had a brief run as an independent record label and phonograph manufacturer in the 1920s. Acquired by Wayne Corporation of Richmond, Indiana , which manufactured school buses, it operated as the Miller-Meteor division. Miller-Meteor produced ambulances and hearses before closing down in 1979. The Piqua Coca-Cola Bottling Company, owned by

4212-527: The lard product, are now sought-after as collectors' items. The building which housed the meat packing plant was renovated in 1987 for office use by the Piqua Board of Education and several small businesses. Piqua's industrial past produced a prosperity reflected in residential areas near downtown, which contain numerous large mansions and homes. Most notable is the Leo Flesh Mansion, built in

4290-400: The late 1890s, Southwest Ohio was the heart of the US flaxseed growing area. There were some 13 linseed oil mills in Piqua, where the flaxseed was "crushed" to extract the vegetable oil, named linseed oil. The flax fiber was used to make both cloth and paper. The oil had a variety of industrial uses. Linoleum is a manufactured flooring product for which linseed oil is the binder. One of

4368-603: The late 19th century and much of the 20th century, Piqua was a major center of underwear production. A yearly Outdoor Underwear Festival was held downtown from 1988 until shortly after the demise and demolition of the factory owned by Medalist-Allen A, a direct descendant of the Atlas Underwear Company. Originally the festival had a serious historical focus. In later years it attracted adventurous types from surrounding towns, and Piqua residents discouraged their children from attending. Heritage Green Park now occupies

4446-688: The legendary characters from Greek mythology. He was inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame in 1995. Piqua, Ohio Piqua ( / ˈ p ɪ k w ə / PIK -wə ) is a city in Miami County, Ohio , United States, along the Great Miami River . The population was 20,354 at the 2020 census . Located 27 miles (43 km) north of Dayton , it is part of the Dayton metropolitan area . The word 'Piqua'

4524-409: The most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to

4602-443: The nucleus of the 4th Fighter Group. Gentile became a flight leader in September 1943, now flying the P-47 Thunderbolt . Having flown Spitfires, Gentile and some of the other pilots of the 4th were displeased when they transitioned to the heavy P-47C in April 1943. On 16 December 1943, Gentile claimed one third-share of a destroyed Ju 88. On 5 January 1944, he claimed a Fw 190 west of Tours . Two Fw 190s were claimed on 14 January and

4680-593: The other, from this time forward forever more. Adams's prediction was off by two days. From the outset, Americans celebrated independence on July 4, the date shown on the much-publicized Declaration of Independence, rather than on July 2, the date the resolution of independence was approved in a closed session of Congress. Historians have long disputed whether members of Congress signed the Declaration of Independence on July 4, even though Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and Benjamin Franklin all later wrote that they had signed it on that day. Most historians have concluded that

4758-433: The parade is a family affair." A lack of volunteers led to the disestablishment of the festival in 1998. The Piqua City School District , which covers the entire city, operates two elementary schools, one intermediate school, one middle school, a junior high school, and Piqua High School . Piqua is also home to the Upper Valley Career Center. Piqua is also home to several private schools, including Piqua Catholic School,

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4836-425: The pipes. The estimated property damage/loss in Piqua reached $ 1,000,000 ($ 26.2M in present-day dollars), excluding public utilities and farm losses. The Ohio and Erie Canal , which for 81 years had served as an important connection point from Ohio to the East Coast, was permanently closed to commercial traffic because of extensive flood damage. Piqua was home to the first municipally operated nuclear power plant ,

4914-509: The radio stations WPTW 1570 AM and 98.1 FM, as well as WPLC 95.1 low-power FM as a repeater of Three Angels Broadcasting Network . Piqua has two Main Streets, one being north and southbound along Miami County Road 25-A (the former U.S. Route 25 , also known as the Dixie Highway ); the other running east through Shawnee. U.S. 36 also runs through much of the city, cutting the town almost directly in half. Main and Ash streets (U.S. 36) converge in Piqua's downtown. Also running through downtown

4992-406: The same name. It was located at the confluence of Loramie Creek and the Great Miami River . In 1752 Charles de Langlade , an Odawa war chief of partial French Canadian descent, attacked the fort. He led more than 240 Odawa and Ojibwe warriors allied with French forces against the British and the Miami village in the Battle of Pickawillany . The Miami chief and a British trader were killed in

5070-419: The same site as the (later) farm of Col. John Johnston in winter 1794–95. Capt. J.N. Visher was made commander of the garrison. The fort was garrisoned through 1794 and 1795, and abandoned after the signing of the Treaty of Greenville in 1795. By 1795, most of Ohio's Shawnee had moved to Missouri and those that remained migrated north to the Auglaize - the southwestern Indian towns were no more. Piqua itself

5148-416: The swatch between Piqua and Troy. The flood waters came with such speed and force as to move homes off their foundations, depositing untold amounts of mud in others and claiming forty-nine lives in Piqua and neighboring Rossville alone. In places, streets were damaged or washed out to varying degrees of severity. Public utilities (gas, sewer and water) were hampered to provide services, due to mud clogging up

5226-445: The threat against the bombers. Continuing with his wing man, they destroyed three more enemy fighters. By this time the wing man had expended his ammunition and Captain Gentile's supply was very low. Despite this fact, they picked up a straggling bomber and escorted it to friendly territory. Captain Gentile's outstanding courage and determination to destroy the enemy on this occasion set an example of heroism which will be an inspiration to

5304-434: The top employers in the city are: Fort Piqua Plaza began as the "Orr-Statler Block" building at the corner of Main and High Streets was erected in 1891 and long dominated downtown. For many years its core tenant was a hotel of more than 100 rooms, first known as the "Plaza," later as the "Favorite," and finally as the "Fort Piqua." The hotel closed in the 1980s. The building's street-level commercial spaces were occupied by

5382-415: The two victories claimed while with the RAF Eagle Squadron. After the war, he stayed with the Air Force, as a test pilot at Wright Field , as a Training Officer in the Fighter Gunnery Program, and as a student officer at the Air Tactical School. In June 1949, Gentile enrolled as an undergraduate studying military science at the University of Maryland . On January 28, 1951, he was killed when he crashed in

5460-402: The vegetable oil mills in Piqua burned down in the 1890s, a common fate for wooden buildings soaked with vegetable oil. Its owner, American Linseed Oil Company, dispatched Alfred Willard French, their Chief Engineer, from Brooklyn, New York, to organize and supervise the rebuilding of the oil mill. During the rebuilding of the mill, French included a machine he had invented and patented in 1898,

5538-453: Was 1,939.2 inhabitants per square mile (748.7/km ). There were 8,886 housing units at an average density of 830.9 per square mile (320.8/km ). The racial makeup of the city was 94.21% White , 3.38% African American , 0.33% Native American , 0.44% Asian , 0.27% from other races , and 1.37% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.74% of the population. There were 8,263 households, out of which 32.7% had children under

5616-481: Was about a mile southwest of the old Indian villages of Piqua. By 1816 the Shawnee village of Piqua had been long abandoned; the state legislature, acting on citizen petition, changed the name of Washington village to Piqua. Piqua was incorporated as a town by the Ohio General Assembly in 1823. During the War of 1812 , Piqua was a waystation for men and supplies moving north. In 1819, a land office

5694-788: Was also the site of the final battle of the American Revolutionary War that was fought on Quebec soil in June 1776, the Battle of Trois-Rivières , which was also a part of the Continental Army's failed American Invasion of Quebec . Following a defeat at the hands of the British, the Continental Army retreated to Fort Saint-Jean in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu , Quebec, and then to Fort Ticonderoga in Ticonderoga , New York, before permanently ceasing their invasion of Quebec in July 1776. In

5772-496: Was established in Piqua which facilitated its growth. Piqua developed along with construction of the Miami and Erie Canal between 1825 and 1845. Rossville, Ohio was the first free-black enclave in the region. Virginia planter John Randolph of Roanoke , who served as a U.S. representative and senator, arranged for the emancipation of his nearly 400 slaves in his will of 1833. He also provided money for his executor to relocate

5850-744: Was one of the cities that suffered severe flooding during the Great Dayton Flood of 1913. Piqua is nestled in a sweeping "S" bend of the Great Miami River and experienced regular flooding before the Great Flood of 1913. On March 22, 1913, a moderate storm moved down the St. Lawrence River basin into the Ohio River basin, with enough rain to moisten the soil upriver from the Miami River and its tributaries. The soil in that upper region

5928-604: Was renting in a three-story private home at 700 Market Street in Philadelphia , now known as the Declaration House, and within walking distance of Independence Hall . Congress debated and revised the wording of the Declaration, removing Jefferson's vigorous denunciation of King George III for importing the slave trade , finally approving it two days later on July 4. A day earlier, John Adams wrote to his wife Abigail : The second day of July 1776, will be

6006-485: Was returning to Greenville via Loramie's trading post and Piqua at the termination of their Indian Country campaign in fall 1794, Wayne wrote a letter to Henry Knox dated October 17, 1794, in which he recommended that forts be built at those two locations as waystations along the Miami River. A detachment of Wayne's forces from Greenville built or repaired a small fort and supply depot named Fort Piqua in Upper Piqua on

6084-604: Was well below the Greenville Treaty line and would remain abandoned until white settlers arrived. The first European settlers arrived in 1798, after the signing of the Treaty of Greenville ending the Northwest Indian War and opening much of Ohio to settlement. In 1807 the village, consisting of seven houses, was surveyed by Armstrong Brandon, a soldier under Gen. Anthony Wayne, and named Washington. It

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