Historic Profile - Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, Dayton, Ohio

A Parish Profile for the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, Dayton, Ohio was published in the February-March 2013 edition of the ORTHODOX OBSERVER - on page 21.

Historical background excerpt from article:

Early Greek Orthodox immigrants came to Dayton individually, not as a group.

The first known Greek Orthodox settlers began arriving in the 1880s, just as the city of about 40,000 was coming into prominence as a center of industry and innovation.  National Cash Register Co. (later NCR), inventor Charles F. Kettering (inventor of the first electric cash register, leaded gasoline, the electric auto ignition and 180 other inventions) and the Wright Brothers are a few examples.

According to a parish history, the first known arrival was Chris Politz, in 1880, Thomas Caroompas and Charles Zonars came in 1902 and Harry Chakeres arrived in 1903.

By 1910, 15 families had settled in the Dayton area.  With additional immigrants in the ensuing years the religious needs of this group was met by monthly visits of itinerant mission Greek Orthodox priests assigned to southern Ohio.

Services took place in a room over a restaurant.  By 1921 the more than 65 families began to consider establishing a church and raised $5,000 to purchase an existing small Protestant church.

The community received its Ohio charter in May 1921 and the first full-time priest Fr. Germanos Papayioanous came to the parish. . . . 

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