Historical Marker – Kramer’s Gardens

The third historical marker commemorates the Wine and Pleasure Gardens created by William Kramer in the mid-1800s. The marker was recently installed on a boulder along Kramer Road near the main entrance to the Dayton Country Club.

In 1855, German immigrant William Kramer purchased 60 acres “in a perfectly wild state, never having known the sound of a woodman’s axe” to create Kramer’s Wine & Pleasure Gardens. Kramer planted vineyards, orchards and flowers to “bring good cheer to the thirsty people of the city.”

Kramer’s Gardens proved to be a very popular spot for visitors, who traveled an hour by horseback and buggy from Dayton to enjoy his wine and stroll the beautiful grounds. Most of the original gardens were located on what is now the Dayton Country Club.