History of the Troy Recreation Association

Other Pieces of
​Troy Rec History
The Troy Recreation Association (also known to some as the Troy Rec or The Rec) is a 501c3 nonprofit born out of the passion and devotion that a man named Reverend A.M. “Pop” Dixon had for youth. Reverend Dixon was born in February 7, 1883 and was raised in the less favorable districts in Zanesville where recreation there “consisted chiefly of watching police load Saturday night drunks into paddy wagons.” The Troy Rec that we know today was founded in 1941, but the idea first came to him in the summer of 1932 after forming boys’ baseball tournaments through the First Baptist Church where Reverend Dixon worked at the time. The tournaments were a hit and led to summer activities for the young ladies the following year. After the success of these youth activities, Reverend Dixon decided to approach civic leaders in the community about creating a recreational committee for the local youth. With approval, the group came to be, and funding came soon after.

With the group starting, Reverend Dixon decided to resign from the pulpit after 27 years to make a career of working with the youth. He served as the director of the Troy Rec until 1963 when he retired at the age of 80. His retirement was short lived, however, as he served as interim director two years later while a permanent replacement was found. He also spent a little more time working part time at a small church until his official retirement in 1967. Reverend Dixon’s retirement was honored by the city of Troy through a special city-wide celebration that included a parade and farewell attended by over 700 people. Pop Dixon Day was also created for all he did for the community on the occasion of his retirement.

Originally, the Troy Rec was located on the second floor of the Coleman Allen Saidleman building (also known as the Allen & Wheeler building). With the help of the 1941 and 1942 classes, the two rooms on that floor were fixed up for use. The kids brought in a coke cooler, a record player, and some even brought their own vinyls. At the time, dancing was a popular activity and this space allowed a safe place to do just that. By 1947, the Troy Rec was getting more and more popular. Through fundraising efforts, a larger space (the Briggs Monument Building on North Market Street) was acquired to continue to expand and grow the Troy Rec. By the 60s, space again became an issue. However, the family who owned the building (the Allens) sold it to the Troy Recreation Association which then led to the opening of the West Water Street addition in 1962. In 1974, beautiful murals were added to the outside walls of the Troy Rec courtesy of illustrator Tim Bowers and the 1974 Troy High School art students under the guidance of the art teacher at the time, Mr. Delmar Preston. Around 2013-2014, the brick wall that features the mural needed extensive repairs. Once the repairs were complete, muralist Dan Keyes and his son, Patrick, repainted and sealed the mural with the original design. 

During the years where space had posed a problem, Carl B. Felger, a juvenile judge in Miami County at the time, said, “As Juvenile Judge for this county, I can speak with first hand knowledge that the ‘Rec’ has been most outstanding in providing the boys and girls of Troy and surrounding communities with proper and wholesome pastime and recreation. The present quarters of the ‘Rec’ are totally inadequate, and it is absolutely essential that they have larger quarters to properly carry on the excellent work they are doing…” T.E. Hook, the superintendent of Troy Schools at the time, also weighed in on this, stating, “I want to give my hearty approval to the entire program. Our high school young people are particularly anxious about larger quarters, and as a school man who is in close contact with them. I can easily appreciate the need for adequate quarters and an expanded program…”
In May 1943, the Troy Recreation Association was featured in an article titled “Trouble on the Street Corners” by Eleanor Lake in Volume 42, Number 253 of Reader’s Digest. Not only did this bring more attention to the Troy Rec itself, but it also encouraged communities all over the country to create recreation programs like this one. A quote from the issue read: “The town of Troy, Ohio meets the honky-tonk competition with its special Recreation Rooms… where boys and girls find soft lights, cokes, Gene Krupa records, and room to dance, minus the drink, tough talk, and dangers of the tavern…”

Nowadays, the Troy Recreation Association has become everything Reverend Dixon dreamed of and more. During the school year, the Troy Rec offers an after-school program downstairs for 6th-12th graders where they can hang out, eat, play videos, and shoot some hoops. It has become a place for all the local kids to hang out somewhere safe, as Reverend Dixon intended. Upstairs the Troy Rec also has the Before and After School daycare program for 1st-5th grade students. The Smart Start Preschool offers morning and afternoon classes to fit around the schedules of the parents. The Smart Start Preschool also hosts Summer Preschool Playgroups, which is a great way to get started learning valuable skills before the new school year. The playgroups also give students a chance to see old friends and make new ones over the summer.  The Troy Rec also has Summer Lunch Buddies where students entering grades K-5 are paired with teen and adult volunteers. The students eat lunch with a buddy, participate in a group activity, and read for 20 minutes with their mentor. Along with that lunch program, they also have a Summer Lunches program for kids of all ages to have access to at least one good meal a day.

​These are just some of the main programs the Troy Rec has to offer. They also host numerous events including the local homeschool prom, dance classes, meetings, and rewards parties for local kids. The Troy Rec also rents out space for birthday parties, conferences, and many other community needs. All of this would not be possible without the continuous support of the community as well as the sponsors, including the United Way Miami County, the Troy Foundation, the Paul G. Duke Foundation, and the Miami County Foundation. 
Our Mission
"To provide a recreational and social environment for the citizens of Troy with the primary emphasis on youth."
The Troy Recreation Association, Inc.