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City of Akron
Skyline of downtown Akron
Skyline of downtown Akron
Official seal of City of Akron
Seal
Nickname: The Rubber Capital of the World
Location within the state of Ohio
Location within the state of Ohio
Location within Summit County, Ohio
Location within Summit County, Ohio
Coordinates: 41°4′23″N 81°31′4″W / 41.07306, -81.51778
Country United States
State Ohio
County Summit
Founded 1825
Incorporated 1835 (village)
- 1865 (city)
Government
 - Mayor Don Plusquellic (D)
Area
 - City 62. A nickname is a Name of an entity or thing that is not its Proper name. Ohio ( is a Midwestern state of the United States. As part of the Great Lakes region, Ohio has long been a cultural and geographical crossroads Summit County is an urban County located in the state of Ohio, United States. Wikipedia talkFeatured lists for an explanation of this and other inclusion tags below -->This list of countries, arranged alphabetically The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The political units and divisions of the United States include The 50 states (four of these being officially styled as Commonwealths) which are typically Ohio ( is a Midwestern state of the United States. As part of the Great Lakes region, Ohio has long been a cultural and geographical crossroads This is a list of the eighty-eight counties in the US state of Ohio. Summit County is an urban County located in the state of Ohio, United States. A mayor (from the Latin māior, meaning "greater" is a modern title used in many countries for the highest ranking officer in a municipal government The Democratic Party is one of two major Political parties in the United States, the other being the Republican Party. Area is a Quantity expressing the two- Dimensional size of a defined part of a Surface, typically a region bounded by a closed Curve. A city is an Urban area with a large Population and a particular Administrative, Legal, or Historical status 4 sq mi (161. The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. 6 km²)
 - Land 62. To help compare different Orders of magnitude and geographical regions we list here areas between 100 km² and 1000 km² 1 sq mi (160. 8 km²)
 - Water 0. 3 sq mi (0. 9 km²)
Elevation 955 ft (291 m)
Population (2000)[1]
 - City 217,074
 - Density 3,497. The elevation of a Geographic location is its height above a fixed reference point often the mean sea level. A foot (plural feet or foot; symbol or abbreviation ft or sometimes &prime – the prime symbol) is a non-SI unit The metre or meter is a unit of Length. It is the basic unit of Length in the Metric system and in the International A city is an Urban area with a large Population and a particular Administrative, Legal, or Historical status Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume 3/sq mi (1,350. 3/km²)
 - Metro 694,960
Time zone EST (UTC-5)
 - Summer (DST) EDT (UTC-4)
Area code(s) 330/234
FIPS code 39-01000[2]
GNIS feature ID 1064305[3]
Website: http://www.ci.akron.oh.us

Akron is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Summit County. A metropolitan area is a large population center consisting of a large Metropolis and its adjacent zone of influence or of more than one closely adjoining neighboring central The Eastern Time Zone ( ET) of the Western Hemisphere falls mostly along the east coast of North America and the west coast of South America UTC−5 is the Time offset used in the North American Eastern Time Zone during Standard time and in the North American Central Time Zone during Daylight saving time ( DST The Eastern Time Zone ( ET) of the Western Hemisphere falls mostly along the east coast of North America and the west coast of South America UTC−4 is the Time offset used in the Atlantic Standard Time Zone in Canada in winter and the North American Eastern Time Zone during A telephone numbering plan is a plan for allocating Telephone number ranges to countries regions areas and exchanges and to non-fixed telephone networks Federal Information Processing Standards ( FIPS) are publicly announced standards developed by the United States Federal government for use by all non-military The Geographic Names Information System ( GNIS) is a database that contains name and locative information about more than two million physical and cultural features located throughout A US state is any one of the fifty subnational entities of the United States of America that share Sovereignty with the federal government Ohio ( is a Midwestern state of the United States. As part of the Great Lakes region, Ohio has long been a cultural and geographical crossroads A county seat is a term for an Administrative center for a County, primarily used in the United States. Summit County is an urban County located in the state of Ohio, United States. [4] In 2006, its population was estimated at 209,704. The municipality is located in northeastern Ohio on the Cuyahoga River between Cleveland to the north and Canton to the south, approximately 60 miles (96 km) west of the Pennsylvania border. The Cuyahoga River (ˌkaɪəˈhɔgə or kuy-a-HO-ga) is located in Northeast Ohio in the United States. Cleveland is a City in the US state of Ohio and the County seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state Canton is a city in the US state of Ohio and the County seat of Stark County. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania ( often colloquially referred to as PA (its abbreviation by natives and Northeasterners is a state located in the Northeastern

Akron was founded in 1825 near the Ohio and Erie Canal, and became a manufacturing center owing to its location at a staircase of locks. The Ohio Canal or Ohio and Erie Canal was a Canal constructed in the early 1800s which connected Akron, Summit County with the Cuyahoga A lock is a device for raising and lowering boats between stretches of water of different levels on river and canal Waterways. The locks were needed due to the higher elevation of the area, which gave rise to the name Summit County as well as Akron, which is a rough translation of summit into Greek (Stewart, pg. 233). After the decline of heavy manufacturing in the 1970s and '80s, the city's industry has since diversified into research, financial, and high tech sectors.

Akron and nearby Canton are often referred to as a single region or considered twin cities. The Akron-Canton Regional Airport is one of many places near the city that is named for both places. While the U.S. Census Bureau still counts the two metropolitan areas separately, if combined, the total population of the Akron-Canton area would equal 1,101,894 people. The United States Census Bureau (officially Bureau of the Census as defined in Title) is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census

Alcoholics Anonymous was founded in Akron in 1935. Alcoholics Anonymous ( AA) is an informal meeting society for recovering and recovered alcoholics, with the stated purpose to help its members "to stay sober and The city is home to The University of Akron, the Akron Aeros Double A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians, the Soap Box Derby World Championships and the Firestone Country Club, at which the PGA Tour's WGC-Bridgestone Invitational is annually played. The University of Akron is an open enrollment regional institution of higher learning located in Akron Ohio. The Akron Aeros are a Minor league baseball team based in Akron Ohio, USA. The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio, United States. The Soap Box Derby is a youth Soapbox car racing program which has been run in the United States since 1934 The Firestone Country Club is a private golf club located in Akron, Ohio, United States. The PGA Tour is an organization that operates the main professional Golf tours in the United States. The WGC-Bridgestone Invitational is one of the annual World Golf Championships for male professional golfers

Contents

History

Canal years

Much of Akron's early growth was because of its location at the "summit" of the Ohio and Erie Canal (thus the name Summit County) which at one time connected Lake Erie and the Ohio River. The Ohio Canal or Ohio and Erie Canal was a Canal constructed in the early 1800s which connected Akron, Summit County with the Cuyahoga Lake Erie (ˈɪəriː is the fourth largest Lake (by surface area of the five Great Lakes, and the tenth largest globally The Ohio River is the largest Tributary by volume of the Mississippi River.

Akron started as a small village on the divide between the St. Lawrence River and the Mississippi River. Saint Lawrence River (in French: fleuve Saint-Laurent; Kahnawáˀkye in Tuscarora, Kaniatarowanenneh meaning big waterway The Mississippi River is the second longest River in the United States, with a length of from its source in Lake Itasca in Minnesota to The village was a 43-block square with its main intersection at Exchange and Main Streets; its northern limit was one block beyond State Street. It was renamed South Akron when Cascade, an adjacent village north of State Street and centered at Market and Howard Streets, changed its name to North Akron.

South Akron was built to serve people using the Ohio Canal. North Akron developed around a construction project originally intended to provide increased water power for industries. In 1836 the villages joined. The completion of the Cross-cut Canal along Main Street in 1839 started Akron on its climb to industrial importance. Coal, a major railroad, and manufacturing growth from the Civil War contributed to a population increase from 3,500 to 10,000 inhabitants between 1860 and 1870.

Because of physical obstacles — the steep hill on West Market Street, the Little Cuyahoga Valley, and the swamp south of the City — Akron grew to the east. This encouraged the annexation of Spicertown, centered on Spicer and Exchange, and then Middlebury, which was centered where the Arlington and Market Street commercial area is now located. Spicertown, is a neighborhood within Akron Ohio located in the area around Spicer and East Exchange Streets

The Rubber Capital of the World

Akron’s history and the history of the rubber industry are intertwined. The rubber industry transformed Akron from a small canal town into a fledgling city. The birth of the rubber industry started in the 1800s, long before America fell in love with the automobile. Akron was incorporated as a village in 1835 and as a city in 1865. In 1869, B.F. Goodrich started the first rubber company in Akron. Goodrich Corporation (formerly the BF Goodrich Company), is an American Aerospace manufacturing company based in Charlotte North Carolina In 1915, the area increased from 7,254 acres (29. 38 km²) to 16,120 acres (65. 29 km²). The population rose approximately 200% — from 69,067 in 1910 to 208,435 in 1920. General Tire was founded in 1915 by the O’Neil’s whose department store became an Akron landmark. The General Tire and Rubber Company is an American manufacturer of Tires for Motor vehicles.

The Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company became America's top tire manufacturer and Akron was granted the moniker of “The Rubber Capital of the World”. The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company was founded in 1898 by Frank Seiberling. Goodyear's president, F.A. Seiberling, had been building homes costing around $3,500 for employees in what would become known as Goodyear Heights. Franklin Augustus Seiberling (October 1859 - August 1955 was an American inventor and founder Likewise, Harvey Firestone began building employee homes in what would be called Firestone Park. These leaders were responding to the housing crunch caused by the boom in the rubber business.

Akron was, indeed, booming. For a time it was the fastest-growing city in the country, its population exploding from 69,000 in 1910 to 208,000 in 1920. People came for the jobs in the rubber factories from many places, including Europe. Of those 208,000, almost one-third were immigrants and their children. Among the factory workers in the early 1920s was a young Clark Gable. Clark Gable (February 1 &ndashNovember 16) was an iconic American Actor nicknamed "The King of Hollywood" in his heyday

In the 1950s and '60s Akron saw a surge in industry as use of the automobile took off. But while America was still using bias-ply tires, Europe had already seen the wave of the future in radial tires. This article is about tires used on road Vehicles including pneumatic tires and solid tires. Radials had almost three times the tread life of bias-ply tires, and Akron’s rubber mills were not equipped to handle the manufacturing requirements. As a result many companies tried to produce hybrid tires, which were troublesome at best. Firestone manufactured the ill-fated 500 series, which was recalled in the millions. The Firestone Tire and Rubber Company was founded by Harvey Firestone in 1900 to supply pneumatic tires for wagons buggies and other forms of wheeled transportation B. F. Goodrich eventually replaced its old equipment with new machinery to enable the manufacturing of radial tires.

In the 1970s and '80s the rubber industry experienced a major decline as a number of strikes and factory shutdowns delivered the final blows to the industry. In ten years the number of people working within the rubber industry was slashed in half. By the early '90s Goodyear was the only remaining rubber manufacturer based in Akron.

Panorama of Akron, Ohio in 1911
Panorama of Akron, Ohio in 1911

Zeppelins and blimps

Aerial view of the Akron-Fulton airport (then NAS Akron) in the 1940s, with the Goodyear Airdock visible on the left.
Aerial view of the Akron-Fulton airport (then NAS Akron) in the 1940s, with the Goodyear Airdock visible on the left.

Beginning in the early 1910s, Goodyear began experimenting with airship development, and in 1917 created a subsidiary with the Zeppelin Company to build dirigibles in the United States. Terminology In some countries airships are also known as dirigibles from the French (fr ''diriger'' to direct plus -ible) meaning "directable" Luftschiffbau Zeppelin GmbH is a German company which during the early 20th century was a leader in the design and manufacture of Rigid airships Terminology In some countries airships are also known as dirigibles from the French (fr ''diriger'' to direct plus -ible) meaning "directable" During the 1920s and 1930s, Akron and Lakehurst, New Jersey, were the American centers of dirigible research and manufacturing. Lakehurst is a Borough in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States. Terminology In some countries airships are also known as dirigibles from the French (fr ''diriger'' to direct plus -ible) meaning "directable" The United States' largest airships, Akron, and Macon, were both built in Akron. Construction and commissioning Construction of the ZRS-4 commenced on 31 October 1929 at Springfield Township Ohio, by the Goodyear-Zeppelin Corporation, and on Leading up to the crash During a crossing of the continent Macon was forced to fly up to 1800 m (6000 ft to clear mountains in Arizona. After their tragic accidents in 1933 and 1935, and the Hindenburg Disaster in 1937, rigid airships were abandoned and Goodyear focused on the production of blimps. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout The US Navy used many blimps in World War II for aerial observation, and Goodyear famously began using them to advertise. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including Though very few new airships are built today, the Goodyear Blimps remain a popular corporate symbol. The Goodyear Blimp is the collective name for a fleet of blimps operated by Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company for Advertising purposes and for use as a The former Goodyear Airdock, now owned by Lockheed Martin, is, along with several other airship hangars, one of the largest buildings in the world without interior supports. Lockheed Martin ( is a large multinational Aerospace manufacturer and advanced technology Company formed in 1995 by the merger of

Akron milestones

History made in Akron

Akron's Awards, Rankings, and Notabilty

Akron in Pop Culture

Akron's sons and daughters

Geography and climate

Akron's Tallest Building, the FirstMerit Tower
Akron's Tallest Building, the FirstMerit Tower

Akron is located at 41°4′23″N, 81°31′4″W (41. FirstMerit Tower or the First Central Trust Building is a skyscraper in Akron Ohio that has remained the tallest building in that city since its completion in 073155, -81. 517900)[5].

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 62. The United States Census Bureau (officially Bureau of the Census as defined in Title) is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census 4 square miles (161. The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. 6 km²), of which, 62. Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of 1 square miles (160. 8 km²) of it is land and 0. 3 square miles (0. 9 km²) of it (0. 54%) is water.

Akron has a humid continental climate, with cold but changeable winters, wet, cool springs, warm (sometimes hot) and humid summers, and cool, rather dry autumns. The humid continental climate is a Climate found over large areas of land masses in the temperate regions of the mid-latitudes where there is a zone of conflict between Winter is one of the four Seasons of Temperate zones Calculated astronomically, it begins on the Solstice and ends on the Equinox Spring is one of the four Temperate Seasons Spring marks the transition from Winter into Summer. Summer is one of the four Temperate Seasons Summer marks the warmest time of year with the longest days Autumn (also known as fall in North American English) is one of the four Temperate Seasons Autumn marks the transition from Summer Precipitation is fairly well-distributed through the year, but summer tends to have the most rainfall (and also, somewhat paradoxically, the most sunshine), and autumn the least. The mid-autumn through early-spring months tend to be quite cloudy, with sometimes less than 30% possible sunshine. The cloudiest month is December, and the sunniest month is usually July, which is also, somewhat ironically, the wettest month.

Winters tend to be cold, with average January high temperatures of 32 °F (0 °C), and average January lows of 17 °F (-8 °C), with considerable variation in temperatures. During a typical January, high temperatures of over 50 °F (10 °C) are just as common as low temperatures of below 0 °F (-18 °C). Snowfall is lighter than the snowbelt areas to the north, but is still somewhat influenced by Lake Erie, generally averaging about 47. The snowbelt is a North American region much of which lies downwind of the Great Lakes where heavy Snowfall is particularly common on predominately eastern and southern Lake Erie (ˈɪəriː is the fourth largest Lake (by surface area of the five Great Lakes, and the tenth largest globally 1 inches (118. Inches redirects here To see the Les Savy Fav album see Inches. 7 cm) per winter. A centimetre ( American spelling: centimeter, symbol cm) is a unit of Length in the Metric system, equal to one hundredth During a typical winter, temperatures drop below 0 °F (-18 °C) on about 6 occurrences, generally only during the nighttime hours.

Summers are warm, sometimes hot, with average July high temperatures of 83 °F (28 °C), and average July lows of 62 °F (17 °C). Summer weather is more stable, generally humid with thunderstorms fairly common. Temperatures reach or exceed 90 °F (32 °C) about 7 times each summer, on average. In hot summers, such as 1988, however, as many as 30 days over 90 °F (32 °C) have been observed, and in cooler summers, such as the summer of 2000, the temperature may never reach 90 °F (32 °C). Temperatures over 100 °F (38 °C) are rare (about once per decade on average), most recently occurring on several occasions in the hot summer of 1988.

The all-time record high in Akron of 104 °F (40 °C) was established on August 6, 1918, and the all-time record low of −25 °F (−32 °C) was set on January 19, 1994. Events 1538 - Bogotá, Colombia, is founded by Gonzalo Jiménez de Quesada. Year 1918 ( MCMXVIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Events 1419 - Hundred Years' War: Rouen surrenders to Henry V of England completing his reconquest of Normandy. Year 1994 ( MCMXCIV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1994 Gregorian calendar)

Monthly Normal and Record High and Low Temperatures
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Rec High (°F) 70 72 81 88 93 100 101 98 99 86 80 76
Norm High (°F) 32. Fahrenheit is a temperature scale named after Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit (1686–1736 a German Physicist who proposed it in 1724 Fahrenheit is a temperature scale named after Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit (1686–1736 a German Physicist who proposed it in 1724 9 36. 8 47. 5 59 69. 8 78. 2 82. 3 80. 3 72. 8 61. 1 48. 7 37. 7
Norm Low (°F) 17. Fahrenheit is a temperature scale named after Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit (1686–1736 a German Physicist who proposed it in 1724 4 19. 8 27. 9 37. 1 47. 8 56. 8 61. 3 60. 2 53. 1 42. 1 33. 4 23. 6
Rec Low (°F) -25 -13 -3 10 24 32 43 41 32 20 -1 -16
Precip (in) 2. Fahrenheit is a temperature scale named after Daniel Gabriel Fahrenheit (1686–1736 a German Physicist who proposed it in 1724 Inches redirects here To see the Les Savy Fav album see Inches. 49 2. 28 3. 15 3. 39 3. 96 3. 55 4. 02 3. 65 3. 43 2. 53 3. 04 2. 98
Source: USTravelWeather. com [1]
See also: Akron Neighborhoods

Demographics

Historical populations[6]
Census
year		 Population Rank  %±
1850 3,266 - -
1860 3,477 - 6. Chapel Hill Location North / East Side Chapel Hill is one of Akron’s two large commercial districts 5%
1870 10,006 - 187. 8%
1880 16,512 - 65. 0%
1890 27,601 - 67. 2%
1900 42,728 87 54. 8%
1910 69,067 81 61. 6%
1920 208,435 32 201. 8%
1930 255,040 35 22. 4%
1940 244,791 38 -4. 0%
1950 274,605 39 12. 2%
1960 290,351 45 5. 7%
1970 275,425 52 -5. 1%
1980 237,177 59 -13. 9%
1990 223,019 71 -6. 0%
2000 217,074 82 -2. 7%

| align="center"| 2007 | align="right"| 210,025 | align="right"| 80 | align="right"| -3. The United States Census Bureau (officially Bureau of the Census as defined in Title) is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census 5% |-


As of the census[2] of 2000, there were 217,074 people, 90,116 households, and 53,709 families residing in the city. A census is the procedure of acquiring information about every member of a given population The population density was 3,497. Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume 3 people per square mile (1,350. 3/km²). There were 97,315 housing units at an average density of 1,567. 9/sq mi (605. 3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 67. 22% White, 28. 48% African American, 0. 26% Native American, 1. 50% Asian, 0. 02% Pacific Islander, 0. 43% from other races, and 2. 07% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1. 16% of the population. The top 5 largest ancestries include German (18. German Americans ( German: Deutschamerikaner) are citizens of the United States of Ethnic German ancestry 1%), Irish (11. Irish Americans (Gael-Mheiriceánach are citizens of the United States who can claim ancestry originating in Ireland. 5%), English (7. English Americans (occasionally known as Anglo -Americans although this may have a wider cultural meaning are Citizens of the United States whose ancestry 2%), Italian (6. An Italian American is an American of Italian descent and/or dual citizenship 8%), and American (6. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the 4%)[2].

There were 90,116 households out of which 28. 5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37. 5% were married couples living together, 17. NOTICE TO WOULD-BE ROMEOS ************** 7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40. 4% were non-families. 33. 1% of all households were made up of individuals and 11. 2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2. 35 and the average family size was 3. 01.

In the city the population was spread out with 25. 3% under the age of 18, 10. 5% from 18 to 24, 30. 3% from 25 to 44, 20. 3% from 45 to 64, and 13. 5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 91. 4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87. 6 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $31,835, and the median income for a family was $39,381. Males had a median income of $31,898 versus $24,121 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,596. Per capita income means how much each individual receives in monetary terms of the yearly income generated in the country About 14. 0% of families and 17. 5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25. The poverty threshold, or poverty line, is the minimum level of Income deemed necessary to achieve an adequate Standard of living in a given country 7% of those under age 18 and 9. 7% of those age 65 or over.

Akron has a metropolitan population of 694,960 (U. S. Census Bureau, 2000). Akron is also part of the larger Cleveland-Akron-Elyria Combined Statistical Area, which was the 14th largest in the country with a population of over 2. 9 million according to the 2000 Census.

Law, government, and crime

The city adopted a new charter of the commissioner manager type in 1920, but reverted to its old form in 1924. City Commission government is a form of Municipal government which was once common in the United States, but many cities which were formerly governed by commission The current mayor of Akron is Don Plusquellic. Mayor Plusquellic is currently serving his fifth term, and was the President of the United States Conference of Mayors during 2004. The United States Conference of Mayors (USCM is a Nonpartisan national organization founded in 1932. He is also a member of the Mayors Against Illegal Guns Coalition[7], a bi-partisan group with a stated goal of "making the public safer by getting illegal guns off the streets. The Mayors Against Illegal Guns Coalition is a coalition of Mayors from 225 different United States cities, with a stated goal of "making the public safer In a Two-party system (such as in the United States) bipartisan refers to any bill, act, resolution, or any other action of a " The Coalition is co-chaired by Boston, Massachusetts Mayor Thomas Menino and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Thomas Michael Menino (born December 27, 1942) is the mayor of Boston Massachusetts, United States and the city's first The City of New York Michael Rubens Bloomberg (born February 14, 1942) is an American businessman and the Mayor of New York City.

The Akron City Council has thirteen members. Ten are elected to represent wards and three are elected at large.

In 1915, a new municipal water system was established. It also included a reservoir on the Cuyahoga River with storage capacity of 2,385,200,000 gallons (9,027,982,000 liters), a complete purification system, and a pumping station. The Cuyahoga River (ˌkaɪəˈhɔgə or kuy-a-HO-ga) is located in Northeast Ohio in the United States. A gallon is a measure of Volume. It is in current use in the United States and still has limited use in many other English-speaking countries The litre or liter (see spelling differences) is a unit of Volume.

See also: List of Mayors of Akron, Ohio

Economy

Akron is home to two Fortune 500 companies: the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company and FirstEnergy. This is a list of Mayors of Akron Ohio, a city in the northeastern part of the U Please do not add the complete list of fortune 500 companies The list is copyrighted by Fortune which makes money by selling the content The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company was founded in 1898 by Frank Seiberling. FirstEnergy Corp ( is a diversified energy company headquartered in Akron Ohio In addition, Akron is home to a number of smaller companies such as GOJO, makers of Purell, Advanced Elastomer Systems, FirstMerit Bank, Roadway Express (a subsidiary of Yellow Roadway), Myers Industries, an international manufacturer of polymer products, Acme Fresh Market and Lockheed Martin, Maritime Systems & Sensors division. Purell is an instant Hand sanitizer which claims to kill "99 Roadway is an operating company within YRC National Transportation a division of YRC Worldwide which is headquartered in Overland Park Kansas. YRC Worldwide ( is a Fortune 500 company based in Overland Park Kansas. Acme Fresh Market is a Grocery store chain with 16 locations in Northeast Ohio serving Portage, Stark, Summit, & Cuyahoga Lockheed Martin ( is a large multinational Aerospace manufacturer and advanced technology Company formed in 1995 by the merger of The City of Akron created the first Joint Economic Development District to promote regional commerce with neighboring suburbs. A Joint Economic Development District (JEDD is an arrangement in Ohio where one or more municipalities and a township agree to work together to develop As of 2008, Akron has also added thousands of jobs through mail processing centers to sort and organize magazine subscriptions and business reply mail from postal marketers and colleges.

Education

The Art Deco Mayflower Manor Apartment Apartments formerly the Mayflower Hotel. Rising 207 feet, it is an Akron Landmark. Also shown is the Polsky Building. It was once Akron's flagship department store. it is now owned by the University of Akron and houses various departments for the school.
The Art Deco Mayflower Manor Apartment Apartments formerly the Mayflower Hotel. Art Deco was a popular international design movement from 1925 until 1939 affecting the decorative arts such as Architecture, Interior design, and Industrial Rising 207 feet, it is an Akron Landmark. [8] Also shown is the Polsky Building. It was once Akron's flagship department store. [9] it is now owned by the University of Akron and houses various departments for the school. [10]

Higher education

The University of Akron is home to over 23,000 students, making it the fourth largest public university in the state, and is a world leader in polymer research. The University of Akron is an open enrollment regional institution of higher learning located in Akron Ohio. A polymer is a large Molecule ( Macromolecule) composed of repeating Structural units typically connected by Covalent Chemical bonds While Akron continues to predominantly serve commuter students, the university has worked hard to shake off its image as a “commuter school. " A $300 million dollar construction project saw the completion of nine new buildings, fourteen renovated facilities, and a freshly landscaped campus. The University also offers a combined B. S. /M. D. program with the Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine. A new on-campus football stadium, built to replace the aging Rubber Bowl is slated to begin construction in the Spring of 2008. Summa Field at InfoCision Stadium is the name of the new multi-use on campus Stadium in Akron Ohio, USA, that is currently under construction The Rubber Bowl is a Stadium in Akron Ohio. It is primarily used for American football, and is the home field of the University of Akron

Akron is also located in close proximity to several other colleges and universities including the main campus of Kent State University in nearby Kent; Hiram College in Hiram; and the College of Wooster in Wooster as well as several schools in the Cleveland area. Kent State University (also known as Kent, Kent State, or KSU) is one of America’s largest university systems the third largest university Kent is a city in Portage County, Ohio, United States. It is located along the Cuyahoga River in the northeastern part of Ohio and the Hiram College is a private liberal arts college located in Hiram Ohio. Hiram is a village in Portage County, Ohio, United States. It was formed from portions of Hiram Township in the Connecticut Cleveland is a City in the US state of Ohio and the County seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state

Secondary education

Elementary and secondary education is mainly provided by the Akron City Schools, which are currently going through a 15-year, $800 million rebuilding process, remodeling some schools and entirely replacing others. Akron Public Schools serves students in Akron Ohio and nearby communities Some schools will be closing permanently due to a drop in enrollment. The school board could not get a levy passed to pay for its portion of the construction expense so it worked out an arrangement with the city of Akron where the city will use the money from a new income tax to pay for Community Learning Centers, which will serve as schools but be owned by the city. [11] Meanwhile the academic situation has improved recently as the city’s schools have been moved from “Academic Watch” to “Continuous Improvement” by the Ohio Department of Education.

Akron City Schools has two performing arts schools. Miller South School for the Visual and Performing Arts and Firestone High School. Harvey S Firestone High School is a public high school located on the northwest side of Akron Ohio. Miller South has grades 4-8. Most Miller-South students move on to Firestone to continue in the Visual and Performing Arts Program. They are the only two schools which specialize in visual and performing arts in Summit County, however nearby Copley High School has always been known to support an excellent arts program. Copley High School is a public High school in Copley Ohio. It is the only high school in the Copley-Fairlawn City Schools district

Private education

Akron also has many private, parochial and charter schools. Akron Public Schools made headlines in 2004 when a freshman student of Akron Digital Academy, the district’s own online charter school, was not allowed to participate in extracurricular activities, an event later covered and satirized by The Daily Show. The Daily Show (known in its current incarnation as The Daily Show St. Vincent - St. Mary High School, just west of Akron’s downtown, also made headlines when basketball star LeBron James was drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers first overall after his graduation in 2003. Basketball is a team Sport in which two teams of five active players each try to score points against one another by propelling a ball through a 10 feet (3 m LeBron Raymone James (born December 30 1984 in Akron Ohio) is an American professional Basketball player who plays for the Cleveland Cavaliers of The Cleveland Cavaliers (also known as the Cavs) are a professional Basketball team based in Cleveland Ohio. Akron-based Summit Academy Schools is the largest system of non-profit community schools in the country which are specifically designed for students with learning disorders such as ADHD, Asperger's Syndrome, high-functioning autism and PDD-NOS.

Culture and entertainment

S. Main and Bowery St.
S. Main and Bowery St.

Akron has a diverse and colorful heritage of old restaurants and shopping centers. Quaker Square, located in the heart of Akron’s downtown, was redeveloped in the early 1970's as a downtown mall, created from the old Quaker Oats factory, which originally operated at that location. Quaker Square, located in the heart of downtown Akron Ohio, is a mall made out of the old Quaker Oats mill silos and factory which originally operated there The Quaker Oats Company is an American food conglomerate based in Chicago. The oat silos had been transformed into unique hotel rooms. Recently, the University of Akron purchased this complex for its own use—primarily as residence-hall space for its growing student body.

During the summer, Akron hosts the National Hamburger Festival, a tribute to the city's role in the invention of the hamburger. [3]

Highland Square, located in near West Akron and anchored by the historic Highland Theatre, is a well-known entertainment district, featuring popular local antique stores and retail shops, such as Square Records. It is also home to several unique restaurants and taverns. Other unique and historically significant Akron neighborhoods include Goodyear Heights and Firestone Park, originally developed and designed during the First World War for employees of the large Akron rubber companies. Likewise, Northwest Akron is home to a number of large mansions, many of which, like the famous Stan Hywet, were built early in the 20th century for the upper management of these companies, as well as the city's many other successful industries.

Akron also supports independent retailers, such as Acme.

Each summer Akron hosts the All American Soap Box Derby. The Soap Box Derby is a youth Soapbox car racing program which has been run in the United States since 1934 Children from across the country race their homemade, gravity-powered race cars down the steep hill at Derby Downs in the shadow of the Lockheed Martin Airdock. Derby Downs, in Akron Ohio, has been the home track of the All American Soap Box Derby since it was built as a Works Progress Administration

Adjacent to the Derby Downs race hill is a 19,000-square foot outdoor skatepark. The park features concrete ramps, including two bowls going as deep as 7 feet, a snake run, two hips, a stair set with handrail, many smaller quarter pipes and a variety of grind boxes. Positioned just a few feet from the Akron Skatepark is a BMX course where organized races are often held in the warmer months.

The city is also home to several museums, including:

Akron is the hometown of Janelle Couts who was crowned Miss Ohio for 2003 and represented Ohio in the Miss America contest. The National Inventors Hall of Fame is an organization that recognizes Inventors and invention everywhere promotes creativity and advances the spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company was founded in 1898 by Frank Seiberling. Miss Ohio Pageant selects the representative for the US state of Ohio in the Miss America pageant The Miss America pageant is a long-standing competition which awards scholarships to young women from the 50 states plus the District of Columbia and the US Virgin Islands She previously held the title of Miss Medina.

Akron was designated a Tree City USA by the National Arbor Day Foundation. Tree City USA is a Tree planting and tree care program sponsored by The National Arbor Day Foundation for cities and Towns in the United Arbor Day is a Holiday in which individuals and groups are encouraged to plant and care for Trees Arbor Day originated in Nebraska City Nebraska,

Local start-up league the NEO Rock 'n' Roller Girls is part of the national resurgence and rebirth of roller derby.


Sports

Akron is the home to two professional sports teams:

Club Sport Year Founded League Venue Championships
Akron Aeros Baseball 1997 Eastern League Canal Park 2 (2003,2005)
Akron Racers Softball 2004 National Pro Fastpitch Firestone Stadium 1 (2005)

Media

Office Complex in Downtown Akron
Office Complex in Downtown Akron

Print media

Radio

Television

Akron is unique in that despite its size, it does not form its own television market, primarily due to being less than 40 miles (64km) from Cleveland. The kilometre ( American spelling: kilometer) symbol km is a unit of Length in the Metric system, equal to one thousand Cleveland is a City in the US state of Ohio and the County seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state It is part of the Cleveland-Akron (Canton) Media market. Greater Cleveland is a Nickname for the Metropolitan area surrounding Cleveland, Ohio. A media market, broadcast market, media region, designated market area, DMA or simply market is a region where the Population However, four stations in the market are licensed to Akron.

WAOH and WEAO serve the city of Akron specifically, while WBNX and WVPX identify themselves as "Akron-Cleveland", serving on the entire Northeast Ohio market. WAOH-LP channel 29 in Akron Ohio and W35AX channel 35 in Cleveland Ohio are low power Class A television stations serving the Akron/Cleveland market using The Public Broadcasting Service ( PBS) is a Non-profit Public broadcasting Television service with 354 member TV stations in the WVPX is the Cleveland Ohio affiliate of the ION Television network (formerly known as Pax TV and i Ion Television is a broadcast television network first broadcast on August 31 1998 WBNX-TV is the CW television affiliate serving the Cleveland Ohio Television market broadcasting on channel 55 (analog and channel 30 (digital The CW Television Network ( The CW) is a Television network in the United States launched at the beginning of the 2006-2007 television season.

One common thought about television in Akron is that if another station had set up shop as a network affiliate after WVPX (Was known as WAKR/WAKC-ABC until 1996) Akron and Canton could have made their own television market. This new media market would have been in the top 100 largest markets, as well.

Infrastructure

Art Deco Apartment Building in Downtown Akron
Art Deco Apartment Building in Downtown Akron

Health

Akron has an extensive and distinguished health sector, with a large number of hospitals for a city of its size. Akron's adult hospitals are owned by two health systems, Summa Health System and Akron General Health System. Summa Health System operates Akron City Hospital and St. Summa Health System is one of the largest organized delivery systems in Ohio, encompassing a network of hospitals community-based health centers a health plan a physician-hospital Thomas Hospital, an orthopedic hospital located in the North Hill neighborhood. Akron General Health System operates Akron General Medical Center. Akron Children's Hospital is an independent entity that specializes in pediatric and burn care. The Akron Children's Hospital is a Children's hospital located in Akron, Ohio. Both Akron City Hospital and Akron General have been on the U. S. News and World Report Magazine's list of "Best Hospitals" many times. It is worth noting that both AGMC and Summa are designated Level I Trauma Centers. By comparison, Akron's much larger urban neighbor to the north, Cleveland, has only one.

Transportation

Akron's road network does not run on any grid system, and it can be confusing for out-of-town motorists. Roads frequently change name or direction without warning, or stop and continue elsewhere. In addition there are two sets of numbered roads, one in Kenmore (1st -31st Streets), and one along Arlington (1st - 9th Avenues), the rest of the city has no numbering at all. This disparity between areas is due to Akron's many annexations over the years. Akron’s transportation needs are fulfilled by two major interstates, Interstate 76 and Interstate 77. Interstate 76 (abbreviated I-76) is an Interstate Highway in the United States, running 435 miles (700 km from an interchange with Interstate 71 Interstate 77 (abbreviated I-77) is an Interstate highway in the eastern United States. I-76, I-77, and Route 8 meet at one central interchange, which is commonly known by the same name. State Route 8 (SR 8 stretches from the eastern junction of I-76 and I-77 in Akron to Downtown Cleveland at the US 6 / US The central interchange divides the city into four quadrants. The Interstate 76 Eastern Expressway weaves through much of Akron’s warehouse sector and the Goodyear world headquarters is easily visible. The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company was founded in 1898 by Frank Seiberling. I-76 is paired with I-77 for about two miles (3 km) west of the central interchange, and then splits off again, with I-76 later being paired with US-224 and I-77 heading north towards Cleveland. This portion of highway is currently under review by ODOT for reconstruction. The Western highway is a major route to Cleveland and Columbus, and is a near term destination to Fairlawn, a major commercial area. Fairlawn is a city in Summit County, Ohio, United States. An affluent Suburb of Akron, its population was 7307 at the 2000 census Route 8 has been overhauled numerous times and serves as a major entryway for the north-eastern suburbs, namely Cuyahoga Falls, Munroe Falls, Stow and Hudson. State Route 8 (SR 8 stretches from the eastern junction of I-76 and I-77 in Akron to Downtown Cleveland at the US 6 / US Cuyahoga Falls is a city in Summit County, Ohio, United States. Munroe Falls, formerly a section of Stow and Tallmadge townships is a city located in the northeast portion of Summit County, Ohio, United States, Stow is a city in Summit County, Ohio, United States. The population was 32139 at the 2000 census, and 34051 as of 2007 new shopping area hudson ohjpg|thumb|right|180px|The "First and Main" shopping district There is also one highway to the south, U.S. Highway 224, part of which is also notated as Interstate 277 (I-277 connects I-77 with I-76). US Route 224 is a spur of US Route 24. It currently runs for 289 miles (465 km from New Castle Pennsylvania at Pennsylvania Route 18 to Huntington Interstate 277 (abbreviated I-277) is a 414 mile connector route linking Interstate 76 and Interstate 77 in Akron Ohio. The Martin Luther King Jr. Freeway, commonly known as the Innerbelt, includes part of the longer Route 59. State Route 59 is an east-west route in northeastern Ohio. It runs from its western terminus in downtown Akron at an interchange with I-76 / I-77 It serves the very center of the city, and was supposed to run from the I-76 / I-77 to Route 8. State Route 8 (SR 8 stretches from the eastern junction of I-76 and I-77 in Akron to Downtown Cleveland at the US 6 / US However, due to poor planning, the Innerbelt was never completed and only runs to Main St. /Howard St. Route 59 also lacks direct I-76W / I-77N inbound and offbound ramps, furthering its problems. State Route 59 is an east-west route in northeastern Ohio. It runs from its western terminus in downtown Akron at an interchange with I-76 / I-77 Mayor Don Plusquellic has brought up the idea of tearing up the northern end of the Innerbelt in order to free land for development, although some residents have stated that they would like to see it completely connected as originally planned.

Public transportation is available through the METRO RTA system, which has a fleet of over two hundred buses and trolleys, and operates local routes as well as running commuter buses into downtown Cleveland. METRO RTA is the transit agency serving Summit County Ohio and the city of Akron. SARTA also has a bus line running between Canton and Akron. SARTA, Stark Area Regional Transit Authority is the transit agency servicing Stark County Ohio, a county in Ohio containing Canton, Alliance, and Canton is a city in the US state of Ohio and the County seat of Stark County. Amtrak closed its station near Quaker Square in 2005. Airline passengers travelling to or from Akron use either the Akron-Canton Regional Airport in Green or Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. Green is an affluent Suburban city in Summit County, Ohio, United States. Cleveland Hopkins International Airport is a public Airport located nine miles (14 km) southwest of the Central business district of Cleveland Two low-fare airlines, Frontier Airlines and AirTran Airways, have begun serving Akron-Canton in recent years, making that airport a fairly popular alternative for travellers to or from the Cleveland area. Frontier Airlines Inc is a low-cost Airline based at Denver International Airport in Denver Colorado, USA. AirTran Airways is a low-cost Airline that is a Delaware corporation with headquarters in Orlando, Florida, USA and Akron Fulton Airport serves private planes and is the home of the Lockheed Martin Airdock, where the Goodyear blimps were formerly stored and maintained. Akron Fulton International Airport is a General aviation airport located in the city of Akron in Summit County, Ohio, United States The Goodyear blimps are now housed outside of Akron in a facility on the shores of Wingfoot Lake in Suffield.

The Towpath is a regional bike and hike trail that follows the Ohio and Erie Canal. It is not completed in downtown Akron, but stops just north of Innerbelt and just south of I-76/I-77.

Notable natives

Main category: People from Akron, Ohio
See also List of people from Akron, Ohio

Sister cities

Akron has two sister cities, as designated by the Sister Cities International:

Publications

References

  1. ^ US Census 2000 est
  2. ^ a b American FactFinder. United States Census Bureau. The United States Census Bureau (officially Bureau of the Census as defined in Title) is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census Retrieved on 2008-01-31. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 1504 - France cedes Naples to Aragon. 1606 - Gunpowder Plot: Guy Fawkes
  3. ^ US Board on Geographic Names. United States Geological Survey (2007-10-25). The United States Geological Survey ( USGS) is a scientific agency of the United States government. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1147 - The Portuguese, under Afonso I, and Crusaders from England and Flanders conquer Lisbon after a Retrieved on 2008-01-31. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 1504 - France cedes Naples to Aragon. 1606 - Gunpowder Plot: Guy Fawkes
  4. ^ Find a County. National Association of Counties. Retrieved on 2008-01-31. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 1504 - France cedes Naples to Aragon. 1606 - Gunpowder Plot: Guy Fawkes
  5. ^ US Gazetteer files: 2000 and 1990. United States Census Bureau (2005-05-03). The United States Census Bureau (officially Bureau of the Census as defined in Title) is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1491 - Kongo monarch Nkuwu Nzinga is baptised by Portuguese missionaries adopting the baptismal name of João Retrieved on 2008-01-31. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 1504 - France cedes Naples to Aragon. 1606 - Gunpowder Plot: Guy Fawkes
  6. ^ Gibson, Campbell. Population of the 100 Largest Cities and Other Urban Places in the United States: 1790 to 1990. US Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2007-10-20. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1740 - Maria Theresa takes the throne of Austria. France, Prussia, Bavaria and Saxony
  7. ^ Mayors Against Illegal Guns: Coalition Members. Retrieved on 2007-06-12. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1381 - Peasants' Revolt: in England, rebels arrive at Blackheath.
  8. ^ Mayflower Manor Apartments, Akron
  9. ^ Polsky
  10. ^ The University of Akron Campus Map
  11. ^ Imagine Akron Community Learning Centers (2005). What is Akron CLCs?. Retrieved October 21, 2005.

External links

Government and other public institutions

History

Coordinates: 41°04′23″N 81°31′04″W / 41.073155, -81.5179

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