Although different forms of commerce support this Ohio town today, the past is still preserved in a way that visitors will appreciate.
By Nancy Baren Miller, F176955
March 2006
Once known as the Rubber Capital of the World, Akron, Ohio, no longer merits that title. Instead, this city of 217,000 has become a world-renowned center for polymer research and development. But memories still prevail. Those who spend a few days in Akron find a wealth of attractions, many of them relating to the tire industry or the city’s history as a canal town.
The tire industry created a workplace that sprouted a population explosion. Akron was the nation’s fastest-growing city from 1910 to 1920.
Benjamin Goodrich was the first tire pioneer to arrive in Akron; he moved there in 1876 from New York City to found the B.F. Goodrich Rubber Company. In 1898 Frank Seiberling and his brother, C.W., started the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company. Firestone came along in 1903, followed by General Tire in 1915. Until the manufacturing bubble began losing air in the 1970s and tire-making jobs went elsewhere, these companies were the backbone of Akron’s economy.
Today the only reminders of the tire manufacturing heyday revolve around Goodyear. It is the last of the tire manufacturers with world headquarters still in Akron. The company’s museum, Goodyear World of Rubber, relates the story of the rubber industry. You can see a reproduction of Charles Goodyear’s lab; tires and other products; and Indianapolis 500 race cars.
Ever hear of the Goodyear blimp? By stopping to get an exterior view of what is now the Lockheed Martin Airdock building, you’ll gain insight into what made Akron the world’s leading center for airship production. Built in 1929 by The Goodyear Zeppelin Company, it’s one of the largest buildings in the world that lacks interior supports. The structure encompasses 364,000 square feet of floor space, stands 1,175 feet long, and is 211 feet high.
Magnificence awaits your visit to an estate once owned by Frank Seiberling, the Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens (714 N. Portage Path). This dwelling, completed in 1915, is an outstanding example of English Tudor Revival architecture. And the gardens on this 70-acre estate are filled with flowers.
The majestic 65-room mansion has had many different uses. It was home to Frank and his wife, Gertrude, and their family; played host to Akron’s cultural events; and was a place where family members and friends engaged in sports and recreation. Modern for its time, the home housed an indoor swimming pool; an indoor gymnasium, complete with tennis and basketball courts; and a one-lane bowling alley. Ninety-four percent of the furnishings seen today are original.
The mansion hosted many notable guests, including Helen Keller; Thomas Edison; and presidents Taft, Harding, and Coolidge. Shirley Temple and Will Rogers performed at the home.
Today the Stan Hywet House offers a variety of events throughout the year in addition to garden and mansion tours. It opens for the season beginning April 1.
Long before the tire industry moved into town, Akron derived income from its location as one of the first towns along the Ohio and Erie Canal (constructed between 1825 and 1832). The canal brought entrepreneur Ferdinand Schumacher, the man who introduced oatmeal first to Akron, and then to the United States. His cereal product proved so popular that in 1856 he bought an old wooden factory along the canal and installed machinery so he could grind 20 barrels of oats a day. In 1863 he moved to Mill Street, the site of the present-day Quaker Square, and erected the Empire Barley Mill.
In 1886 his plant was destroyed in a disastrous fire. Schumacher had no insurance and proposed a merger with the Akron Milling Company to form the F. Schumacher Milling Company. In 1901 this firm merged with other competitors to create the American Cereal Company, parent of the Quaker Oats Company.
Today the former Quaker Oats complex is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The factory has been converted into a large general store, country store, Christmas store, hotel, and restaurants. Crowne Plaza Quaker Square was created from the factory’s 36 silos. Like the silos, all the rooms, measuring 24 feet in diameter, are perfectly round.
Quaker Square’s Trackside Grille is built in and around authentic Broadway Limited Pullman railroad cars that ran in 1938 between Chicago and New York. This restaurant offers a wide selection of sandwiches, steaks, seafood, and salads. While dining, check out the hundreds of antiques and railroad memorabilia.
Another restaurant, The City Tavern, was converted from the factory’s cellar. The cellar originally was constructed in the late 1800s and remained a part of the Quaker Oats factory until the early 1970s. The Tavern’s specialty is a prime rib dinner served on Friday and Saturday nights.
Near Quaker Square are downtown attractions worth investigating. You can watch the Akron Aeros, a AA minor league baseball team, play at the stadium on Main Street during the late spring and summer. The club is the farm team for the Cleveland Indians.
Youngsters enjoy making their own inventions at the National Inventors Hall of Fame. Hands-on exhibits touch on such areas as lasers, fiber optics, magnetism, microscopes, strobe lights, and animation. While the kids are busy, their parents can head upstairs to the Hall of Fame to learn about more than 200 inventors who created the technology that made this country great.
Akron Zoo certainly has grown from the 1970s when it concentrated on North and South American animals only. Supported strongly by the community, it was modernized in the 1980s and now features 700 animals from all over the world. Last year the zoo opened “Legends of the Wild,” featuring snow leopards, jaguars, and 13 other animals, as well as the Komodo Kingdom Education Center, which displays Komodo dragons, Galapagos tortoises, and Chinese alligators.
Those seeking cultural performances can find them at several venues. The Akron Civic Theatre, located on South Main Street, is reminiscent of the glory days of vaudeville and grand movie palaces. Built in 1929, its interior was fashioned after a Moorish castle and features Mediterranean decor, medieval carvings, European antiques, and Italian alabaster sculptures. It is one of a handful of atmospheric theaters left in the United States where patrons experience a twinkling starlit “sky” and occasional “clouds” on the horizon. The theater was restored in 2001 and opened in November 2002. It frequently offers shows.
The Civic Theatre, in partnership with the City of Akron, operates Lock 3 Live, an outdoor performance venue at the canal’s old Lock 3, where more than 80 events and attractions are presented between Memorial Day and Labor Day.
While you’re there for a show, visit the American Marble and Toy Museum. This building was the home of the American Marble and Toy Manufacturing Company from 1891 to 1904. It was America’s largest 19th-century toy manufacturer, producing 1 million marbles a day, as well as little brown jugs, miniature shoes, cats, dogs, Santa Clauses, flowerpots, and penny banks. Today, collections of displayed ceramic and glass marbles as well as fascinating historical displays on other Akron industries gain visitors’ attention. The museum is open from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. in the summer during Friday and Saturday Lock 3 Live events, or by appointment.
Another section of Akron to explore is Cascade Locks Park. Spanning locks 10 through 16 of the Ohio and Erie Canal, this area is a must-see for hikers and history buffs. It’s where you can find evidence of much of Akron’s canal and early industrial history within a short walk from downtown.
Step into the old Mustill Store while you’re exploring the park. Open free to the public, the Mustill Store houses a visitors center and contains fascinating exhibits regarding the beginning, heyday, and demise of the Ohio and Erie Canal. Located at Lock 15, near the northwest corner of Howard and North streets, the store dates back to the 1850s and housed general merchandise for canal users until the late 1880s. It is open Saturdays and Sundays from the first weekend of April throughout the summer.
Now it’s time for a train ride. Go north of downtown to Cuyahoga Valley National Park, a 33,000-acre reserve along the banks of the Cuyahoga River. You’ll discover numerous picnic areas; biking and hiking trails; and opportunities for bird-watching, fishing, and swimming. But the train rides and the educational exhibits about the Ohio and Erie Canal should not be missed.
In 1880 the first steam engine chugged through the valley. The Valley Railway transported coal from south of Canton to Cleveland’s growing industries. Reaching hard times economically in 1894, the railway was acquired by the Cleveland Terminal & Valley Railroad. It in turn became part of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad in 1915. The B&O continued to provide passenger service until 1963. The Chessie system operated the last freight train in 1985. Today the rails and right-of-way are owned by the National Park Service, while the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad operates an excursion train.
From February through mid-December, the railroad allows passengers to select a variety of train rides in modern railroad cars. Some extend from Peninsula (north of Akron) to downtown Akron and downtown Canton. Others include guided commentary by a park ranger who explains the area flora, wildlife, and terrain. Theme-based rides, such as those with wine tasting, also are offered. It’s a wise idea to call ahead and make reservations.
The park’s visitors centers are open throughout the year, and have exhibits related to the Ohio and Erie Canal’s history. At the Canal Visitor Center at Lock 38, costumed interpreters perform lock demonstrations every Saturday and Sunday during the summer months. Ask the ranger at the information desk to perform a demonstration on the lock model inside the center. In the basement auditorium you can watch three different canal-related videos.
The Frazee House provides information about the Frazee family, who built the home between 1825 and 1827. It serves as a visitors center from June through August, with displays on Western Reserve architecture and construction techniques.
At the Boston Store, you can peruse exhibits, a handful of which are interactive, relating to canal boat construction. Adjacent to this building is a former 1940s Pure gas station that houses changing art exhibits during the summer months. Across the street from Boston Store, visit Lock 32. Once a general store, today it’s the place to purchase Hershey’s ice cream or an old-fashioned Nehi soda pop and read placards about the valley’s history.
The old-fashioned theme continues on Everett Road, approximately “”- mile west of Riverview Road, site of the Everett Road Covered Bridge. It was destroyed by floodwaters in 1975 and reconstructed by the National Park Service in 1986.
Only a few miles away is Hale Farm & Village. This outdoor living history museum portrays life in the 19th century when the Jonathan Hale family made its way to the area from Connecticut. Costumed interpreters portray life in the Western Reserve during this period in a variety of locations. Craft demonstrations include glassblowing, candle making, broom making, spinning and weaving, cheese making, blacksmithing, woodworking, sawmilling, hearth cooking, and pottery making. The farm features oxen, sheep, cattle, and gardens. But before wandering around the grounds, spend time viewing the displays at the Hale home and watching the film about the Hales at the visitors center. Doing so will aid your understanding of the family and farm.
While Akron is a shadow of its past when it comes to the canal and tire industries, by visiting these attractions you’ll gain an understanding of the city’s history. You’ll also learn that Akron is a lot of fun to discover. Plan a spring or summer visit now.
Further Info
For more information about the attractions mentioned in this article, contact:
Akron-Summit Convention & Visitors Bureau.
John S. Knight Center
77 E. Mill St.
Akron, OH 44308
(800) 245-4254
(330) 374-7560
www.visitakron-summit.org
Area Campgrounds
The following is a listing of Akron-area campgrounds. Portage State Park is open year-round, but has no hookups. The rest of these are seasonal, so call to confirm the opening dates listed. For more area campground listings, please check your favorite campground directory or the Business Directory, published in the January and June issues of FMC and online at FMCA.com.
Portage Lakes State Park
5031 Manchester Road
Akron, OH 44319
(866) 644-6727 (campground reservations)
(330) 644-2220
www.dnr.state.oh.us/parks/parks/portage.htm
Cherokee Park Family Campground
3064 State Route 43
Mogadore, OH 44260
(330) 673-1964
www.cherokeeparkcampground.com
Open April 20 to October 20
Countryside Campground
2687 State Route 43
Mogadore, Ohio 44260
(888) 893-4517
(330) 628-1212
www.campingfriend.com/countrysidecampground
Open May 1 to October 15
Silver Springs Campground
5027 Stow Road
Stow, Ohio 44224
(330) 689-2759
Open May to October