The Diamond Rubber Company was a manufacturer of vehicle tires and other rubber products at the end of the 19th, and into the early 20th century in the United States.
118-716: The Diamond Rubber Company was incorporated in March 1894 in Akron, Ohio by the owner of the Diamond Match Company , O.C. Barber . Barber had moved the match company plant to his adjacent self-named planned town of Barberton, Ohio in order to boost the town's economy which had taken a hit during the Panic of 1893 . He decided to use the abandoned Diamond Match Company facility in Akron for his new rubber products factory. The Diamond Rubber Company
236-507: A log cabin in the forest in 1810, and became the region's first citizen. In June 1811, Spicer sent for his family, who came that same year by ox teams accompanied by Capt. Amos Spicer and Paul Williams. In 1811, Paul Williams settled near the corner of what is now Buchtel Avenue and Broadway. He suggested to General Simon Perkins , who was surveyor of the Connecticut Land Company 's Connecticut Western Reserve , that they found
354-417: A coal-burning power plant ; however, the hydropower operation was discontinued in 1958, and the coal-burning plant was decommissioned in 1991. Some environmental groups and recreational groups want the dam removed. Others contend that such an effort would be expensive and complicated, for at least two reasons: first, the formerly hollow dam was filled in with concrete in the early 1990s, and second, because of
472-582: A communal hunting ground, to be enjoyed by all tribes in the region, causing it to be regularly frequented by themselves, the Lenape, Shawnee and Seneca. The Ottawa, who lived clear at the western end of Lake Erie and who, themselves, had formed out of a similar circumstance to the Wyandot- captured Anishinaabeg stationed in the vicinity of what is now Detroit by the Iroquois- were apparently allowed to establish communities in
590-534: A female householder with no husband present, 5.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 43.8% were non-families. 34.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.98. The median age in the city was 35.7 years. 22.9% of residents were under age 18; 12.4% were between 18 and 24; 25.9% were from 25 to 44; 25.9% were from 45 to 64; and 12.6% were 65 or older. The gender makeup of
708-409: A lab to treat burn victims, making Akron Children's Hospital the first hospital in the world to achieve such a feat. Akron City and Akron General hospitals are designated Level I Trauma Centers . According to the city's 2020 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the principal employers in the city are: Akron is home to E. J. Thomas Hall , one of three Akron performance halls. Regular acts include
826-572: A mill in 1856, and the following decade mass-produced oat bars for the Union Army during the American Civil War ; these continued to sell well after the war. Akron incorporated as a city in 1865. Philanthropist Lewis Miller , Walter Blythe, and architect Jacob Snyder designed the widely used Akron Plan , debuting it on Akron's First Methodist Episcopal Church in 1872. Numerous Congregational , Baptist , and Presbyterian churches built between
944-676: A more active interest in the company and the name was changed to the Diamond Rubber Company. According to the 1894 Akron City Directory's Incorporated Companies section, the Diamond Rubber Company first appeared at the Falor location previously occupied by the Diamond Match Company, with G. F. Sherbondy serving as Vice-President, and Walter Sherbondy serving as Superintendent. G. F. Sherbondy was replaced by J. K. Robinson as Vice-President of Diamond Rubber Company in 1896. Walter Sherbondy
1062-581: A mound building people, which may show a continuity of such people for a few hundred years after the Hopewell Culture collapsed. Many other suspected mounds are also known and several other suspected mounds have been destroyed by industry since the 1790s. When the French first began exploring and mapping the Great Lakes region in the 17th century, it comes across that the entire area of northern Ohio belonged to
1180-497: A new world headquarters in the city. The project, Akron Riverwalk, will feature a large retail and commercial development area. The project began in 2007, but was put on hold because of the Great Recession . Bridgestone built a new technical center with research and development labs, and moved its product development operations to the new facility in early 2012. The Eastern Ohio Division of KeyBank , which has six branches in
1298-562: A part in two of Akron's major riots, the Riot of 1900 and the Wooster Ave. Riots of 1968. Others giving speeches on race in the city include W. E. B. Du Bois (1920) and President Bill Clinton (1997). In 1971, Alpha Phi Alpha Homes Inc. was founded in Akron by the Eta Tau Lambda chapter, with James R. Williams as chairman. The centerpiece, Henry Arthur Callis Tower , is located in
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#17330853233341416-560: A significant collapse in population having lost over one third (34.4%) of its population between 1960 and 2020. Although Akron is in northern Ohio, where the Inland North dialect is expected, its settlement history puts it in the North Midland dialect area. Some localisms that have developed include devilstrip , which refers to the grass strip between a sidewalk and street. As of the census of 2020, there were 190,469 people living in
1534-598: A total population of 190,469, making it the fifth-most populous city in Ohio and 136th-most populous city in the U.S. The Akron metropolitan area , covering Summit and Portage counties, had a population of 702,219. It is located on the western edge of the Glaciated Allegheny Plateau in Northeast Ohio about 40 miles (64 km) south of downtown Cleveland . After being first settled by Miner Spicer in 1810,
1652-554: A town at the summit of the developing Ohio and Erie Canal . The name is adapted from the Greek word ἄκρον ( ákron ), meaning summit or high point. It was laid out in December 1825, where the south part of the downtown Akron neighborhood sits today. Irish laborers working on the Ohio Canal built about 100 cabins nearby. After Eliakim Crosby founded "North Akron" (also known as Cascade) in
1770-540: Is 41.57 inches (1,056 mm), falling on an average 160 days. Monthly precipitation has ranged from 12.55 in (319 mm) in July 2003 to 0.20 in (5.1 mm) in September 1960, while for annual precipitation the historical range is 65.70 in (1,669 mm) in 1990 to 23.79 in (604 mm) in 1963. Akron consists of 21 neighborhoods, with an additional three that are unincorporated but recognized within
1888-441: Is a relatively recent geologic formation, formed by the advance and retreat of ice sheets during the last ice age . The final glacial retreat, which occurred 10,000–12,000 years ago, caused changes in the drainage pattern near Akron. This change in pattern caused the originally south-flowing Cuyahoga to flow to the north. As its newly reversed currents flowed toward Lake Erie, the river carved its way around glacial debris left by
2006-481: Is home to a historic 1920s atmospheric movie palace , the Akron Civic Theatre . One of the building's features is a starry sky with clouds that drift over it when the lights are dimmed. Cuyahoga River The Cuyahoga River ( / ˌ k aɪ . ə ˈ h ɒ ɡ ə / KY -ə- HOG -ə or / ˌ k aɪ . ə ˈ h oʊ ɡ ə / KY -ə- HOH -gə ) is a river located in Northeast Ohio that bisects
2124-606: Is now a museum on Broadway Street near the corner of Exchange. When the Ohio Women's Rights Convention came to Akron in 1851, Sojourner Truth extemporaneously delivered her speech named " Ain't I A Woman? ", at the Universalist Old Stone Church. In 1870, a local businessman associated with the church, John R. Buchtel , founded Buchtel College, which became the University of Akron in 1913. Ferdinand Schumacher bought
2242-542: Is recognized as having one of the best orthopaedics programs in the nation with a ranking of 28th. Akron General Health in affiliation with the Cleveland Clinic operates Akron General Medical Center, which in 2009, was recognized as one of "America's Best Hospitals" by U.S. News & World Report . Akron Children's Hospital is an independent entity that specializes in pediatric care and burn care. In 1974, Howard Igel and Aaron Freeman successfully grew human skin in
2360-518: Is the Akron Civic Theatre , which opened in 1929 as the Loew's Theater. This atmospheric-style theater was designed by John Eberson and built by Marcus Loew. The theater contains many Moorish features including arches and decorative tiles. It features elaborate wood carvings, alabaster statuary, and European antiques. The theater seats 5,000. Behind it on the canal is the Lock 3 Park amphitheater , which annually host
2478-749: Is water. Akron has a humid continental climate ( Köppen Dfa ), typical of the Midwest , with four distinct seasons, and lies in USDA hardiness zone 6b, degrading to zone 6a in the outlying suburbs. Winters are cold and dry but typically bring a mix of rain, sleet, and snow with occasional heavy snowfall and icing. January is the coldest month with an average mean temperature of 27.9 °F (−2.3 °C), with temperatures on average dropping to or below 0 °F (−18 °C) on 3.3 days and staying at or below freezing on 40 days per year. Snowfall averages 47.2 inches (120 cm) per season, significantly less than
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#17330853233342596-485: The Akron Symphony Orchestra , Tuesday Musical Club, and Children's Concert Society. World-class performances events include Broadway musicals, ballets, comedies, lectures, entertainers, attracting 400,000 visitors annually. The hall seats 2,955, divided among three tiers. To maintain top-notch acoustic sound, the counter-weighted ceiling is adjustable, altering the physical dimensions of the hall. Located downtown
2714-525: The Akron, Bedford and Cleveland Railroad , began service. On August 25, 1889, the Boston Daily Globe referred to Akron with the nickname "Summit City". To help local police, the city deployed the first police car in the U.S. that ran on electricity. The Riot of 1900 saw assaults on city officials, two deaths, and the destruction by fire of Columbia Hall and the Downtown Fire Station (now
2832-558: The Akron-Summit County Public Library , and John S. Knight Center are considerably newer. The library originally opened in 1969, but reopened as a greatly expanded facility in 2004. The Knight Center opened in 1994. The First Methodist Episcopal Church first used the Akron Plan in 1872. The plan later gained popularity, being used in many Congregationalist , Baptist , and Presbyterian church buildings. The city
2950-539: The City of Cleveland and feeds into Lake Erie . As Cleveland emerged as a major manufacturing center, the river became heavily affected by industrial pollution , so much so that it caught fire at least 14 times. When it did so on June 22, 1969, news coverage of the event helped to spur the American environmental movement . Since then, the river has been extensively cleaned up through the efforts of Cleveland's city government and
3068-555: The Environmental Protection Agency , began in 1987 and concluded in 2000. The area remains restricted with regular reviews of the site and its underground aquifer. City founder Simon Perkins negotiated a treaty with Native Americans to establish a mail route from the Connecticut Western Reserve to Detroit in 1807, an early example of historic humanitarian affairs in Akron. Aside from being part of
3186-676: The First Night in Akron. The Akron Art Museum also downtown, features art produced since 1850 along with national and international exhibitions. It opened in 1922 as the Akron Art Institute, in the basement of the Akron Public Library . It moved to its current location at the renovated 1899 post office building in 1981. In 2007, the museum more than tripled in size with the addition of the John S. and James L. Knight Building, which received
3304-446: The Glaciated Allegheny Plateau . It is bordered by Cuyahoga Falls on the north and Barberton in the southwest. It is the center of the Akron metropolitan area which covers Summit and Portage Counties, and a principal city of the larger Cleveland–Akron–Canton Combined Statistical Area . Located on the western end of the plateau, the topography of Akron includes rolling hills and varied terrain. The Ohio and Erie Canal passes through
3422-684: The Goodyear Heights neighborhood for employees. Likewise, Harvey S. Firestone built the Firestone Park neighborhood for his employees. During the 1910–1920 decade, Akron became a boomtown , being America's fastest growing city with a 201.8% increase in population. Of the 208,000 citizens, almost one-third were immigrants (also Clark Gable ) and their children from places including Europe and West Virginia. In 1929 and 1931, Goodyear's subsidiary Goodyear-Zeppelin Company manufactured two airships for
3540-562: The Information Age . Current Fortune 500 companies headquartered in the city include Goodyear and FirstEnergy . In addition, the city is the headquarters to a number of other notable companies such as GOJO , Advanced Elastomer Systems, Babcock & Wilcox , Myers Industries, Acme Fresh Market , and Sterling Jewelers . Goodyear, America's biggest tire manufacturer and the fifth-largest private employer in Summit County, recently built
3658-596: The Kelly-Springfield Tire Company in 1935. Lasting five weeks and consisting of roughly 5,000 strikers including union sympathizers from other factories and neighboring states, the Akron Rubber Strike of 1936 successfully used the "sit-down" tactic to force recognition of the United Rubber Workers . During the 1950s–60s Akron surged as use of the automobile did. The historic Rubber Bowl
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3776-766: The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (OEPA). In 2019, the American Rivers conservation association named the Cuyahoga " River of the Year " in honor of "50 years of environmental resurgence". The name Cuyahoga is believed to mean "crooked river" from the Mohawk name Cayagaga , although the Mohawk were never in the region alongside European settlers, so this explanation is questionable. Some think that it comes from
3894-485: The Seneca word for "jawbone". This explanation, however, is as uncertain as the Mohawk explanation. A close match in the Seneca language is Gayó'ha'geh , meaning "on your chin". The river's crooked form does vaguely resemble an animal's jawbone. It is possible that Europeans once wished to call it that, but the name "Cuyahoga" ended up becoming more prevalent and folk etymology took over, creating an accidental link between
4012-665: The Treaty of Greenville that ended the Northwest Indian War in the Ohio Country , effectively becoming the western boundary of the United States and remaining so briefly. On July 22, 1796, Moses Cleaveland , a surveyor charged with exploring the Connecticut Western Reserve , arrived at the mouth of the Cuyahoga and subsequently located a settlement there, which became the city of Cleveland. It appears that, in more ancient times,
4130-583: The Underground Railroad , when active, John Brown was a resident, today having two landmarks (the John Brown House and the John Brown Monument) dedicated to him. During the 1851 Women's Rights Convention, Sojourner Truth delivered her speech entitled " Ain't I A Woman? ". In 1905, a statue of an Indian named Unk was erected on Portage Path, which was part of the effective western boundary of
4248-601: The Universal Negro Improvement Association in Kingston, Jamaica; its Akron branch opened in 1921. Episodes of major civil unrest in Akron have included the riot of 1900 , rubber strike of 1936 , the Wooster Avenue riots of 1968 , and the 2022 protests surrounding the killing of Jayland Walker . The first settler in the Akron area was Major Miner Spicer, who came from Groton, Connecticut . He built
4366-591: The White and Native American lands from 1785 to 1805. The Summit County chapter of the Ku Klux Klan reported having 50,000 members, making it the largest local chapter in the country during the 20th century. At some point the sheriff, county officials, mayor of Akron, judges, county commissioners, and most members of Akron's school board were members. The Klan's influence in the city's politics eventually ended after Wendell Willkie arrived and challenged them. Race played
4484-522: The snowbelt areas closer to Lake Erie . The snowiest month on record was 37.5 inches (95 cm) in January 1978, while winter snowfall amounts have ranged from 82.0 in (208 cm) in 1977–78 to 18.2 in (46 cm) in 1949–50. Springs generally see a transition to fewer weather systems that produce heavier rainfall. Summers are typically very warm and humid with temperatures at or above 90 °F (32 °C) on 10.7 days per year on average;
4602-539: The "Crossroads of the Deaf". On Easter Sunday 1913, 9.55 inches (243 mm) of rain fell, causing floods that killed five people and destroyed the Ohio and Erie Canal system. From 1916 to 1920, 10,000 schoolgirls took part in the successful Akron Experiment, testing iodized salt to prevent goiter in what was known as the "Goiter Belt". Rubber companies responded to housing crunches by building affordable housing for workers. Goodyear's president, Frank A. Seiberling , built
4720-485: The 1870s and World War I use it. In 1883, a local journalist began the modern toy industry by founding the Akron Toy Company. A year later, the first popular toy was mass-produced clay marbles made by Samuel C. Dyke at his shop where Lock 3 Park is now. Other popular inventions include rubber balloons, ducks, dolls, balls, baby buggy bumpers, and little brown jugs. In 1895, the first long-distance electric railway,
4838-651: The 1910s, Akron doubled in population, making it the nation's fastest-growing city. A long history of rubber and tire manufacturing, carried on today by the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company , gave Akron the nickname "Rubber Capital of the World". It was once known as a center of airship development. Today, its economy includes manufacturing, education, healthcare, and biomedical research; leading corporations include Gojo Industries , FirstEnergy , Huntington Bank , and Charter Spectrum . Notable historic events in Akron include
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4956-617: The 1980s and 1990s, an influx of new polymer companies came to the region. In 2001, more than 400 companies manufactured polymer-based materials in the region. Many University of Akron scientists became world-renowned for their research done at the Goodyear Polymer Center . The first College of Polymer Science and Polymer Engineering was begun by the university. In 2010, the National Polymer Innovation Center opened on campus. Akron has designated an area called
5074-578: The 2005 American Architecture Award from the Chicago Athenaeum while still under construction. Built between 1912 and 1915 for Frank A. Sieberling , Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens is the seventh-largest historic house in the United States . Located within the Sand Run Metro Park, the 104 acres (0.42 km ) F.A. Seiberling Nature Realm features a visitor center, hiking trails, three ponds, gardens, and an array of special programs throughout
5192-451: The 5.6-mile (9.0 km) navigation channel still preclude a robust fishery in that reach. Recreation water quality standards (using bacteria as indicators) are generally met during dry weather conditions, but are often exceeded during significant rains due to nonpoint sources and combined sewer overflows. In March 2019 the OEPA declared fish caught in the river safe to eat. Consequently, in 2024
5310-701: The Akron Police Department (APD) received a grant to help continue its work with other agencies and jurisdictions to support them in ridding the city of meth labs. The APD coordinates with the Summit County Drug Unit and the Drug Enforcement Administration, forming the Clandestine Methamphetamine Laboratory Response Team. Many industries in the United States either began or were influenced by
5428-578: The Akron city directories for those years, or any years. Instead, it is the Diamond Rubber Company that first appears in the 1894 Akron city directory, which also includes the information that it was incorporated in March of that year. However, according to the publication The Growth of an Ideal, Embracing the History of the Goodrich Company, and the Economy of Factory and Branch Organization and Operation , by
5546-558: The B.F. Goodrich Company in 1918 (part of the Goodrich Employees Reading Course), "The removal of the Diamond Match Company to Barberton left vacant the buildings occupied in Akron, and in 1894, Mr. Ohio C. Barber, then President of the Diamond Match Company, with his associates incorporated the Sherbondy Rubber Company, whose home was to be the discarded plant of the match company...". "In 1896 Mr. Barber took
5664-470: The Biomedical Corridor, aimed at luring health-related ventures to the region. It encompasses 1,240 acres (5.0 km ) of private and publicly owned land, bounded by Akron General on the west and Akron City on the east, and also includes Akron Children's near the district's center with the former Saint Thomas Hospital to the north of its northern boundaries. Since its start in 2006, the corridor added
5782-436: The Channelwood Village area of the city. In 2008, 91-year-old Akron native, Addie Polk, became the poster child of the Great Recession , after shooting herself. In 2022, Akron resident Jayland Walker was killed by police after shooting at them while fleeing, sparking days of protest and the institution of a police review board. Akron is located in the Great Lakes region about 39 miles (63 km) south of Lake Erie , on
5900-445: The City Building since 1925). The American trucking industry was birthed through Akron's Rubber Capital of the World era when the four major tire companies B.F. Goodrich (1869), Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company (1898), Firestone Tire and Rubber Company (1900), and General Tire & Rubber Company (1915) were headquartered in the city. The numerous jobs the rubber factories provided for deaf people led to Akron being nicknamed
6018-406: The City of Akron and members of the Gorge Dam Stakeholder Committee, including Summit Metro Parks, FirstEnergy, and the City of Cuyahoga Falls. As of 2024 the planned date of removal is 2026. The FirstEnergy Dam was built by the Northern Ohio Traction and Light Co. in 1912 to serve the dual functions of generating hydropower for its local streetcar system and providing cooling-water storage for
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#17330853233346136-576: The Cuyahoga River officially begins. It continues on its 84.9-mile (136.6 km) journey flowing southward to Akron and Cuyahoga Falls , where it turns sharply north and flows through the Cuyahoga Valley National Park in northern Summit County and southern Cuyahoga County . It then flows through Independence , Valley View , Cuyahoga Heights , Newburgh Heights and Cleveland to its northern terminus, emptying into Lake Erie . The Cuyahoga River and its tributaries drain 813 square miles (2,110 km ) of land in portions of six counties. The river
6254-497: The Cuyahoga was designated one of 14 American Heritage Rivers in 1998. Despite these efforts, pollution continues to exist in the Cuyahoga River due to other sources of pollution, including urban runoff , nonpoint source problems, combined sewer overflows , and stagnation due to water impounded by dams. For this reason, the Environmental Protection Agency classified portions of the Cuyahoga River watershed as one of 43 Great Lakes Areas of Concern . The most polluted portions of
6372-415: The Diamond Rubber Company was bought out by and merged with the B.F. Goodrich Company . The Diamond brand name and product line were retained and a subsidiary Diamond Rubber Company, was created for marketing and manufacturing them. Akron, Ohio Akron ( / ˈ æ k r ən / ) is a city in and the county seat of Summit County, Ohio , United States. At the 2020 census , the city proper had
6490-404: The Erie, but archaeology has since shown that the French, who only saw abandoned villages on the lake shore and never met any of the inhabitants, were mistaken. The entire Cuyahoga River Valley and last west of it actually belonged to a presumably Algonquian people never encountered by whites which we call the Whittlesey culture . They were destroyed during the Beaver Wars (1630-1701). Afterwards,
6608-628: The Great Lakes shipping season, depending on shipping schedules and weather conditions. Some attempts (including dams and dredging ) have been made to control flooding along the Cuyahoga River basin. As a result of speculative land development , buildings have been erected on many flat areas that are only a few feet above normal river levels. Sudden strong rain or snow storms can create severe flooding in these low-lying areas. The upper Cuyahoga River, starting at 1,093 feet (333 m) over 84 miles (135 km) from its mouth, drops in elevation fairly steeply, creating falls and rapids in some places;
6726-416: The Iroquois stationed a group of captured Hurons in this areas, who later broke free after the French aided several Native groups from the Mississippi River in pushing the Iroquois all the way back to what is now Pittsburg, and established themselves as their own tribe- the Wyandot. The Wyandot chose to set aside the entire region from the Cuyahoga River to the PA border and the Mahoning River to Lake Erie as
6844-409: The New Madrid Earthquake of 1811 was interpreted as a sign in his favor by many tribes across the eastern US, it appears the last of them in 1813 were leaving to migrate west, into the Great Black Swamp region- the last of Ohio's guaranteed Indian Territory- to live amongst the bulk of the Ottawa and Wyandot who were settled there. The Cuyahoga River, at times during the 20th century, was one of
6962-504: The Ottawa in northeast Ohio at a site called Pilgeruh, but mistakenly noted all the villages in the area were Ottawa. After the war, the military ordered the Natives to evict the region, but most of them stayed during the early decades of settlement, with the last of the local natives concentrating in the Cuyahoga River Valley before leaving between 1811-1813. While there is a chance some may have gone to southern Ohio and joined Tecumseh's brother's pan-Indian cult at his Prophetstown compound, as
7080-465: The Polymer Valley which consists of 400 polymer-related companies, of which 94 were located in the city itself. Research is focused at the University of Akron , which is home to the Goodyear Polymer Center and the National Polymer Innovation Center, and the College of Polymer Science and Polymer Engineering. Because of its contributions to the Information Age , Newsweek listed Akron fifth of ten high-tech havens in 2001. In 2008 "City of Invention"
7198-504: The United States Navy, USS Akron (ZRS-4) and USS Macon (ZRS-5) . Goodyear built a number of blimps for the Navy during WWII and later for advertising purposes. Akron again grew when Kenmore was annexed by voter approval on November 6, 1928. Found hiding under a bed at one of his hideouts in the city, notorious bank robber Charles Arthur " Pretty Boy " Floyd was arrested under the name "Frank Mitchell" in March 1930. Goodyear became America's top tire manufacturer after merging with
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#17330853233347316-399: The age of 18 living with them, 27.3% were married couples living together, 23.8% had a male householder with no spouse present, and 39.8% had a female householder with no spouse present. 38.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.0% were someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.16, and the average family size was 2.86. 22.1% of
7434-456: The annual count has been as high as 36 days in 1931, while the most recent year to not reach that mark is 2023. July is the warmest month with an average mean temperature of 73.9 °F (23 °C). Autumn is relatively dry with many clear warm days and cool nights. The all-time record high temperature in Akron of 104 °F (40 °C) was established on August 6, 1918, and the all-time record low temperature of −25 °F (−32 °C)
7552-401: The area, given the tribe's distance from it, with one noted in what is now Conneaut and several others noted along the Cuyahoga. But, it is historically established that not all the villages along the Cuyahoga at this time were Ottawa, with a Seneca community noted around Streetsboro under a chief named Big John and possibly some Wyandots nearby. During the Northwest Indian War (1785-1795), all
7670-399: The blanket of University Park, this term is used frequently to describe the student-centered retail and residential area around East Exchange and Spicer streets, near the University of Akron. West Hill is roughly bounded by West Market Street on the north, West Exchange Street on the south, Downtown on the East, and Rhodes Avenue on the west. It features many stately older homes, particularly in
7788-411: The city was 48.3% male and 51.7% female. In 1999, Akron ranked as the 94th-most-dangerous city (and the 229th safest) on the 7th Morgan Quitno list. Preliminary Ohio crime statistics show aggravated assaults increased by 45% during 2007. Historically, organized crime operated in the city with the presence of the Black Hand led by Rosario Borgio , once headquartered on the city's north side in
7906-439: The city was 62.2% White , 31.5% African American , 0.2% Native American , 2.1% Asian , 0.8% from other races , and 3.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.1% of the population. Non-Hispanic Whites were 61.2% of the population, down from 81.0% in 1970. There were 83,712 households, of which 28.8% had children under age 18 living with them, 31.3% were married couples living together, 19.5% had
8024-404: The city was founded by Simon Perkins and Paul Williams in 1825 along the Little Cuyahoga River at the summit of the developing Ohio and Erie Canal . The name is derived from the Greek word ἄκρον ( ákron ), signifying a summit or high point. It was briefly renamed South Akron after Eliakim Crosby founded nearby North Akron in 1833, until both merged into an incorporated village in 1836. In
8142-405: The city's population were under the age of 18, 61.6% were 18 to 64, and 16.3% were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36.5. For every 100 females, there were 93.8 males. According to the U.S. Census American Community Survey , for the period 2016-2020 the estimated median annual income for a household in the city was $ 45,534, and the median income for a family was $ 52,976. About 24.4% of
8260-399: The city, built a regional headquarters downtown. The city has a free WiFi corridor centered in downtown. Neighborhoods in range include Goodyear Heights, East Akron, North Hill, Firestone Park, Kenmore, and West Akron. Northeast Ohio's Polymer Valley is centered in Akron. The area holds forty-five percent of the state's polymer industries, with the oldest dating to the 19th century. During
8378-508: The city, for a population density of 3,075.40 people per square mile (1,187.42/km ). There were 92,517 housing units. The racial makeup of the city (including Hispanics in the racial counts) was 54.7% White , 31.4% African American , 0.3% Native American , 5.3% Asian , 0.0% Pacific Islander , 1.6% from some other race , and 6.6% from two or more races. Separately, 3.3% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. There were 85,395 households, out of which 28.7% had children under
8496-401: The city, separating the east from west. Akron has the only biogas facility in the United States that produces methane through the decomposition process of sludge to create electricity. According to the 2010 census, the city has a total area of 62.37 square miles (161.5 km ), of which 62.03 square miles (160.7 km ) (or 99.45%) is land and 0.34 square miles (0.88 km ) (or 0.55%)
8614-463: The city. After beginning the tire and rubber industry during the 20th century with the founding of BFGoodrich , Firestone , General Tire , and also the Goodyear merger with The Kelly-Springfield Tire Company , Akron gained the status of "Rubber Capital of the World". Akron has won economic awards such as for City Livability and All-America City , and deemed a high tech haven greatly contributing to
8732-476: The city. The neighborhoods of the city differ in design largely because of expansions such as town merging, annexation, housing construction in various time periods, and rubber era. Maple Valley covers the west end of Copley Road, before reaching I-77. Along this strip are several businesses using the name, as well as the Maple Valley Branch of the Akron-Summit County Public Library . Spicertown falls under
8850-684: The cover for a story on the Chappaquiddick incident in which Kennedy's automobile passenger, Mary Jo Kopechne , had drowned. The 1969 Cuyahoga River fire helped spur an avalanche of water pollution control activities, resulting in amendments extending the Clean Water Act , Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement , and the creation of the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (OEPA). Mayor Stokes gave Congressional testimony on his and other major big cities' struggles with polluting industries to restore
8968-690: The dam In late 2012, two dams in Cuyahoga Falls, the Sheraton and LeFever Dams, were scheduled for demolition, as the result of an agreement between the City of Cuyahoga Falls, which owns the dams, and the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District, which will provide $ 1 million of funding to remove the dams. On December 12, 2012, the ACOE issued a permit, allowing the demolition to proceed. As part of
9086-475: The environmental health of their communities. As a result, large point sources of pollution on the Cuyahoga have received significant attention from the OEPA in subsequent decades. These events are referred to in Randy Newman 's 1972 song " Burn On ", R.E.M. 's 1986 song " Cuyahoga ", and Adam Again 's 1992 song "River on Fire". Great Lakes Brewing Company of Cleveland named its Burning River Pale Ale after
9204-456: The event. In December 1970 a federal grand jury investigation led by U.S. Attorney Robert Jones began, of water pollution allegedly being caused by about 12 companies in northeastern Ohio; it was the first grand jury investigation of water pollution in the area. The Attorney General of the United States, John N. Mitchell, gave a Press Conference December 18, 1970 referencing new pollution control litigation, with particular reference to work with
9322-554: The falls for which the City of Cuyahoga Falls was named; more to the point of water quality, it has created a large stagnant pool with low dissolved oxygen . On April 9, 2019, officials from the U.S. EPA and Ohio EPA announced a plan to remove the Gorge Metropolitan Park Dam by 2023 at a cost of $ 65 to $ 70 million. Funding for the project was authorized through the Great Lakes Legacy Act with funds coming from
9440-541: The first and only river fire incident on the Cuyahoga since June 1969. However, as scholar Anne Jefferson notes: The Brecksville Dam at river mile 20 was the first dam upstream of Lake Erie. It affected fish populations by restricting their passage. The dam was removed in 2020. The largest dam is the Gorge Metropolitan Park Dam, also known as the FirstEnergy Dam, on the border between Cuyahoga Falls and Akron. This 57-foot (17 m) dam has for over 90 years submerged
9558-587: The first decade of the 20th century and the Walker-Mitchell mob, of which Pretty Boy Floyd was a member. Akron has experienced several riots in its history, including the Riot of 1900 and the Wooster Avenue Riots of 1968 . The distribution of methamphetamine ("meth") in Akron greatly contributed to Summit County becoming known as the "Meth Capital of Ohio" in the early 2000s. The county ranked third in
9676-422: The first ever steelhead trout stocking in the river occurred. The lower Cuyahoga River, just west of present-day downtown Cleveland , has been subjected to numerous changes. Originally, the Cuyahoga river met Lake Erie approximately 4,000 feet (1.2 km) west of its current mouth, forming a shallow marsh. The current mouth is human-made, created in 1827, and allows shipping traffic to flow freely between
9794-408: The headquarters of companies such as Akron Polymer Systems. Akron's adult hospitals are owned by two health systems, Summa Health System and Akron General Health System. Summa Health System operates Summa Akron City Hospital and the former St. Thomas Hospital, which in 2008 were recognized for the 11th consecutive year as one of "America's Best Hospitals" by U.S. News & World Report . Summa
9912-412: The industrial history of Cuyahoga Falls, the sediment upstream of the dam is expected to contain hazardous chemicals, possibly including heavy metals and PCBs . The Ohio EPA estimated removal of the dam would cost $ 5–10 million, and removal of the contaminated sediments, a further $ 60 million. The dam is licensed through 2041. In 2023 however, after funding was secured, the decision was made to remove
10030-512: The late 1960s, when new mayor Carl Stokes and his utilities director rallied voters to approve a $ 100 million bond to rehabilitate Cleveland's rivers. Then, the mayor seized the opportunity of a June 22, 1969 river fire triggered by a spark from a passing rail car igniting an oil slick to bring reporters to the river to raise attention to the issue. The 1969 fire caused approximately $ 50,000 in damage, mostly to an adjacent railroad bridge, but despite Mayor Stokes' efforts, very little attention
10148-635: The locks, the city has a path paved with rubber. Akron was awarded with the City Livability Award in 2008 for its efforts to co-purpose new school buildings as community learning centers. In 2009, the National Arbor Day Foundation designated Akron as a Tree City USA for the 14th time. Many of the city's government and civic buildings, including City Hall and the Summit County Courthouse are from pre-World War Two, but
10266-488: The lower gradient in their respective reaches. For this reason, the Ohio EPA required the communities to mitigate the effects of the dams. The Munroe Falls Dam was modified in 2005. Work on this project uncovered a natural waterfall. Given this new knowledge about the riverbed, some interested parties, including Summit County, campaigned for complete removal of the dam. The revised plan, initially denied on September 20, 2005,
10384-451: The lower Cuyahoga River banks in Cleveland's Flats district . The Corps of Engineers has also straightened river banks and widened turning basins in the federal navigation channel on the lower Cuyahoga River to facilitate maritime operations. The United States Coast Guard sometimes conducts fall and spring ice-breaking operations along Lake Erie and the lower Cuyahoga River to prolong
10502-500: The lower Cuyahoga River only drops several feet along the last several miles of the lower river to 571 feet (174 m) at the mouth on Lake Erie, resulting in relatively slow-moving waters that can take a while to drain compared to the upper Cuyahoga. Some tributary elevations above are higher than the Cuyahoga River elevation, because of small waterfalls at or near their confluences; and distances are measured in "river miles" along
10620-412: The median income for a household in the city was $ 34,139. The per capita income for the city was $ 17,596. About 26.7% of persons were in poverty. The population of the Akron metropolitan area was 702,219 in 2020. Akron is also part of the larger Cleveland-Akron-Canton combined statistical area , which was the 15th largest in the country with a population of over 3.5 million residents. Akron experienced
10738-424: The most polluted rivers in the United States. The reach from Akron to Cleveland was devoid of fish. A 1968 Kent State University symposium described one section of the river: At least 13 fires have been reported on the Cuyahoga River, the first occurring in 1868. The largest river fire, in 1952, caused over $ 1 million in damage to boats, a bridge, and a riverfront office building. Things began to change in
10856-460: The nation in the number of registered meth sites. During the 1990s, motorcycle gang the Hells Angels sold the drug from bars frequented by members. Between January 2004 and August 2009, the city had significantly more registered sites than any other city in the state. Authorities believed a disruption of a major Mexican meth operation contributed to the increase of it being made locally. In 2007,
10974-546: The nation. (No pictures of the 1969 fire are known to exist, as local media did not arrive on the scene until after the fire was under control. ) The article launched Time 's new "Environment" section, and gained wide readership not only on its own merit, but because the same issue featured coverage of astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landing on the Moon the previous week in the Apollo 11 mission, and had Senator Ted Kennedy on
11092-643: The new Environmental Protection Agency, and announcing the filing of a law suit that morning against the Jones and Laughlin Steel Corporation for discharging substantial quantities of cyanide into the Cuyahoga River near Cleveland. Jones filed the misdemeanor charges in District Court, alleging violations of the 1899 Rivers and Harbors Act. There were multiple other suits filed by Jones. Water quality has improved and, partially in recognition of this improvement,
11210-403: The new facility in early 2012. The city also continues to deal with the effects of air and soil pollution from its industrial past. In the southwestern part of the city, soil was contaminated and noxious PCB -laden fumes were put into the air by an electrical transformer deconstruction operation that existed from the 1930s to the 1960s. Cleanup of the site, designated as a Superfund site by
11328-427: The northern portion of what is now downtown Akron in 1833, "South" was added to Akron's name until about three years later, when the two were merged and became an incorporated village in 1836. In 1840, Summit County formed from portions of Portage , Medina , and Stark Counties. Akron replaced Cuyahoga Falls as its county seat a year later and opened a canal connecting to Beaver, Pennsylvania , helping give birth to
11446-816: The passage of the Akron School Law of 1847, which created the K–12 system ; the popularization of the church architectural Akron Plan , the foundation of Alcoholics Anonymous , the Akron Experiment into preventing goiters with iodized salt , the 1983 Supreme Court case City of Akron v. Akron Center for Reproductive Health ; and portions of the 2014 Gay Games . A racially diverse city, it has seen noted racial relations speeches by Sojourner Truth in 1851 (the Ain't I A Woman? speech), W. E. B. Du Bois in 1920, and President Bill Clinton in 1997. In 1914, Marcus Garvey founded
11564-530: The population were living below the poverty line , including 35.0% of those under age 18 and 12.9% of those age 65 or over. About 57.1% of the population were employed, and 24.8% had a bachelor's degree or higher. As of the census of 2010, there were 199,110 people, 83,712 households, and 47,084 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,209.9 inhabitants per square mile (1,239.3/km ). There were 96,288 housing units at an average density of 1,552.3 per square mile (599.3/km ). The racial makeup of
11682-694: The project, a water trail was developed. In early June 2013, dam removal began, and ended in August 20, 2013. This brought about a mile of the river back to its natural state, removed 35 feet (11 m) of structures, and exposed an equivalent quantity of whitewater for recreation. In 2019, attempts by the city to address increased erosion as a result of the removal of these and other area dams were publicized. Two other dams, in Kent and in Munroe Falls , though smaller, have had an even greater impact on water quality due to
11800-447: The receding ice sheet, resulting in the river's winding U-shape. These meanderings stretched the length of the river (which was only 30 miles (50 km) when traveled directly) into a 100-mile (160 km) trek from its headwaters to its mouth. The depth of the river (except where noted below) ranges from 3 to 6 ft (1 to 2 m). The river was one of the features along which the "Greenville Treaty Line" ran beginning in 1795, per
11918-428: The recently recognized Oakdale Historic District. Akron's suburbs include Barberton , Cuyahoga Falls , Fairlawn , Green , Hudson , Mogadore , Montrose-Ghent , Munroe Falls , Norton , Silver Lake , Stow , and Tallmadge . Akron formed Joint Economic Development Districts with Springfield , Coventry , Copley , and Bath (in conjunction with Fairlawn) townships. According to census data from 2010 to 2014,
12036-520: The river and the lake. Additionally, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers periodically dredges the navigation channel of the otherwise shallow river to a depth of 27 feet (8.2 m), along the river's lower 5 miles (8.0 km), from its mouth up to the Mittal Steel Cleveland Works steel mills, to accommodate Great Lakes freighter traffic which serves the bulk (asphalt, gravel, petroleum, salt, steel, and other) industries located along
12154-536: The river fully attaining the designated Ohio water quality standards. According to the United States Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System , the Cuyahoga River has also been known as: The name "White River" has also been applied. Download coordinates as: Generally, rivers are larger than creeks, which are larger than brooks, which are larger than runs. Runs may be dry except during or after
12272-487: The river now generally meet established aquatic life water quality standards except near dam impoundments. The reasons for not meeting standards near the dam pools are habitat and fish passage issues rather than water quality. River reaches that were once devoid of fish now support 44 species. The most recent survey in 2008 revealed the two most common species in the river were hogsuckers and spotfin shiners , both moderately sensitive to water quality. Habitat issues within
12390-622: The river was inhabited by some branch of Mound Building culture related to the Hopewell. The only mound formally excavated was Towner's Mound outside of Kent, which appears identical in construction to two other mounds excavated in North Benton, OH and Warren, PA that are related to the New York Hopewell offshoot. The Iroquois say that, when the Erie first moved into western Pennsylvania, they pushed out
12508-472: The river's length from its mouth on Lake Erie. On August 25, 2020, a Holland Oil and Gas fuel tanker crashed on Route 8 near Akron and Cuyahoga Falls, killing one individual and causing a fire that leaked fuel into the southern section of the river. The fire was extinguished by the Akron Fire Department and the river section and surrounding area were promptly cleaned up. The fatal road crash marked
12626-552: The stoneware, sewer pipe, fishing tackle, and farming equipment industries. In 1844, abolitionist John Brown moved into the John Brown House across the street from business partner Colonel Simon Perkins , who lived in the Perkins Stone Mansion . The Akron School Law of 1847 founded the city's public schools and created the K–12 grade school system , which currently is used in every U.S. state. The city's first school
12744-545: The tribes in Ohio were ordered to give up most of Ohio for settlement, leading to a mass military revolt of all tribes in the Great Lakes region under a war chief named Little Turtle, with most of the fighting occurring along the Ohio-Indiana border. At this time, some Moravian missionaries who had been looking to establish a mission amongst the Ottawa were warned away due to the conflict, so they appear to have chosen to settle amongst
12862-703: The two names that did not actually exist. Early maps from the era of French control of the region, when the Wyandot were the only tribe there, mark the river as "Cuyahoga", although the Wyandot name for the river is Yažaʔyeh. The Cuyahoga watershed begins its 100-mile (160 km) journey in Hambden, Ohio , flowing southward to the confluence of the East Branch Cuyahoga River and West Branch Cuyahoga River in Burton , where
12980-513: The year. The Akron Police Museum displays mementos including items from Pretty Boy Floyd , whose gang frequented the city. Akron is home to the American Marble and Toy Museum. As a result of multiple towns merging, and industry boom, Akron's architecture is diverse. Originally a canal town, the city is divided into two parts by the Ohio and Erie Canal , with downtown being centered on it. Along
13098-560: Was added to the seal when the All-America City Award was received for the third time. Some events of the 2014 Gay Games used the city as a venue. In 2013, the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company opened its new global headquarters on Innovation Way, further cementing the company's relationship with the city. Bridgestone built a new technical center with state-of-the-art R&D labs, and moved its product development operations to
13216-467: Was approved by the Munroe Falls City Council a week later. The 11.5-foot (3.5 m) sandstone dam has since been removed, and in its place now is a natural ledge with a 4.5-foot (1.4 m) drop at its greatest point. The Kent Dam was bypassed in 2004 and was the first dam modification project in the state of Ohio that was made solely for water quality issues. The modification resulted in
13334-503: Was granted U.S. patent 499,600 in 1893 for his design of a self-healing pneumatic tire. The book Rubber: An American Industrial History states "Diamond Rubber was started in 1893 by the Sherbondy brothers (George, Walter and William)...". "The original capital came from the "Match King", O.C. Barber of Akron, President of the famous Diamond Match Company. He later took over Diamond Rubber". In 1898, Harvard-trained chemist Arthur H. Marks
13452-475: Was hired by Diamond. Marks invented a process to recycle old rubber. In 1900, Diamond constructed a new plant to utilize this patent in the recycling of old rubber. In 1904, Diamond and B.F. Goodrich entered into a rubber recycling joint venture, incorporated as the Alkali Rubber Company , and a new plant was constructed adjacent to the existing Diamond and B.F. Goodrich plants in Akron. In March 1912,
13570-524: Was initially given to the incident, and it was not considered a major news story in the Cleveland media. However, the incident did soon garner the attention of Time magazine, which used a dramatic photo of the even larger 1952 blaze in an article on the pollution of America's waterways. The article described the Cuyahoga as the river that "oozes rather than flows" and in which a person "does not drown but decays" and listed other badly-polluted rivers across
13688-548: Was located in the southwestern part of Akron, adjacent to the Ohio and Erie Canal , on the southwest side of Falor Street. The B.F. Goodrich plant was located across the street, on the northeast side of Falor. Today, Falor Street is named West Falor Street. Some later sources have the company founded as the Sherbondy Rubber Company in 1893 or 1894 with its name changed to Diamond Rubber Company in 1896. But no such listing has been found for Sherbondy Rubber Company in
13806-424: Was set on January 19, 1994. The most precipitation to fall on one calendar day was on July 7, 1943, when 5.96" of rain was measured. The first and last freezes of the season on average fall on October 21 and April 26, respectively, allowing a growing season of 174 days. The normal annual mean temperature is 51.7 °F (10.9 °C). Normal yearly precipitation based on the 30-year average from 1991 to 2020
13924-583: Was used by the National Guard of the United States as a base during the racial Wooster Avenue Riots of 1968 . Like many other industries of the Rust Belt , both the tire and rubber industries experienced major decline. By the early 1990s, Goodyear was the last major tire manufacturer based in Akron. Despite the number of rubber workers decreasing by roughly half from 2000 to 2007, Akron's research in polymers gained an international reputation. It now centers on
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