Akron - Ohio - History

Akron was founded by Simon Perkins in 1825 and developed into a canal town on the Ohio and Erie Canal. As railroads replaced the canal system, the rubber industry grew under the entrepreneurship of Dr. Benjamin Franklin Goodrich, F.A. Seiberling, and Harvey Firestone. The presence of B.F. Goodrich Tire, Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company, Firestone Tire, and General Tire led Akron to become the Rubber Capital of the World. Great cereal mills, such as the Quaker Oats Company were also located in Akron.

Fifty percent of America's population lives within a 500- mile radius of Akron, and within a 150- mile radius there are approximately 10 million people. Akron has easy access to a network of superhighways and is a major trucking hub. A market potential of 111 million people lives within a day's drive of Akron.

The City of Akron is situated in the industrial Midwest, approximately 35 miles south of Cleveland. The City covers an area of 63 square miles, was founded in 1825, and incorporated in 1836. The 1990 population of Akron was 223,019, with a total population of 515,000 within City and Summit County. Akron is the fifth largest city in Ohio.

The City of Akron's highway and water/sewer system is comprised of 878 miles of streets and highways, including 114 bridges, with over 1055 miles of sewer lying beneath the City, in addition to 1010 miles of water lines. The safety forces in the City provide service and protection utilizing patrol cars, autos, wagons and vans, in addition to motorcycles and a mobile command center within the police division. Fire protection and emergency medical service is also provided. The Safety Communications Center is staffed by technicians twenty-four hours a day and provide the vital communications link for the police fire and EMS units throughout the 9-1-1 emergency system.

There are over 1200 acres of parks and recreational areas within the City with thirteen major public recreation centers staffed by City employees. The recreation program provides for active play needs, sports and cultural activities, and programs throughout the parks, municipal golf course, and minor league ballpark known as Canal Park, home of the Akron Aeros.

Akron has long been associated with the rubber industry, especially the manufacturing of tires. Due to changes in tire design and manufacturing process, few tires are now made in Akron. However, the influence of the rubber industry remains significant as the emphasis has changed from manufacturing to research, and development to administration. Goodyear Tire & Rubber, GenCorp, and A Schulman have international headquarters here. Bridgestone/Firestone has research and development facilities in Akron. Goodyear Technical Center is a development and testing laboratory for the worldwide Goodyear operations. Lockheed Martin has a substantial electronic operation in Akron. The plastics and polymer industry is also a significant portion of the Akron.