The John Brown House in Akron, Ohio, is closely tied to the life of the famed abolitionist. Built around 1830, it was purchased by Colonel Simon Perkins in 1844 and rented to Brown and his family while Brown entered a wool-growing partnership with Perkins after financial hardship. The Browns used the house from 1844 to…
Gaylord’s Grove was a popular picnic and recreation spot in Cuyahoga Falls, attracting visitors who came to enjoy the outdoors and spend time along the Cuyahoga River. Places like this gave people an opportunity to get away from the growing cities and enjoy a day in the country.
The Portage Country Club has long been an athletic and social center for Akron’s most prominent families. The second clubhouse (pictured here) was destroyed by fire in 1921. The new clubhouse opened in May 1923. Location: corner of Twin Oaks and Portage Path.
On the shores of Springfield Lake, Carl Wieland established a general store, confectionery, bathhouse, and resort.
The Cuyahoga River cuts through the gorge between Akron and Cuyahoga Falls, creating one of the area’s most distinctive landscapes. This postcard captures the river and the bridge crossing the gorge, showing a place where the natural landscape and the growing transportation network came together.
This postcard shows a group of Boy Scouts gathered outside their clubhouse in Goodyear Heights. The neighborhood grew alongside the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company and was home to many families connected to the company.
The Gothic Building was designed by prominent Akron architect Frank O. Weary and built in 1902, at a time when Akron was growing rapidly. Its design was modeled after the Georgian Gothic Revival style, with its distinctive brickwork, arched windows, and contrasting details. The building was attached to the Colonial Theatre, which stood alongside it…
Perkins Park was one of Akron’s early recreational spots, and its spring was a natural attraction for visitors. Springs and other natural features offered people a chance to escape the bustle of the growing city and enjoy a little time outdoors. This postcard captures one of those quieter pieces of Akron’s past that might otherwise…
This early 20th-century view of the Cuyahoga River gorge shows just how heavily industry had become woven into the landscape of Cuyahoga Falls. The river wasn’t just a scenic feature in the area, it was a source of power. Mills and factories grew along its banks to take advantage of the moving water.
Silver Lake’s popularity waned after World War I, when rail excursion traffic declined. The Lodge family sold the property in 1918 for residential development with the Village of Silver Lake incorporating on the site that same year.
The Elks began in 1868 as a social club for minstrel show performers called the “Jolly Corks”. It was established as a private club to elude New York City laws governing the opening hours of public taverns. The organization evolved into a major American fraternal, charitable, and service order with more than a million members, both men, and women, throughout…
Located in Akron’s Kenmore neighborhood and the corner of Florida and Eleventy street, the building was dedicated in 1929 and cost $110,000 to construct.
The Glens and Caves of Cuyahoga Falls was a popular picnic and entertainment destination for Clevelanders via the Cleveland, Mount Vernon and Columbus Railroad from the 1870’s through the early 1900’s.
207 East Market Street, Akron 8 Ohio.
When Silver Lake Amusement Park closed after World War I, in 1920, the aquarium which was housed in a round building was dismantled. The brick building was perfectly round except for the gabled portico supported by four columns at the entrance. Mr. and Mrs. Lodge gave the aquarium to a group in Stow, Ohio who…
Kepler’s Landing was built in 1896 at the south end of Turkeyfoot Lake. It hosted events such as ski shows, hydroplane boat races, and rubber company picnics.
First built by the Akron Street Railway & Herdic Co. in 1887, Lakeside was a picnic grounds destination on the east shore of Summit Lake. The park included a steamboat landing and a canoe house. The Akron Street Railway & Herdic Co. introduced horse car service (Herdic) on Main St. in 1883. The company would…
A busy day on Mill Street in Akron. The Hotel Buchtel, on the left, featured the latest amenities, including incandescent lights, a hydraulic elevator, bathrooms on each floor and call bells in each room.
Kepler’s Landing was located at the south end of Turkeyfoot Lake. The nearby hotel was built in 1892 by William Kepler.
Railroads brought excursions from places as far away as Columbus and Pittsburgh. As many as 10,000 people a day traveled by train to enjoy the many and varied interests to be found in the park. People spent the Summer camping in tents, others living in rented cottages, and some stayed at the hotel.
Built in 1896 to house coal miners and fishermen, and later vacationers. It contained sleeping rooms, a restaurant, and a large veranda.
In 1950, Firestone along with General Motors and Standard Oil, were charged and convicted of criminal conspiracy for their part in the Great American streetcar scandal. The scandal included purchasing streetcar systems throughout the United States and dismantling and replacing them with buses.
North High School was established in 1915 as Akron’s fourth high school, after Central, South, and West. The school was located at the northwest corner of Dayton Street and East Tallmadge Avenue in what later became Jennings Middle School, a building that stood until 2012.
At its peak, the Children’s Home cared for about four hundred children, although placement in foster homes began to be favored over larger institutions. Gradually, the facility emptied its wards until all of the children had new places to live. The building was converted into offices for the Summit County Children Services Board.
Thanks to the generosity and leadership of John R. Buchtel, business leaders and colleagues helped raise the funds needed to build and endow a college in Akron. Following construction of an impressive building, Buchtel College opened for business in 1872, with 46 students in the collegiate program and 171 in the academy, a preparatory program.