Author: tconte
City Hospital
One of City Hospitals greatest supporters was industrialist Ohio Columbus Barber. By 1904, O.C. Barber had donated more than a quarter of a million dollars to the institution.
Fire Station – Central Engine House
Akron Fire Department has a long and proud history dating all the way back to 1839 when the North Akron Fire Company was formed. Akron’s volunteer fire-fighting forces were consolidated to form the “Akron Fire Department” in 1866. The members of the department were placed on a full pay basis in 1903. The department was…
Concordia Evangelical Lutheran Church
Sumner Street at East Voris, Akron 11, Ohio
Summit Beach Park
The brainchild of Akron businessmen John L. Snyder, Philip Austgen and Jack Rampanelli, Summit Beach Park began as a friendly conversation over billiards. Once constructed, the park went on to become one of Akron’s most popular entertainment destinations.
Grace Park
Before the mass exodus of manufacturing destroyed Akron’s reputation as a city of opportunity, places like Grace Park were often full of residents listening to speeches, celebrating victories and relaxing on a day off.
City Hospital and Nurses’ Home
The main building of City Hospital was constructed in 1892, with the training school for nurses being added in 1897. The first class of nurses had just two students.
Greetings from Akron
Its name came from a Greek word meaning “an elevation” or “point.” Many of the town’s earliest residents were Irish migrants employed to build the nearby Ohio and Erie Canal. Its location along the canal meant that many farmers brought their crops to Akron to be milled and then transported to other markets.
Union Forge and Mill Streets
A view of the much-changed intersection of Union Street, Forge Street and Mill streets near downtown Akron. Akron’s old High School can be seen on the left side of the image.
Union Station
Although grand in appearance, Akron’s Union Station was not a centerpiece of pride for Akronites. Many visitors complained that the railroad station was too cold in the winter, too hot in the summer, dirty, and small. Despite the complaints, the station lasted nearly 60 years before being replaced by the more modern Union Depot.
Akron High School
Central (Akron) High School was located on Forge Street, between College and Union Streets, facing Union Park. The school was established in 1857, but the pictured building was erected in 1885 at a cost of $135,000. The building stood until 1973 when it was demolished to make way for the new Central-Hower High School.
Goodyear-Zeppelin Corp’s Factory and Dock
Postcard view of the colossus of engineering, the Airdock. The structure was built in 1929 for the building of the U.S. Navy’s rigid airships, the USS Akron (1931) and USS Macon (1933). The buildings eleven steel parabolic arches, cresting at 211 feet, create one of the largest open space interiors in the world and create…
Greetings from Akron
The American Soap Box Derby has a home in Akron but it didn’t start here. Dayton newspaperman Myron Scott came up with the idea in 1933. The first race was in 1934. The event quickly grew, gained sponsorships, and – thanks in part to tire companies – moved to Akron in 1935.
Firestone Research Center
Constructed at a cost of $2 million, Firestone’s research laboratory sat on a hill overlooking the vast factory complex of the Firestone empire. At the time, this three-story brick structure was one of the world’s largest and most complete laboratories for rubber and plastics research.
The Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company – Main Plant
In 1916, Goodyear became the world’s largest tire company. This is also when the company began using the slogan “More people ride on Goodyear tires than on any other kind.”
Walter Thornwell Inn
The Walter Thornwell Inn on Manchester Road. tel Man-3523.
Union Station
Akron’s rapid population growth of the early 1900s put a strain on the city’s Union Station – built in 1891. Additions were made to enlarge the station, but they weren’t enough. In 1950 the building was replaced by a much larger and considerably more modern Union Depot.
Summit Beach Park
A crowded day of fun at Akron’s Summit Beach Park on the shores of Summit Lake. The park provided Akronites with 40 years of summer fun before closing the gates for good in 1958.