Rooftop view of North Akron from the Portage Hotel.
Author: tconte
YWCA of Akron
The Y.W.C.A. building at 22 S. High St. was originally called the Grace House, (later known as the Sawan Building). The YWCA moved into the building in 1907 after remodeling and adding a cafeteria, swimming pool, gym, and track. The building was demolished in 1994.
First Methodist Episcopal Church
The First Methodist Episcopal Church was located on the corner of Broadway and Church Streets. In 1911, the building was destroyed by a fire despite being located across the street from a fire station.
East Market Street
A wonderful view of East Market Street showing the transition period from horse and cart to automobile. On the left side of the image, one of Akron’s first hotels can be seen; The Empire House Hotel opened in 1847 and served Akron visitors until it was torn down in 1912. It was replaced by the Portage…
Bridge at the Gorge
The Northern Ohio Power and Light Company built a power plant at the southeast corner of the High Street car bridge over the Cuyahoga River in 1912. This project included the construction of a dam that would cover the famed Big Falls and forever change the natural beauty of the Gorge.
Second National Bank
Built in 1911, The Second National Bank Building is located on the southeast corner of South Main St and East Bowery St. It was constructed by Carmichael Construction and designed by George B. Post & Sons. Four additional floors (shown here) were added to the building in 1919. Pre 1919 view without the additional four floors:…
Firestone Tire & Rubber Co.
The Firestone Tire and Rubber Company founder Harvey Firestone, had a personal friendship with Henry Ford, and used this to become the original equipment supplier of Ford Motor Company automobiles, and was also active in the replacement market.
Hamilton Building
This rather plain looking structure once stood on the site of today’s First National Bank Tower. The Hamilton Building was home to the Central Savings and Trust which moved into the building in 1918 and renamed it the Central Savings and Trust Building. The bank remained there until the building was demolished and replaced by…
New Portage Hotel
Located at 10 North Main Street, this eight-story, 170-room hotel was completed in 1912. After its closing in 1969, the Portage was converted into a nursing home. After 80 years in Akron, the building was demolished in 1992.
Windsor Hotel
The main building was originally the Methodist church which stood on the corner of South Broadway and Church streets. The building was purchased by F. Schumacher and moved to the corner of Mill and Summit streets, where he operated it as a temperance hotel under the name “Cascade House”. In 1884, Schumacher moved the building…
Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co.
Founded in 1898 by Frank Seiberling, Goodyear manufactures tires for automobiles, commercial trucks, light trucks, motorcycles, SUVs, race cars, airplanes, farm equipment and heavy earth-mover machinery. It also produced bicycle tires from its founding until 1976.
B. F. Goodrich Rubber Co.
In 1869 Benjamin Franklin Goodrich purchased the Hudson River Rubber Company, a small business in Hastings-on-Hudson, New York. The following year Goodrich accepted an offer of $13,600 from the citizens of Akron, Ohio, to relocate his business there.
Silver Lake Park – Steamboat
In 1874, the lake and the land surrounding it was a popular amusement park in the Akron area. Beginning in 1876 by Ralph H. Lodge began acquiring the lake and its surrounding land. It was originally a picnicking and swimming area, but quickly grew into the Silver Lake Amusement Park. The Park featured animal exhibits,…
Firestone Park School
Harvey Firestone wanted to create a community near his factories where families of different income levels would live together. He wanted churches, schools, stores and his factories to all be within walking distance. Firestone hired his estate landscape architect, Alling S. DeForest, to design the layout for Firestone Park. Among the many projects was the…
Residence – Senator Dick
“Charley” Dick was elected to the United States House of Representatives by a special election in 1898 and served until he resigned in 1904, having been elected to the Senate to fill the vacancy created by the death of Marcus A. Hanna. He served until 1911, when he lost a bid for a second term. While in Congress, Dick became one of the…
Firestone Park Trust and Savings Bank
The Rubber City Savings Bank became the Firestone Park Trust and Savings Bank in 1919. In 1944 it became the Firestone Bank. The pictured building was located on the corner of Miller Street and Main Street.
Mill Street – West
Google Street View – Mill Street, Akron, Ohio
Silver Lake Park – Dance Hall
From the 1870s through 1917, Silver Lake Park was one of Ohio’s most popular amusement parks. The park had a dance hall, steamboat rides, menagerie, aquarium, roller coasters, miniature RR, Chautauqua Auditorium, aviation field, and an arcade.
