The Akron YMCA began in 1870 as a small reading room on South Howard Street. By In 1904 they had grown enough to build a five-story building at State and Main. This structure was later raised to make room for the Mayflower Hotel.
Category: Hotels
Mill Street – Looking West
Mill Street looking west was a busy place. The five-story Hotel Buchtel was opened in 1884 on the southeast corner of Main and Mill Streets. It featured a hydraulic-powered elevator, electric lights in every room and bathrooms on every floor. – S.A. Freedlander Optician, Hotel Buchtel European Rooms
YMCA – Building
This is Akron’s first YMCA building. The organization would outgrow this building by the 1920’s and replace it with a 16-story Art Deco building in 1931. The Young Men’s Christian Association, commonly known as simply the Y, is an organization founded on putting Christian principles into practice by developing a healthy “body, mind, and spirit”.
View from Portage Hotel – Akron, Ohio
Rooftop view of North Akron from the Portage Hotel.
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.
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…
Hotel Howe
100 outside fireproof rooms with bath. Modern cocktail bar and Clark restaurant.
Akron Tower Motor Inn
Magnificently modern in concept, comfort, convenience – 200 luxury rooms – Free inside parking – Swimming pool – Restaurant. 50 West State St. Akron 8 Ohio Telephone: 762-0451 Teletype AK84
YWCA – Akron
Originally called the Grace House, (later known as the Sawan Building), the Y.W.C.A. moved into this building in 1907 after remodeling and adding a cafeteria, swimming pool, gym, and track. The building remained a part of Akron’s structurescape until its demolition in 1994.
Hotel Buchtel
Built by William Buchtel (1822-1914), the five-story brick and stone hotel opened in 1884 on the southeast corner of Main and Mill Streets. It featured a hydraulic-powered elevator, electric lights in every room and bathrooms on every floor.
Portage Hotel
The Portage Hotel at Main Street and Market Street replaced the Empire House Hotel in 1912. The Portage was Akron’s leading hotel until construction of the Mayflower Hotel. In 1935, in the Portage Hotel’s ballroom, Akron’s rubber workers created the United Rubber Workers (URW) union.