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.
Category: Portage Lakes
Keplers Landing
Kepler’s Landing was located at the south end of Turkeyfoot Lake. The nearby hotel was built in 1892 by William Kepler.
Kepler’s Hotel – Turkey Foot Lake
Built in 1896 to house coal miners and fishermen, and later vacationers. It contained sleeping rooms, a restaurant, and a large veranda.
Canoeing at Long Lake
Recreation on the Portage Lakes.
Brighton Farm – Portage Lakes
Country home of Akron industrialist and philanthropist, Frank Hibbard Mason (1852-1931). Mason worked for B. F. Goodrich.
Smith’s Tavern
George M Smith’s popular tavern along the Long Lake Channel in the Portage Lakes area outside Akron.
Portage Lakes – Sunset
Today’s popular recreation area formed as a result of the last ice age. The name Portage Lakes comes from an old Indian portage path that connected the Cuyahoga River flowing north to Lake Erie and the Tuscarawas River, a tributary of the Muskingum River, which flows south to the Ohio River. This proved advantageous for Indians and early settlers as navigation from Lake Erie to…
Groetz Hotel
Opened in 1891 by John B. Groetz (1866-1951), this late 19th-century hotel was a popular meeting place for famous politicians, businessmen, and athletes. Mark Hanna, the right-hand man of President McKinley, often dined here. Thomas Edison, a good friend of Harvey Firestone, was also a frequent visitors. Location: – Demolished – Portage Lakes Drive in Portage Lakes, Ohio.