Recreation on the Portage Lakes.
Category: 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.