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82-563: The Akron Civic Theatre (originally the Loew's Theatre ) is a theater in Akron, Ohio . It is one of only five remaining atmospheric theatres designed by John Eberson in the United States and is an excellent example of the great movie palaces of the 1920s. The Akron Civic Theatre is the last remaining theater of 11 opened by Marcus Loew , founder of the Loew's theater chain. The Civic

164-517: A log cabin in the forest in 1810, and became the region's first citizen. In June 1811, Spicer sent for his family, who came that same year by ox teams accompanied by Capt. Amos Spicer and Paul Williams. In 1811, Paul Williams settled near the corner of what is now Buchtel Avenue and Broadway. He suggested to General Simon Perkins , who was surveyor of the Connecticut Land Company 's Connecticut Western Reserve , that they found

246-534: A female householder with no husband present, 5.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 43.8% were non-families. 34.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.98. The median age in the city was 35.7 years. 22.9% of residents were under age 18; 12.4% were between 18 and 24; 25.9% were from 25 to 44; 25.9% were from 45 to 64; and 12.6% were 65 or older. The gender makeup of

328-409: A lab to treat burn victims, making Akron Children's Hospital the first hospital in the world to achieve such a feat. Akron City and Akron General hospitals are designated Level I Trauma Centers . According to the city's 2020 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the principal employers in the city are: Akron is home to E. J. Thomas Hall , one of three Akron performance halls. Regular acts include

410-586: A mill in 1856, and the following decade mass-produced oat bars for the Union Army during the American Civil War ; these continued to sell well after the war. Akron incorporated as a city in 1865. Philanthropist Lewis Miller , Walter Blythe, and architect Jacob Snyder designed the widely used Akron Plan , debuting it on Akron's First Methodist Episcopal Church in 1872. Numerous Congregational , Baptist , and Presbyterian churches built between

492-477: A new movie screen. Akron, Ohio Akron ( / ˈ æ k r ən / ) is a city in and the county seat of Summit County, Ohio , United States. At the 2020 census , the city proper had a total population of 190,469, making it the fifth-most populous city in Ohio and 136th-most populous city in the U.S. The Akron metropolitan area , covering Summit and Portage counties, had a population of 702,219. It

574-504: A new world headquarters in the city. The project, Akron Riverwalk, will feature a large retail and commercial development area. The project began in 2007, but was put on hold because of the Great Recession . Bridgestone built a new technical center with research and development labs, and moved its product development operations to the new facility in early 2012. The Eastern Ohio Division of KeyBank , which has six branches in

656-631: A part in two of Akron's major riots, the Riot of 1900 and the Wooster Ave. Riots of 1968. Others giving speeches on race in the city include W. E. B. Du Bois (1920) and President Bill Clinton (1997). In 1971, Alpha Phi Alpha Homes Inc. was founded in Akron by the Eta Tau Lambda chapter, with James R. Williams as chairman. The centerpiece, Henry Arthur Callis Tower , is located in

738-665: A rubber reinforcing agent in 1912. Oenslager attended Harrisburg & Phillips Exeter Academies, AB 1894, AM 1896. He first worked for the Warren Paper Co. in Maine from 1896 until 1905. He then worked for the Diamond & B.F. Goodrich Rubber Companies from 1905 until 1940. In 1912, Oenslager was working with David Spence at Diamond Rubber on additives to improve the vulcanization process. Working off of Oenslager's aniline additives, Spence discovered that p-aminodimethylaniline

820-573: A significant collapse in population having lost over one third (34.4%) of its population between 1960 and 2020. Although Akron is in northern Ohio, where the Inland North dialect is expected, its settlement history puts it in the North Midland dialect area. Some localisms that have developed include devilstrip , which refers to the grass strip between a sidewalk and street. As of the census of 2020, there were 190,469 people living in

902-475: A summit or high point. It was briefly renamed South Akron after Eliakim Crosby founded nearby North Akron in 1833, until both merged into an incorporated village in 1836. In the 1910s, Akron doubled in population, making it the nation's fastest-growing city. A long history of rubber and tire manufacturing, carried on today by the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company , gave Akron the nickname "Rubber Capital of

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984-569: A town at the summit of the developing Ohio and Erie Canal . The name is adapted from the Greek word ἄκρον ( ákron ), meaning summit or high point. It was laid out in December 1825, where the south part of the downtown Akron neighborhood sits today. Irish laborers working on the Ohio Canal built about 100 cabins nearby. After Eliakim Crosby founded "North Akron" (also known as Cascade) in

1066-549: Is 41.57 inches (1,056 mm), falling on an average 160 days. Monthly precipitation has ranged from 12.55 in (319 mm) in July 2003 to 0.20 in (5.1 mm) in September 1960, while for annual precipitation the historical range is 65.70 in (1,669 mm) in 1990 to 23.79 in (604 mm) in 1963. Akron consists of 21 neighborhoods, with an additional three that are unincorporated but recognized within

1148-516: Is home to a historic 1920s atmospheric movie palace , the Akron Civic Theatre . One of the building's features is a starry sky with clouds that drift over it when the lights are dimmed. George Oenslager George Oenslager (September 25, 1873 – February 5, 1956) was a Goodrich chemist who discovered that a derivative of aniline accelerated the vulcanization of rubber with sulfur . He first introduced carbon black as

1230-541: Is located on South Main Street in Akron and can seat 3,000 people. The theater has been exhibiting shows and special events for 95 years. The theater began as a planned project to be known as "The Hippodrome," commissioned by Akron dance hall owner L. Oscar Beck. Beck envisioned a 3,000-seat theater with thirty stores and restaurants lining its arcade. He began construction on the Hippodrome's lobby in 1919, but by 1921,

1312-645: Is located on the western edge of the Glaciated Allegheny Plateau in Northeast Ohio about 40 miles (64 km) south of downtown Cleveland . After being first settled by Miner Spicer in 1810, the city was founded by Simon Perkins and Paul Williams in 1825 along the Little Cuyahoga River at the summit of the developing Ohio and Erie Canal . The name is derived from the Greek word ἄκρον ( ákron ), signifying

1394-630: Is now a museum on Broadway Street near the corner of Exchange. When the Ohio Women's Rights Convention came to Akron in 1851, Sojourner Truth extemporaneously delivered her speech named " Ain't I A Woman? ", at the Universalist Old Stone Church. In 1870, a local businessman associated with the church, John R. Buchtel , founded Buchtel College, which became the University of Akron in 1913. Ferdinand Schumacher bought

1476-550: Is recognized as having one of the best orthopaedics programs in the nation with a ranking of 28th. Akron General Health in affiliation with the Cleveland Clinic operates Akron General Medical Center, which in 2009, was recognized as one of "America's Best Hospitals" by U.S. News & World Report . Akron Children's Hospital is an independent entity that specializes in pediatric care and burn care. In 1974, Howard Igel and Aaron Freeman successfully grew human skin in

1558-526: Is the Akron Civic Theatre , which opened in 1929 as the Loew's Theater. This atmospheric-style theater was designed by John Eberson and built by Marcus Loew. The theater contains many Moorish features including arches and decorative tiles. It features elaborate wood carvings, alabaster statuary, and European antiques. The theater seats 5,000. Behind it on the canal is the Lock 3 Park amphitheater , which annually host

1640-758: Is water. Akron has a humid continental climate ( Köppen Dfa ), typical of the Midwest , with four distinct seasons, and lies in USDA hardiness zone 6b, degrading to zone 6a in the outlying suburbs. Winters are cold and dry but typically bring a mix of rain, sleet, and snow with occasional heavy snowfall and icing. January is the coldest month with an average mean temperature of 27.9 °F (−2.3 °C), with temperatures on average dropping to or below 0 °F (−18 °C) on 3.3 days and staying at or below freezing on 40 days per year. Snowfall averages 47.2 inches (120 cm) per season, significantly less than

1722-495: The Akron Symphony Orchestra , Tuesday Musical Club, and Children's Concert Society. World-class performances events include Broadway musicals, ballets, comedies, lectures, entertainers, attracting 400,000 visitors annually. The hall seats 2,955, divided among three tiers. To maintain top-notch acoustic sound, the counter-weighted ceiling is adjustable, altering the physical dimensions of the hall. Located downtown

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1804-542: The Akron, Bedford and Cleveland Railroad , began service. On August 25, 1889, the Boston Daily Globe referred to Akron with the nickname "Summit City". To help local police, the city deployed the first police car in the U.S. that ran on electricity. The Riot of 1900 saw assaults on city officials, two deaths, and the destruction by fire of Columbia Hall and the Downtown Fire Station (now

1886-578: The Akron-Summit County Public Library , and John S. Knight Center are considerably newer. The library originally opened in 1969, but reopened as a greatly expanded facility in 2004. The Knight Center opened in 1994. The First Methodist Episcopal Church first used the Akron Plan in 1872. The plan later gained popularity, being used in many Congregationalist , Baptist , and Presbyterian church buildings. The city

1968-579: The Environmental Protection Agency , began in 1987 and concluded in 2000. The area remains restricted with regular reviews of the site and its underground aquifer. City founder Simon Perkins negotiated a treaty with Native Americans to establish a mail route from the Connecticut Western Reserve to Detroit in 1807, an early example of historic humanitarian affairs in Akron. Aside from being part of

2050-704: The First Night in Akron. The Akron Art Museum also downtown, features art produced since 1850 along with national and international exhibitions. It opened in 1922 as the Akron Art Institute, in the basement of the Akron Public Library . It moved to its current location at the renovated 1899 post office building in 1981. In 2007, the museum more than tripled in size with the addition of the John S. and James L. Knight Building, which received

2132-446: The Glaciated Allegheny Plateau . It is bordered by Cuyahoga Falls on the north and Barberton in the southwest. It is the center of the Akron metropolitan area which covers Summit and Portage Counties, and a principal city of the larger Cleveland–Akron–Canton Combined Statistical Area . Located on the western end of the plateau, the topography of Akron includes rolling hills and varied terrain. The Ohio and Erie Canal passes through

2214-704: The Goodyear Heights neighborhood for employees. Likewise, Harvey S. Firestone built the Firestone Park neighborhood for his employees. During the 1910–1920 decade, Akron became a boomtown , being America's fastest growing city with a 201.8% increase in population. Of the 208,000 citizens, almost one-third were immigrants (also Clark Gable ) and their children from places including Europe and West Virginia. In 1929 and 1931, Goodyear's subsidiary Goodyear-Zeppelin Company manufactured two airships for

2296-576: The Information Age . Current Fortune 500 companies headquartered in the city include Goodyear and FirstEnergy . In addition, the city is the headquarters to a number of other notable companies such as GOJO , Advanced Elastomer Systems, Babcock & Wilcox , Myers Industries, Acme Fresh Market , and Sterling Jewelers . Goodyear, America's biggest tire manufacturer and the fifth-largest private employer in Summit County, recently built

2378-626: The Kelly-Springfield Tire Company in 1935. Lasting five weeks and consisting of roughly 5,000 strikers including union sympathizers from other factories and neighboring states, the Akron Rubber Strike of 1936 successfully used the "sit-down" tactic to force recognition of the United Rubber Workers . During the 1950s–60s Akron surged as use of the automobile did. The historic Rubber Bowl

2460-609: The Underground Railroad , when active, John Brown was a resident, today having two landmarks (the John Brown House and the John Brown Monument) dedicated to him. During the 1851 Women's Rights Convention, Sojourner Truth delivered her speech entitled " Ain't I A Woman? ". In 1905, a statue of an Indian named Unk was erected on Portage Path, which was part of the effective western boundary of

2542-628: The Universal Negro Improvement Association in Kingston, Jamaica; its Akron branch opened in 1921. Episodes of major civil unrest in Akron have included the riot of 1900 , rubber strike of 1936 , the Wooster Avenue riots of 1968 , and the 2022 protests surrounding the killing of Jayland Walker . The first settler in the Akron area was Major Miner Spicer, who came from Groton, Connecticut . He built

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2624-601: The White and Native American lands from 1785 to 1805. The Summit County chapter of the Ku Klux Klan reported having 50,000 members, making it the largest local chapter in the country during the 20th century. At some point the sheriff, county officials, mayor of Akron, judges, county commissioners, and most members of Akron's school board were members. The Klan's influence in the city's politics eventually ended after Wendell Willkie arrived and challenged them. Race played

2706-527: The snowbelt areas closer to Lake Erie . The snowiest month on record was 37.5 inches (95 cm) in January 1978, while winter snowfall amounts have ranged from 82.0 in (208 cm) in 1977–78 to 18.2 in (46 cm) in 1949–50. Springs generally see a transition to fewer weather systems that produce heavier rainfall. Summers are typically very warm and humid with temperatures at or above 90 °F (32 °C) on 10.7 days per year on average;

2788-543: The "Crossroads of the Deaf". On Easter Sunday 1913, 9.55 inches (243 mm) of rain fell, causing floods that killed five people and destroyed the Ohio and Erie Canal system. From 1916 to 1920, 10,000 schoolgirls took part in the successful Akron Experiment, testing iodized salt to prevent goiter in what was known as the "Goiter Belt". Rubber companies responded to housing crunches by building affordable housing for workers. Goodyear's president, Frank A. Seiberling , built

2870-493: The 1870s and World War I use it. In 1883, a local journalist began the modern toy industry by founding the Akron Toy Company. A year later, the first popular toy was mass-produced clay marbles made by Samuel C. Dyke at his shop where Lock 3 Park is now. Other popular inventions include rubber balloons, ducks, dolls, balls, baby buggy bumpers, and little brown jugs. In 1895, the first long-distance electric railway,

2952-641: The 1980s and 1990s, an influx of new polymer companies came to the region. In 2001, more than 400 companies manufactured polymer-based materials in the region. Many University of Akron scientists became world-renowned for their research done at the Goodyear Polymer Center . The first College of Polymer Science and Polymer Engineering was begun by the university. In 2010, the National Polymer Innovation Center opened on campus. Akron has designated an area called

3034-595: The 2005 American Architecture Award from the Chicago Athenaeum while still under construction. Built between 1912 and 1915 for Frank A. Sieberling , Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens is the seventh-largest historic house in the United States . Located within the Sand Run Metro Park, the 104 acres (0.42 km ) F.A. Seiberling Nature Realm features a visitor center, hiking trails, three ponds, gardens, and an array of special programs throughout

3116-533: The Akron Civic Theatre closed its doors for the most expensive and extensive renovation in its seventy-two year history. The renovation cost just over $ 19 million, which included additional restroom facilities, new concession stands, and expansion of the lobbies. The renovation allowed for the Civic to better serve customers with special needs by adding more handicapped seating and a new elevator. To bring

3198-754: The Akron Police Department (APD) received a grant to help continue its work with other agencies and jurisdictions to support them in ridding the city of meth labs. The APD coordinates with the Summit County Drug Unit and the Drug Enforcement Administration, forming the Clandestine Methamphetamine Laboratory Response Team. Many industries in the United States either began or were influenced by

3280-479: The Biomedical Corridor, aimed at luring health-related ventures to the region. It encompasses 1,240 acres (5.0 km ) of private and publicly owned land, bounded by Akron General on the west and Akron City on the east, and also includes Akron Children's near the district's center with the former Saint Thomas Hospital to the north of its northern boundaries. Since its start in 2006, the corridor added

3362-566: The Channelwood Village area of the city. In 2008, 91-year-old Akron native, Addie Polk, became the poster child of the Great Recession , after shooting herself. In 2022, Akron resident Jayland Walker was killed by police after shooting at them while fleeing, sparking days of protest and the institution of a police review board. Akron is located in the Great Lakes region about 39 miles (63 km) south of Lake Erie , on

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3444-560: The City Building since 1925). The American trucking industry was birthed through Akron's Rubber Capital of the World era when the four major tire companies B.F. Goodrich (1869), Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company (1898), Firestone Tire and Rubber Company (1900), and General Tire & Rubber Company (1915) were headquartered in the city. The numerous jobs the rubber factories provided for deaf people led to Akron being nicknamed

3526-569: The Civic in order. Once the Guild officially began, over 180 women became a part of it. Wives of politicians, attorneys, business executives and doctors were a part of the roster. One popular name was Ruth Oenslager, the widow of George Oenslager , a chemist for B.F. Goodrich . She pitched in $ 22,000 to help save the Civic from becoming a parking lot. For advertising, the women wrote to celebrities, wanting them to come perform at their theater. The women were able to sponsor Helen Hayes , who subsequently

3608-584: The Polymer Valley which consists of 400 polymer-related companies, of which 94 were located in the city itself. Research is focused at the University of Akron , which is home to the Goodyear Polymer Center and the National Polymer Innovation Center, and the College of Polymer Science and Polymer Engineering. Because of its contributions to the Information Age , Newsweek listed Akron fifth of ten high-tech havens in 2001. In 2008 "City of Invention"

3690-676: The United States Navy, USS Akron (ZRS-4) and USS Macon (ZRS-5) . Goodyear built a number of blimps for the Navy during WWII and later for advertising purposes. Akron again grew when Kenmore was annexed by voter approval on November 6, 1928. Found hiding under a bed at one of his hideouts in the city, notorious bank robber Charles Arthur " Pretty Boy " Floyd was arrested under the name "Frank Mitchell" in March 1930. Goodyear became America's top tire manufacturer after merging with

3772-578: The Women's Guild have participated as ushers, performed chores, sold concessions, sponsored fundraisers, and managed boutiques. In 1965, the Civic was being threatened to be turned into a parking lot, when the Akron Jaycees launched a fund-raiser and bought the Akron Civic for $ 60,000. Following this purchase, Marjorie Schmidt held a meeting at her house to create an organized structure to help keep

3854-522: The World". It was once known as a center of airship development. Today, its economy includes manufacturing, education, healthcare, and biomedical research; leading corporations include Gojo Industries , FirstEnergy , Huntington Bank , and Charter Spectrum . Notable historic events in Akron include the passage of the Akron School Law of 1847, which created the K–12 system ; the popularization of

3936-399: The age of 18 living with them, 27.3% were married couples living together, 23.8% had a male householder with no spouse present, and 39.8% had a female householder with no spouse present. 38.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.0% were someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.16, and the average family size was 2.86. 22.1% of

4018-456: The annual count has been as high as 36 days in 1931, while the most recent year to not reach that mark is 2023. July is the warmest month with an average mean temperature of 73.9 °F (23 °C). Autumn is relatively dry with many clear warm days and cool nights. The all-time record high temperature in Akron of 104 °F (40 °C) was established on August 6, 1918, and the all-time record low temperature of −25 °F (−32 °C)

4100-509: The blanket of University Park, this term is used frequently to describe the student-centered retail and residential area around East Exchange and Spicer streets, near the University of Akron. West Hill is roughly bounded by West Market Street on the north, West Exchange Street on the south, Downtown on the East, and Rhodes Avenue on the west. It features many stately older homes, particularly in

4182-622: The church architectural Akron Plan , the foundation of Alcoholics Anonymous , the Akron Experiment into preventing goiters with iodized salt , the 1983 Supreme Court case City of Akron v. Akron Center for Reproductive Health ; and portions of the 2014 Gay Games . A racially diverse city, it has seen noted racial relations speeches by Sojourner Truth in 1851 (the Ain't I A Woman? speech), W. E. B. Du Bois in 1920, and President Bill Clinton in 1997. In 1914, Marcus Garvey founded

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4264-468: The city was 48.3% male and 51.7% female. In 1999, Akron ranked as the 94th-most-dangerous city (and the 229th safest) on the 7th Morgan Quitno list. Preliminary Ohio crime statistics show aggravated assaults increased by 45% during 2007. Historically, organized crime operated in the city with the presence of the Black Hand led by Rosario Borgio , once headquartered on the city's north side in

4346-439: The city was 62.2% White , 31.5% African American , 0.2% Native American , 2.1% Asian , 0.8% from other races , and 3.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.1% of the population. Non-Hispanic Whites were 61.2% of the population, down from 81.0% in 1970. There were 83,712 households, of which 28.8% had children under age 18 living with them, 31.3% were married couples living together, 19.5% had

4428-405: The city's population were under the age of 18, 61.6% were 18 to 64, and 16.3% were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36.5. For every 100 females, there were 93.8 males. According to the U.S. Census American Community Survey , for the period 2016-2020 the estimated median annual income for a household in the city was $ 45,534, and the median income for a family was $ 52,976. About 24.4% of

4510-399: The city, built a regional headquarters downtown. The city has a free WiFi corridor centered in downtown. Neighborhoods in range include Goodyear Heights, East Akron, North Hill, Firestone Park, Kenmore, and West Akron. Northeast Ohio's Polymer Valley is centered in Akron. The area holds forty-five percent of the state's polymer industries, with the oldest dating to the 19th century. During

4592-508: The city, for a population density of 3,075.40 people per square mile (1,187.42/km ). There were 92,517 housing units. The racial makeup of the city (including Hispanics in the racial counts) was 54.7% White , 31.4% African American , 0.3% Native American , 5.3% Asian , 0.0% Pacific Islander , 1.6% from some other race , and 6.6% from two or more races. Separately, 3.3% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. There were 85,395 households, out of which 28.7% had children under

4674-401: The city, separating the east from west. Akron has the only biogas facility in the United States that produces methane through the decomposition process of sludge to create electricity. According to the 2010 census, the city has a total area of 62.37 square miles (161.5 km ), of which 62.03 square miles (160.7 km ) (or 99.45%) is land and 0.34 square miles (0.88 km ) (or 0.55%)

4756-468: The city. After beginning the tire and rubber industry during the 20th century with the founding of BFGoodrich , Firestone , General Tire , and also the Goodyear merger with The Kelly-Springfield Tire Company , Akron gained the status of "Rubber Capital of the World". Akron has won economic awards such as for City Livability and All-America City , and deemed a high tech haven greatly contributing to

4838-485: The city. The neighborhoods of the city differ in design largely because of expansions such as town merging, annexation, housing construction in various time periods, and rubber era. Maple Valley covers the west end of Copley Road, before reaching I-77. Along this strip are several businesses using the name, as well as the Maple Valley Branch of the Akron-Summit County Public Library . Spicertown falls under

4920-422: The first decade of the 20th century and the Walker-Mitchell mob, of which Pretty Boy Floyd was a member. Akron has experienced several riots in its history, including the Riot of 1900 and the Wooster Avenue Riots of 1968 . The distribution of methamphetamine ("meth") in Akron greatly contributed to Summit County becoming known as the "Meth Capital of Ohio" in the early 2000s. The county ranked third in

5002-408: The headquarters of companies such as Akron Polymer Systems. Akron's adult hospitals are owned by two health systems, Summa Health System and Akron General Health System. Summa Health System operates Summa Akron City Hospital and the former St. Thomas Hospital, which in 2008 were recognized for the 11th consecutive year as one of "America's Best Hospitals" by U.S. News & World Report . Summa

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5084-406: The largest moneymaker of all was the investment the women made in 1975: a concession stand behind the grand lobby. These investments provided the customers with popcorn, candy, pop, and other refreshments, which in turn helped bolster the income for the theater. Through the years, the Women's Guild has donated over $ 200,000 and held fundraisers which have helped pay for items such as stage curtains and

5166-435: The locks, the city has a path paved with rubber. Akron was awarded with the City Livability Award in 2008 for its efforts to co-purpose new school buildings as community learning centers. In 2009, the National Arbor Day Foundation designated Akron as a Tree City USA for the 14th time. Many of the city's government and civic buildings, including City Hall and the Summit County Courthouse are from pre-World War Two, but

5248-412: The median income for a household in the city was $ 34,139. The per capita income for the city was $ 17,596. About 26.7% of persons were in poverty. The population of the Akron metropolitan area was 702,219 in 2020. Akron is also part of the larger Cleveland-Akron-Canton combined statistical area , which was the 15th largest in the country with a population of over 3.5 million residents. Akron experienced

5330-406: The nation in the number of registered meth sites. During the 1990s, motorcycle gang the Hells Angels sold the drug from bars frequented by members. Between January 2004 and August 2009, the city had significantly more registered sites than any other city in the state. Authorities believed a disruption of a major Mexican meth operation contributed to the increase of it being made locally. In 2007,

5412-414: The new Civic, along with its partner The University of Akron's E. J. Thomas Hall, continued to play a significant leadership role in downtown revitalization. In May 2003, the Civic began a partnership with the City of Akron to program and operate Lock 3 Live!, a new outdoor performance venue featuring more than 80 events and attractions scheduled between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Formed in 1966, members of

5494-403: The new facility in early 2012. The city also continues to deal with the effects of air and soil pollution from its industrial past. In the southwestern part of the city, soil was contaminated and noxious PCB -laden fumes were put into the air by an electrical transformer deconstruction operation that existed from the 1930s to the 1960s. Cleanup of the site, designated as a Superfund site by

5576-427: The northern portion of what is now downtown Akron in 1833, "South" was added to Akron's name until about three years later, when the two were merged and became an incorporated village in 1836. In 1840, Summit County formed from portions of Portage , Medina , and Stark Counties. Akron replaced Cuyahoga Falls as its county seat a year later and opened a canal connecting to Beaver, Pennsylvania , helping give birth to

5658-530: The population were living below the poverty line , including 35.0% of those under age 18 and 12.9% of those age 65 or over. About 57.1% of the population were employed, and 24.8% had a bachelor's degree or higher. As of the census of 2010, there were 199,110 people, 83,712 households, and 47,084 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,209.9 inhabitants per square mile (1,239.3/km ). There were 96,288 housing units at an average density of 1,552.3 per square mile (599.3/km ). The racial makeup of

5740-406: The project was bankrupt. The lobby stood alone, with its theater end boarded-up, for a decade. In 1925 Marcus Loew visited Akron and chose the Hippodrome Theatre site for the creation of a new theater. He purchased the abandoned lobby and nearby land at a Sheriff's auction for $ 143,000. The theater was designed by the famous theater architect John Eberson . The auditorium of Akron's Loew's Theatre

5822-428: The recently recognized Oakdale Historic District. Akron's suburbs include Barberton , Cuyahoga Falls , Fairlawn , Green , Hudson , Mogadore , Montrose-Ghent , Munroe Falls , Norton , Silver Lake , Stow , and Tallmadge . Akron formed Joint Economic Development Districts with Springfield , Coventry , Copley , and Bath (in conjunction with Fairlawn) townships. According to census data from 2010 to 2014,

5904-578: The stage rises to the stage level on a special lift. Many significant events have occurred over the years for the Civic. In 1964 the Kelly Operating Company leased the theater, only to be bought out soon after by the Akron Jaycees. The Women's Guild purchased and brought live theater back. In 1984 the Civic had a lien placed on them by the IRS because they were $ 650,000 in debt. The following year Clarence Randall, retired CEO of M. O'Neil Co. ,

5986-569: The stoneware, sewer pipe, fishing tackle, and farming equipment industries. In 1844, abolitionist John Brown moved into the John Brown House across the street from business partner Colonel Simon Perkins , who lived in the Perkins Stone Mansion . The Akron School Law of 1847 founded the city's public schools and created the K–12 grade school system , which currently is used in every U.S. state. The city's first school

6068-481: The theatre up to new standards, the dressing rooms were all redone, and the stage was expanded from twenty-six feet to forty feet. Also added to the Civic was a freight elevator, a new loading dock, and a cross-over space behind the stage's back wall. Other improvements included updating the sound system, HVAC, roof exterior, electrical service, and modernizing the plumbing. Following its re-opening in November 2002,

6150-524: The year. The Akron Police Museum displays mementos including items from Pretty Boy Floyd , whose gang frequented the city. Akron is home to the American Marble and Toy Museum. As a result of multiple towns merging, and industry boom, Akron's architecture is diverse. Originally a canal town, the city is divided into two parts by the Ohio and Erie Canal , with downtown being centered on it. Along

6232-690: Was a far superior accelerator, vastly improving the tensile strength of the rubber. para -aminodimethylaniline was adopted as the accelerator of choice by the Diamond Rubber Company in 1912. During World War I Oenslager inflated the first hydrogen balloon in the US. Oenslager received his Ph.D. from Harvard under Prof. Theodore William Richards . He was awarded the Perkin Medal in 1933 for his discovery of organic accelerators, specifically thiocarbanilide . This development crucial to

6314-577: Was added to the seal when the All-America City Award was received for the third time. Some events of the 2014 Gay Games used the city as a venue. In 2013, the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company opened its new global headquarters on Innovation Way, further cementing the company's relationship with the city. Bridgestone built a new technical center with state-of-the-art R&D labs, and moved its product development operations to

6396-411: Was brought in to eliminate the debt. After the renovation in 2002, the Civic celebrated its reopening with comedian Tim Conway. Then in 2004 the Civic celebrated its 75th anniversary. Akron's Devo played there in 1979, The Pretenders (with Akron's Chrissie Hynde ) played there in 2000, The Black Keys played there in 2007, and Warrant (with members from Akron) played there in 2017. In June 2001,

6478-588: Was designed to resemble a night in an open-air Moorish garden. Twinkling stars and drifting clouds travel across the domed ceiling. Located on Akron's Main Street, the theater's entrance lobby extends over the Ohio and Erie Canal. The theater has a small multi-colored terra cotta façade dominated by a large marquee. The interior of the entrance and lobby is designed to resemble a Moorish castle with Mediterranean decor, complete with medieval style carvings, authentic European antiques, and Italian alabaster sculptures. A grand full-sized Wurlitzer Theatre organ hidden beneath

6560-424: Was set on January 19, 1994. The most precipitation to fall on one calendar day was on July 7, 1943, when 5.96" of rain was measured. The first and last freezes of the season on average fall on October 21 and April 26, respectively, allowing a growing season of 174 days. The normal annual mean temperature is 51.7 °F (10.9 °C). Normal yearly precipitation based on the 30-year average from 1991 to 2020

6642-527: Was the "First Lady of American Theater". The event provided the Civic with $ 6,500, allowing for the payment for the mortgage. New shows were able to be put on display at the theater, including Fiddler on the Roof , Mame , Cactus Flower , The Apple Tree and Man of La Mancha . Other celebrities who have performed at the Civic include Mickey Rooney , Barbara Eden , Louis Armstrong , Vincent Price , Robert Goulet , Loni Anderson and Tony Randall . Perhaps

6724-595: Was used by the National Guard of the United States as a base during the racial Wooster Avenue Riots of 1968 . Like many other industries of the Rust Belt , both the tire and rubber industries experienced major decline. By the early 1990s, Goodyear was the last major tire manufacturer based in Akron. Despite the number of rubber workers decreasing by roughly half from 2000 to 2007, Akron's research in polymers gained an international reputation. It now centers on

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