Once known as the "Rubber Capital of the World," Akron is located in northeastern Ohio in
Summit County and is the county seat. It lies about 25 miles south of downtown
Cleveland and 35 miles west of
Youngstown along SR 8,
I-76 and
I-77, on the banks of the Little Cuyahoga River.
Founded in 1825, Akron was the country's fastest growing city through the 1920s. The rubber industry here attracted workers from all over the world. From 1910 to 1920, Akron's population grew from 69,000 to 210,000 and by the mid 1920s, it reached approximately 300,000. The population as of 2000 was about 217,000.
Local attractions include Portage Lakes State Park, Akron Zoological Park, Akron Police Department Museum, Quaker House and Goodyear World of Rubber. In addition, Akron is home for University of Akron.
For trivia buffs, Akron is the home of the first breakfast cereal, now Quaker Oats, while Charles E. Menches invented ice cream cones, hamburgers and caramel corn snacks here.
