A Few Area Highlights in Akron Ohio

 A Few Area Highlights in Akron, Ohio

 

Akron Ohio was founded in 1825. It was at one time famous for being the Rubber Capitol of the World. It was named this because it once manufactured tires, by Firestone, and Goodyear.

 

  Akron is also famous for its Soap Box Derby, where children make box cars and race them down a hill. This is located behind the Rubber Bowl, where the local High Schools have their football games. The field is now owned by the University of Akron, Akron Zips.
The city is also famous for its Blimp hanger, where blimps are housed and made. Many years ago in the 80's one of the Presidents made a speech from there, and the public was allowed in, and myself and my family were there. Currently there is a blimp named "The Spirit of Akron" or "Spirit" for short.

Another famous land mark in Akron is the Quaker Oats building where Quaker originally made and manufactured the famous oats. Today it is a hotel, and a landmark, saving and viewing old mill pieces, train pieces and things regarding the factory and the stages of the making, and the advertising of the oats.

Akron also has a newly designed baseball diamond in the Downtown area; it was made for the Akron Aero's an Affiliate of the Cleveland Indians.

There is also a nice walk path in Akron, and Canal Park with rubber walk paths, made of recycled rubber tires, in honor of the rubber capitol title.

Another great attraction for children is the Akron Skate Park, created by the Akron Parks and Recreation. You can skateboard, roller skate, inline skate, and even watch.

There is a very famous attraction called "The Old Stone School." Where students are brought on a field trip with their grade school classes to view the way children learned in the "old days." There are the old desks, the individual chalk boards, and the old coal heater, and a teacher who is dressed like the old time, which shows you exactly how it was done, how you didn't use paper, and how learning was done. It has been a tourist attraction for years, and most any person who has ever been enrolled in Akron Public Schools and surrounding areas, have went their on a field trip as a child.
 
There is the famous "Y" bridge, abducted in 1985, connecting downtown Akron to West Akron. The ever famous Garfield Band, from Garfield High School marched across that bridge, in a parade to abduct that bridge, and announce its opening, where the mayor explained the purpose in the bridge. Underlying the bridge is another section of Akron, much lower to the ground. I have enclosed a picture with this, you can see the 2 levels, and why the bridge was made. I was a part of the opening event of this bridge, as I was in the Garfield Band!

Akron is also famous for a sculpture made out of a huge red oak tree. It was sculpted by Peter Toth in 1985. It is in front of Fairlawn Elementary, and is a sculpture of an Indian, named Rotaynah. This was sculpted to commemorate Akron's native heritage.

Akron, is where the famous Akron Beacon Journal is published. You can view this newspaper online at www.ohio.com It was founded by John S. Knight. To honor him, there is the famous John S. Knight convention center, located in downtown.

Akron is also famous for the National Inventors Hall of fame, which opened in 1995. It is the 3^rd most popular hall of fame in America in 1995, with 290,000 visitors. It houses inventions and commemorates the inventors for what they have, and will invent even in the future.

Akron, is also where I was born, raised and lived until 1998 when I moved away.