History of Akron, Ohio in Timeline
Akron, Ohio, the county seat of Summit County, is the fifth-most populous city in Ohio with a population of 190,469 as of 2020. The Akron metropolitan area, which includes Summit and Portage counties, has a population of 702,219. Situated on the western edge of the Glaciated Allegheny Plateau in Northeast Ohio, Akron is located approximately 40 miles south of downtown Cleveland.
1900: Akron Riot of 1900
In 1900, Akron experienced a major civil unrest event known as the Riot of 1900.
1900: Hamilton Building Completed
The Hamilton Building, built in the neo-Gothic style, was completed in 1900.
1905: Unk Statue
In 1905, a statue of an Indian named Unk was erected on Portage Path.
1910: Akron Boomtown
During the 1910-1920 decade, Akron became a boomtown.
1913: University of Akron
In 1913, Buchtel College became the University of Akron.
1914: Universal Negro Improvement Association Founded
In 1914, Marcus Garvey founded the Universal Negro Improvement Association in Kingston, Jamaica.
1915: Stan Hywet Hall Built
Between 1912 and 1915, Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens was built for Frank A. Sieberling.
1915: General Tire & Rubber Company Founded
In 1915, General Tire & Rubber Company was headquartered in Akron.
1916: Akron Experiment
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".
August 6, 1918: Record High Temperature
On August 6, 1918, Akron's all-time record high temperature of 104 °F (40 °C) was established.
1920: Akron Boomtown
During the 1910-1920 decade, Akron became a boomtown, being America's fastest growing city.
1920: W. E. B. Du Bois Speech
In 1920, W. E. B. Du Bois gave a racial relations speech in Akron.
1920: Akron Professionals Championship
The Akron Professionals won the 1920 National Football League championship.
1920: City Charter Adopted
The city adopted a new charter of the commissioner manager type in 1920.
1921: Akron Branch of UNIA
In 1921, the Akron branch of the Universal Negro Improvement Association opened.
1922: Akron Art Institute Opened
The Akron Art Institute opened in 1922 in the basement of the Akron Public Library.
1924: Platoon Schools Attract Visitors
In 1924, Akron's platoon schools garnered attention from visitors across the country. Also, the Ku Klux Klan had a stronghold on the school board and government officials.
1924: City Charter Reverted
In 1924, the city reverted to its old form of city charter.
1925: City Building
In 1925, the Downtown Fire Station became the City Building.
November 6, 1928: Kenmore Annexation
On November 6, 1928, Kenmore was annexed by Akron after voter approval.
1929: Airship Manufacturing
In 1929, Goodyear-Zeppelin Company manufactured the USS Akron (ZRS-4) airship for the United States Navy.
1929: Akron Executive Airport Opened
In 1929, the Akron Executive Airport first opened and has operated in several different capacities since then.
1929: Akron Civic Theatre Opened
The Akron Civic Theatre, originally named Loew's Theater, opened in downtown Akron in 1929.
March 1930: Pretty Boy Floyd Arrest
In March 1930, notorious bank robber Charles Arthur "Pretty Boy" Floyd was arrested in Akron under the name "Frank Mitchell".
1931: Huntington Tower Completed
In 1931, Akron's tallest building, the Huntington Tower, was completed.
1931: Airship Manufacturing
In 1931, Goodyear-Zeppelin Company manufactured the USS Macon (ZRS-5) airship for the United States Navy.
1931: Summer Temperatures
In 1931, there were 36 days with temperatures at or above 90 °F (32 °C).
1935: Goodyear Merger
In 1935, Goodyear became America's top tire manufacturer after merging with the Kelly-Springfield Tire Company.
1936: Rubber Strike of 1936
In 1936, Akron experienced a major civil unrest event known as the Rubber Strike of 1936.
1936: Akron Rubber Strike
In 1936, the Akron Rubber Strike successfully used the "sit-down" tactic to force recognition of the United Rubber Workers.
1936: Soap Box Derby at Derby Downs
The All-American Soap Box Derby has taken place each year at the Derby Downs since 1936.
January 7, 1938: Birthplace of Women's Mud Wrestling
On January 7, 1938, Akron became the birthplace of women's professional Mud Wrestling.
1939: Firestone Non-Skids NBL Title
The Akron Firestone Non-Skids won the National Basketball League title in 1939.
1940: Wendell Willkie's Presidential Nomination
In 1940, Wendell Willkie, who worked in Akron as a lawyer for Firestone, was the Republican nominee for president.
1940: Dance, Girl, Dance Released
In 1940, the film Dance, Girl, Dance, telling the story of two dancers from Akron, was released and later inducted into the National Film Registry.
1940: Firestone Non-Skids NBL Title
The Akron Firestone Non-Skids won the National Basketball League title consecutively in 1940.
July 7, 1943: Most Precipitation in One Day
On July 7, 1943, the most precipitation to fall on one calendar day was recorded at 5.96 inches.
1943: Richard Smalley Born
In 1943, Richard Smalley, who later won a Nobel Prize in Chemistry for discovering buckminsterfullerene (buckyballs), was born in Akron.
1949: Winter Snowfall
In 1949-50 winter snowfall amounts were 18.2 in (46 cm).
1951: Carol Folt Born in Akron
Carol Folt, the future chancellor of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, was born in Akron in 1951.
1952: End of Semi-Annual Graduations
From 1877 to 1952, Akron schools graduated students semi-annually instead of annually.
1958: PBA Started in Akron
The Professional Bowlers Association started in the city during 1958.
September 1960: Lowest Monthly Precipitation
In September 1960, Akron experienced only 0.20 inches of precipitation.
1960: Population Loss
Between 1960 and 2020, Akron experienced a significant population collapse, losing over one third (34.6%) of its population.
1963: Lowest Annual Precipitation
In 1963, Akron experienced 23.79 inches of precipitation.
1964: 1964 The Tribute formed
1964 The Tribute, a Beatles tribute band, was formed in 1964.
1967: Kenmore Launches Air Force JROTC
In 1967, Kenmore High School introduced the Air Force JROTC program.
1967: Vulcans in Continental League
The Akron Vulcans, a professional football team, played in the Continental Football League for part of the 1967 season.
1968: Wooster Avenue Riots of 1968
In 1968, Akron experienced major civil unrest known as the Wooster Avenue Riots.
1969: Library Originally Opened
The Akron-Summit County Public Library originally opened in 1969.
1970: Non-Hispanic White Population
In 1970, Non-Hispanic Whites were 81.0% of the Akron population.
1970: Lake Cities Ended
In 1970, the Erie Lackawanna's Lake Cities passenger train service ended.
1971: Alpha Phi Alpha Homes Inc. Founded
In 1971, Alpha Phi Alpha Homes Inc. was founded in Akron by the Eta Tau Lambda chapter.
1971: Middle School Model Piloted
In 1971, Jennings piloted the middle school model, which moved ninth-graders to the senior high school.
1971: Shenandoah Ended
In 1971, the B&O's Shenandoah passenger train service ended.
1974: Human Skin Grown in Lab
In 1974, Howard Igel and Aaron Freeman successfully grew human skin in a lab to treat burn victims, making Akron Children's Hospital the first hospital in the world to achieve such a feat.
1977: Winter Snowfall
In 1977-78 winter snowfall amounts were 82.0 in (208 cm).
January 1978: Snowiest Month
January 1978 was the snowiest month on record with 37.5 inches (95 cm) of snowfall.
1981: Art Institute Moved
In 1981, the Akron Art Institute moved to its current location at the renovated 1899 post office building.
1981: ...All the Marbles Released
In 1981, the film ...All the Marbles, which used the Akron Armory as a venue for a female wrestling team, was released.
1982: "My City Was Gone" Song Release
In 1982, Chrissie Hynde wrote the Pretenders song "My City Was Gone" to reflect Akron's decline during the 1980s.
1983: City of Akron v. Akron Center for Reproductive Health
In 1983, the Supreme Court case City of Akron v. Akron Center for Reproductive Health took place.
1984: Pilot Programs Launched
In 1984, all-day kindergarten was piloted at Seiberling, Rankin and Hatton schools, and Ellet, East and Garfield high schools piloted the in-school suspension program.
1986: Judith Resnik Dies in Challenger Disaster
In 1986, Judith Resnik, the second U.S. female astronaut in space and Akron native, died in the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster.
1986: Thomas and Beulah Published
In 1986, Thomas and Beulah, a book of poetry by Rita Dove about her grandparents in Akron, was published.
1987: Rita Dove Wins Pulitzer Prize
In 1987, Poet Rita Dove earned the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry for her work Thomas and Beulah, many of which are about or take place in Akron.
1987: Superfund Cleanup Begins
In 1987, cleanup began at a Superfund site contaminated by PCB-laden fumes and soil pollution from a former electrical transformer deconstruction operation.
1987: District Receives A+ Evaluation
In 1987, the Akron City School District received an A+ evaluation from the state.
1989: My Name is Bill W. Released
In 1989, the film My Name is Bill W. was released, telling the story of Bill Wilson, the co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous, which held its first meetings in Akron.
1990: Highest Annual Precipitation
In 1990, Akron experienced 65.70 inches of precipitation.
1991: Normal Yearly Precipitation
From 1991 to 2020 normal yearly precipitation was based on the 30-year average.
1991: Rugrats Character
In 1991, the Pickles family of the Rugrats is from Akron.
January 19, 1994: Record Low Temperature
On January 19, 1994, Akron's all-time record low temperature of −25 °F (−32 °C) was set.
1996: WAKC Becomes WVPX
In 1996, Akron lost its only news station when the former WAKC became WVPX.
1997: President Bill Clinton Speech
In 1997, President Bill Clinton gave a racial relations speech in Akron.
1999: Akron Ranks as Dangerous City
In 1999, Akron was ranked as the 94th-most-dangerous city on the Morgan Quitno list.
1999: In Too Deep Character
In 1999, J.Reid of In Too Deep is from Akron.
2000: Rubber Workers Decline
From 2000 to 2007, the number of rubber workers decreased by roughly half.
2000: Superfund Cleanup Concludes
In 2000, the cleanup of the Superfund site was concluded, though the area remains restricted.
2001: High-Tech Haven
In 2001, Newsweek listed Akron fifth of ten high-tech havens.
2001: Polymer Manufacturing in the Region
In 2001, over 400 companies manufactured polymer-based materials in the region.
2002: Akron in No One Lives Forever 2
In 2002, Akron was featured as a setting in the video game No One Lives Forever 2: A Spy In H.A.R.M.'s Way.
2002: Akron Digital Academy Founded
In 2002, the Akron Digital Academy was founded.
July 2003: Highest Monthly Precipitation
In July 2003, Akron experienced 12.55 inches of precipitation.
2004: Rubber Factory Album Release
In 2004, The Black Keys' album Rubber Factory, named after the former General Tire & Rubber Company factory, was released.
2004: Library Reopened
The Akron-Summit County Public Library reopened as a greatly expanded facility in 2004.
2005: The Coast of Akron Novel
In 2005, The Coast of Akron, a novel by Adrienne Miller, was set in Akron.
2005: Joint News Program Canceled
In 2005, a joint news program provided by WVPX and Cleveland's WKYC was cancelled.
2005: Amtrak's Three Rivers Service Eliminated
In 2005, passenger rail transportation was eliminated with the end of Amtrak's former Three Rivers service.
2005: Prison Break Allusion
In 2005, the TV show Prison Break referenced Alcoholics Anonymous connection to the Saint Thomas Hospital in Akron.
2006: Biomedical Corridor Started
Since its start in 2006, the Biomedical Corridor added headquarters of companies such as Akron Polymer Systems.
2007: Rubber Workers Decline
From 2000 to 2007, the number of rubber workers decreased by roughly half.
2007: Akron Art Museum Expansion
In 2007, the Akron Art Museum commissioned Coop Himmelblau to design an expansion.
2007: Knight Building Addition
In 2007, the Akron Art Museum tripled in size with the addition of the John S. and James L. Knight Building.
2007: Akron Police Department Grant
In 2007, the Akron Police Department received a grant to combat meth labs.
2007: Akron Riverwalk Project Began
In 2007, the Akron Riverwalk project began, but was later put on hold.
2007: Zippy wins Mascot of the Year
Zippy, one of the eight female NCAA mascots, won the National Mascot of the Year contest in 2007.
2008: City Livability Award
Akron was awarded the City Livability Award in 2008 for its efforts to co-purpose new school buildings as community learning centers.
2008: Addie Polk Shooting
In 2008, 91-year-old Akron native, Addie Polk, became the poster child of the Great Recession after shooting herself.
2008: Summa Hospitals Recognized
In 2008, Summa Akron City Hospital and the former St. Thomas Hospital were recognized as one of "America's Best Hospitals" for the 11th consecutive year by U.S. News & World Report.
2008: Akron in Television
In 2008, the television show M.Y.O.B. centered on an Akron runaway girl named Riley Veatch, and Henry Spivey of My Own Worst Enemy travels to Akron.
2009: Akron General Recognized
In 2009, Akron General Medical Center was recognized as one of "America's Best Hospitals" by U.S. News & World Report.
2009: Tree City USA Designation
In 2009, the National Arbor Day Foundation designated Akron as a Tree City USA for the 14th time.
2009: Robert K. Pfaff Transit Center Opened
In 2009, the Robert K. Pfaff Transit Center opened on South Broadway Street, housing the METRO Regional Transit Authority and inter-city bus transportation.
2009: Zips Men's Soccer Undefeated
In 2009, the Zips men's soccer team completed the regular-season undefeated.
2009: More than a Game Documentary
In 2009, the documentary More than a Game was released, documenting LeBron James and his high school basketball team's journey. Also in 2009, Drake's music video for Forever, used the Goodyear's logo on top of the company's theater.
2010: Median Income
According to census data from 2010 to 2014, the median income for a household in Akron was $34,139.
2010: National Polymer Innovation Center Opened
In 2010, the National Polymer Innovation Center opened on the University of Akron campus.
2010: Criminal Minds Episode
In 2010, the television show Criminal Minds featured Akron in the episode "Compromising Positions".
2010: Zips Soccer Championship
The Zips men's soccer team won the NCAA Men's Division I Soccer Championship in 2010.
2011: Zips in NCAA Tournament
The men's basketball team appeared in the NCAA Tournament in 2011.
2012: Bridgestone's New Technical Center
In early 2012, Bridgestone moved its product development operations to a new technical center with research and development labs.
July 1, 2013: Carol Folt Assumes UNC Chancellor Role
On July 1, 2013, Carol Folt assumed her duties as the 11th chancellor and 29th chief executive of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, becoming the first woman to lead UNC.
2013: Goodyear Headquarters
In 2013, the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company opened its new global headquarters on Innovation Way.
2013: Zips in NCAA Tournament
The men's basketball team appeared in the NCAA Tournament in 2013.
2014: Median Income
According to census data from 2010 to 2014, the median income for a household in Akron was $34,139.
2014: Gay Games Events Hosted
Akron hosted some of the events of the 2014 Gay Games.
May 8, 2015: Don Plusquellic's Resignation Announcement
On May 8, 2015, longtime Akron Mayor Don Plusquellic announced he would resign on May 31 after serving as mayor for 28 years and dedicating 41 years to the city.
May 31, 2015: Garry Moneypenny Sworn In
On May 31, 2015, Garry Moneypenny was sworn in as the new mayor of Akron at East High School.
June 5, 2015: Moneypenny Announces He Won't Run
On June 5, 2015, less than a week after taking office, Mayor Moneypenny announced he would not run for a full term due to inappropriate contact with a city employee.
June 11, 2015: Fusco Assumes Mayoral Duties
On June 11, 2015, Council president Jeff Fusco assumed the duties of mayor following Moneypenny's resignation.
July 1, 2015: Mayoral Candidates Announced
As of July 1, 2015, three Democrats and one Republican were running for Mayor of Akron.
November 3, 2015: Dan Horrigan Elected Mayor
On November 3, 2015, Dan Horrigan was elected as the 62nd mayor of the city of Akron.
January 1, 2016: Horrigan Takes Office
On January 1, 2016, Dan Horrigan took office as the mayor of Akron.
2016: Median Income
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.
2016: Nashville Character
In 2016, Avery Barkley of Nashville is from Akron.
2016: Clayton Murphy Olympic Medal
In 2016, Clayton Murphy, a professional middle-distance runner, won a bronze medal at the Olympic Games, competing in cross country and track & field for the Akron Zips.
2018: Akron Digital Academy Shut Down
In 2018, the Akron Digital Academy shut down.
November 5, 2019: Horrigan Re-elected
On November 5, 2019, Mayor Dan Horrigan was re-elected to a second term.
2020: Median Income
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.
2020: City Financial Report
According to the city's 2020 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the principal employers in the city are listed.
2020: Normal Yearly Precipitation
From 1991 to 2020 normal yearly precipitation was based on the 30-year average.
2020: Population of Akron Metro Area
In 2020, the population of the Akron metropolitan area was 702,219.
2021: RubberDucks Championship
The RubberDucks won the Eastern League Championship in 2021.
2022: Protests surrounding the killing of Jayland Walker
In 2022, Akron experienced protests surrounding the killing of Jayland Walker.
2022: Killing of Jayland Walker
In 2022, Akron resident Jayland Walker was killed by police, sparking days of protest.
2023: Summer Temperatures
2023 was the most recent year to not reach 90 °F (32 °C) on 10.7 days on average.
2023: Cost of Running Schools
In 2023, $4,200 in 1857 is equivalent to around $108,341, reflecting the historical cost of running the schools for a year during that time.
2023: Shammas Malik Elected Mayor
In 2023, Shammas Malik was elected mayor of Akron, succeeding Dan Horrigan.
