Welcome to Akron-Canton. We’re not generally prone to bragging, but we’re the birthplace of many phenomenal people and things—LeBron James, DEVO, pro football and PURELL® among them. There’s a reason for that. We nurture innovation, cooperation and collaboration. We’re a fun, slightly quirky, welcoming place to live—a unique confluence of history, hard work and heart that inspires love and loyalty in its people. Come meet us and read some of the reasons we love Akron-Canton.
1 We’re the hometown of the Goodyear blimps. The OGs. The ones you see flying over Super Bowls and World Series games. Currently, The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company has three U.S. ships. We often see them sailing the skies over Akron, headquarters of Goodyear since its founding in 1898. The historic Airdock blimp hangar (c. 1929) on Akron’s east side is now being used by California-based LTA Research to build next-gen, zeroemissions airships to deliver humanitarian aid around the globe. The past, reimagined.
2 We’re Goldilocks-sized. Not too big, not too small. We have plenty of big-city attractions without the hassles. Plus, everyone waves hi here.
3 Pro football was born in a car dealership in Canton in 1920. A century-plus later, the city remains the game’s epicenter. The Hall of Fame Museum draws more than 200,000 visitors a year. But wait! There’s more! The 200-acre Hall of Fame Village surrounds the football museum. It features the Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium (home to the relaunched USFL), eight youth playing fields, Play Action Plaza complete with zipline and Ferris wheel, a retail promenade and more attractions opening every day. The Village hosts numerous concerts, games and events each year.
4 The highlight of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Festival each August is the ceremony when inductees receive the Gold Jacket, the mark of a champion. The color is proprietary, and the formula is literally kept under lock and key.
5 We have our own day. It’s March 30 (3-30), in honor of our area code. There’s a night of free, local music. Everyone wears their 330 garb and celebrates our particular place on the planet. Yes, it’s an area code. But we adore it.
6 On 330 Day this year, a kid from Akron and his foundation scored big when they opened House Three Thirty, a stunning multi-use community space in a former iconic Akron restaurant. That kid from Akron happens to be NBA great LeBron James, and he’ll always be our hero for what he does off the court.
♥ The LeBron James Family Foundation (LJFF) partnered with the Akron Public Schools in 2019 to open the I PROMISE School for atrisk students in the district. It offers wraparound social services such as a food pantry and laundry area for its families.
♥ In 2020, LJFF opened I PROMISE Village, housing for the school’s families in transition.
♥ House Three Thirty is used for job training, family financial health programs, recreation and community building. Plus, there’s a cool museum dedicated to the Akron kid himself.
♥ On the agenda in 2023: a medical and dental clinic across the street from the House and open to the community
7 Greater Akron is a major site on the map of punk music. DEVO of “Whip It” fame and The Pretenders’ Chrissie Hynde are probably the most well-known of the punk/new wave musicians to come out of 1970s Akron, but they weren’t alone. The Village Voice put it this way in 1978: “Something is obviously going on out there.” About 25 years after the punk thing, Akron’s Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney formed the blues-y rock band The Black Keys. They’ve gone on to be Grammy-winning rock stars. Their latest is Dropout Boogie, nominated for a Grammy for Best Rock Album in 2023.
8 Akron’s indie/DIY music scene is massive, drawing people to favorite haunts such as Jilly’s Music Room, Buzzbin Kenmore and Musica or even to random people’s basements. And the PorchROKR festival, which takes place each August in Akron’s Highland Square, draws thousands of fans. Local bands literally play on front porches and lawns. “Even before LeBron James gave the place a good name, Akron had a quietly flourishing hip-hop scene.”—10 Akron Rappers Who Should Be on your Radar, OkayPlayer.com
9 If jazz and blues are your grooves, check out BLU Jazz+ and the Lock Bottom Blues & Jazz Club in downtown Akron or the Old 97 Café in downtown Kenmore. Or watch jazz master concerts at The University of Akron’s Guzzetta Hall.
10 The Rubber City Jazz & Blues Festival is three days of cool at the end of summer. And the Downtown Canton Music Fest, one of the largest outdoor blues gatherings anywhere, takes places at Centennial Plaza downtown in September.
11 The Canton Music Block hosts live music Friday and Saturday nights in venues along Cleveland Avenue downtown. Listen to blues, jazz, ’90s dance party hits, and New Wave. Check out George’s Lounge, Passion Blues, The Auricle and more.
12-16 We’re home to those who make what the music makers master.
♥ Mollard Conducting Batons
♥ EarthQuaker Devices (guitar pedals)
♥ S.I.T. Strings Co. (handcrafted strings)
♥ Panyard (steel drums)
♥ Audio-Technica U.S. Inc. (audio equipment)
17 The Summit, 91.3, is an awardwinning adult alternative station and part of the Akron Public Schools. Its Studio C sessions are live performance at its best. Catch it streaming anywhere, all the time.
18 The oldest Krispy Kreme store in the nation is on South Maple Street in Akron. The vintage sign reads, “Hot Do-Nuts.” Yes, please.
19 The City of Barberton is awash in a purple haze. The high school team color is seen on everything, from buses to billboards.
20 Ohio is considered the home of presidents. (We’ve had eight, thank you very much.) The McKinley Presidential Library & Museum in Canton is dedicated to the 25th president. The McKinley National Monument in Canton is the final
21 Canton is also home to the First Ladies National Historic Site in the former home of Ida Saxton McKinley, wife of the aforementioned President. The site is home to the National First Ladies Library run by the National Park Service.
22 A Canal Runs Through Us. The Ohio & Erie Canal ran through our counties in the early 19th century, sparking business development along its route. Today, the Ohio & Erie Canalway is a National Heritage Area. The 90-mile Towpath Trail, which follows the original canal, is a favorite hiking and biking spot that winds through downtown Akron, the Cuyahoga Valley National Park (CVNP) and south to Stark County’s Bolivar. Parts of our original canal locks are visible along the Towpath Trail, and several have been repurposed. The Mustill Store Visitors Center in Akron is a restored general store. In Canal Fulton, visitors can take a ride on the St. Helena III, a real canal boat pulled by horses.
23-36 We’re the birthplace or hometown of many talented Americans, including:
♥ The O’Jays, soul band
♥ Steph Curry, LeBron James, C.J. McCollum and Larry Nance Jr. of the NBA.
♥ Rita Dove, Pulitzer Prize-winning poet and onetime U.S. Poet Laureate
♥ Marilyn Manson, performer
♥ Boz Scaggs, musician
♥ Trippie Redd and Ampichino, rappers
♥ Tom Batiuk, creator of “Funky Winkerbean” and “Crankshaft” comic strips
♥ Melina Kanakaredes, actress (CSI NY, Providence)
♥ Mark Mothersbaugh, musician and artist (DEVO)
♥ Judith Resnik, Challenger astronaut
♥ John Lithgow, actor (The Crown, 3rd Rock from the Sun)
♥ Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney of The Black Keys
♥ Mother Angelica, religious leader
♥ Gold Jacket Hall of Famers: Marion Motley, Paul Brown, Len Dawson, Alan Page and Dan Dierdorf.
37 We Have Our Own National Park. Ohio’s only. The Cuyahoga Valley National Park is 33,000 acres of natural magic along the Cuyahoga (Kai-uh-HOAG-uh) River. It had three million visitors in 2022. No matter where you are in Greater Akron, the park, with its 125 miles of trails is less than 20 minutes away. Here are some of our favorite spots in the CVNP:
♥ The Boston Mill Visitor Center in Peninsula has a cool, 3-D tabletop map of the park that will help you orient yourself. They also have a gift shop. Yay!
♥ The Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad runs between Akron and Peninsula. Download the Train Tracker app to monitor the train’s progress or listen to an audio tour of the park as you ride. You can even travel one way and hike back. Or board with your bike and pedal home.
♥ The Ledges Trail is a 2.2-mile route through an ancient geologic formation of mostly sandstone, near Peninsula. Catch the sunset from the Overlook.
♥ The Inn at Brandywine Falls, overlooking the 67-foot Brandywine waterfall, was built in 1848 and is on the National Register of Historic Places. It’s been lauded by the likes of the AARP and CNN. Or check out the Bridal Veil and Blue Hen waterfalls.
38 Summit Metro Parks (SMP) manages 16 parks, several conservation areas, four nature centers and more than 150 miles of trails. SMP is an active partner in major projects to improve our beloved Cuyahoga River, protect native species and educate the public about our environment. Plus, they do tons of fun stuff for families. The metro parks also have plenty of backdrops for the perfect selfie or IG post. Try these:
♥ The Don Drumm Sculpture “Sun Tracker” at the Valley View area of the Cascade Metro Park.
♥ Deep Lock Quarry, at the bottom rim near memorial bench
♥ Gorge, at the observation deck
♥ Sand Run, on the Mingo Trail bridge
♥ Silver Creek, lake area near the boathouse
39 The Akron soul has a totem of sorts. It’s a 350-year-old burr oak used by Native Americans as a guidepost when portaging between the Cuyahoga and Tuscarawas rivers. Today, we call it The Signal Tree. Find it in the SMP’s Cascade Valley Metro Park.
40 In 1969, the Cuyahoga River was so toxic it caught fire. Today, it is sparkling and alive with kayakers, blue herons, insects and edible fish. Its turnaround is so remarkable the conservation group American Rivers awarded it its highest honor. There’s still work to be done. We’re clearing out old dams to allow the river to flow freely to Lake Erie. We embrace our river’s history, tongues in cheeks. So, try the Burning River Pale Ale from the Great Lakes Brewing Co., paddle with Burning River Adventures or grab a bike at Dirty River Bicycle Works at Northside.
41 Summit Lake on Akron’s southeast side was a turn-of-the-century amusement park that turned into a toxic dump. Today it’s pristine and welcoming, thanks to a true community collaboration. Fish, canoe, picnic, hike on the Towpath or visit its new Nature Center.
42 The award-winning Stark Parks feature lakes, reservoirs and more than 100 miles of hiking, biking and horseback riding trails in
15 parks on more than 8,000 acres of land in Stark County. Whatever floats your boat or moves your feet, you’ll find it there.
43 The Akron RubberDucks is our AA affiliate of the Cleveland Guardians. Canal Park in downtown Akron is the team’s home. Watching baseball’s rising stars on a warm summer night with a bellyful of burgers is a slice of heaven. Fireworks, special events and mascots make it one of the best family bargains on the planet.
44 Alcoholics Anonymous was born in Akron in 1935 when stockbroker Bill Wilson met Akron’s Dr. Bob Smith in the Gate Lodge of Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens. Dr. Bob’s home is now a museum. The Gate Lodge is also open to the public. Each June, recovering people make the pilgrimage to Akron to celebrate Founder’s Day.
45 Akron was once considered the rubber capital because the major tire companies called it home. We honor that heritage in many ways, including our 12-foot-high bronze statue of a rubber worker downtown. Rubber still lives here, just in a brainier way.
♥ The University of Akron was recently ranked the top polymer engineering program in the world. Yes, the entire world.
♥ UA is also home to the Center for Tire Research (CenTiRe), a consortium of researchers at UA and Virginia Tech as well as industry members and the National Science Foundation.
♥ The new $21 million Bridgestone Americas Advanced Tire Production Center (ATPC) opened in 2022, supporting the Firestone brand’s role as the sole tire supplier of the NTT IndyCar series.
♥ The ATPC campus is graced by the iconic red Firestone sign that for decades lit up the original Firestone Plant One on South Main Street.
♥ ContiTech in Fairlawn, a division of Continental, is one of the leading suppliers of technical rubber products and plastics technology.
♥ Nexen Tire America Inc. relocated its U.S. headquarters to the area in 2021, near the company’s existing technical center.
♥ Tire giant Goodyear anchors Akron’s east side with its global headquarters, a stone’s throw from where it was founded 125 years ago.
♥ In the past 20 years, several smaller players, including Hankook Tire America, Kumho America and Kenda, have opened technical centers in the Akron area.
46-67 We’ve mentioned tires and AA, but check out these other things Akron-Canton has given the world:
♥ Life Savers®
♥ Dum-Dums® (Spangler Candy Company)
♥ The vacuum cleaner (Hoover)
♥ The Cozy Coupe® (Little Tikes)
♥ PURELL® Hand Sanitizer (GOJO Industries)
♥ Twinkle Polish® (Malco)
♥ The Frog Sandbox® (Step2)
♥ DayGlo Paint® (RPM)
♥ Rust-Oleum® (RPM)
♥ Wound golf balls (B.F. Goodrich)
♥ P.F. Flyers (B.F. Goodrich)
♥ Liquid Crystal Displays for watches (KSU)
♥ Toy marbles (S.C. Dyke)
♥ First space suits for U.S. astronauts (B.F. Goodrich)
♥ Root Candles (A.I. Root)
♥ Blue Tip matches (Ohio Match)
♥ The paper negative (Abel Fletcher)
♥ Tapered bearings (Timken)
Other Greater Akron-Canton inventions include:
♥ Grade levels in schools
♥ Quaker Oats
♥ Police patrol wagon
♥ Iris-recognition systems in ATMs (Diebold Nixdorf)
68 The largest collection of cat fancy memorabilia in the nation can be found at Alliance’s Feline Historical Museum, home of the Cat Fanciers’ Association and its related foundation.
69 When in Kenmore, you’ll enjoy the fun and funky shops and cool neighborhood vibe, but keep an eye out for the elusive Grassman, the area’s own version of Big Foot. Sightings over the decades have drawn cryptozoological investigators from across the world. Why he (she?) is called Grassman has been lost to time.
70 The Akron Marathon race is an athletic extravaganza. It started out in 2003 with 3,500 runners. Since then, it has expanded to a multi-race series over four months with numerous blue-chip corporate sponsors. About 15,000 runners, along with 120,000 spectators, participate in the marquee marathon in September. The blue line that marks the Marathon route has woven itself into Greater Akron culture.
71 General hilarity ensues each spring when thousands of people converge on Hinckley in Medina County to celebrate the return of the buzzards (turkey vultures) that roost in the township’s ledges.
72 The nonprofit Nightlight Cinema in Akron’s emerging Historic Arts District shows cult, classic, indie and foreign films. It also has a bar and snacks, so there’s no reason to watch empty-handed. After the film, stop in at coffee shop or hear an up-and-coming band at Musica or Jilly’s.
73 The Akron Art Library lets you borrow artwork by local and international artists. As a partnership between the Akron Art Museum and the Akron-Summit County Public Library, the art library engages the community with real art and artists.
74 The Canton Arts District creates a vibrant downtown. It has numerous studios and galleries and more than 40 pieces of public art. Its monthly First Friday celebrations have live music and performances all year.
75 The ELEVEN—a collaboration between ArtsInStark and the Pro Football Hall of Fame—is 11 pieces of art throughout downtown Canton representing 11 key moments in pro football.
76 The Troll Hole Museum in Alliance houses the Guinness World record troll collection plus more than 10,000 troll memorabilia items in artistic settings.
77 Hartville, a village of 3,000 between Akron and Canton, has nearly two million visitors a year, two-and-a-half times as many as the famed Guggenheim Museum in New York City. The village is home to the year-round Hartville Marketplace and Flea Market, the largest of its kind in Ohio.
78 Most of the nation calls the stretch of grass between the sidewalk and street a tree lawn, but we call it a devil strip.
79 The Akron Zoo is a lot like Greater Akron itself—big, but not too big. It has a thousand animals, yet it’s comfortably navigated in a day. Its Wild Asia exhibit—featuring red pandas, Sumatran tigers and white-cheeked gibbons—opened in 2021. Its new Underwater Explorer attraction takes visitors on a deep ocean dive, thanks to virtual reality headsets.
80 Every summer for 85 years, hundreds of kids swarm east Akron for the thrill of the hill. Derby Downs is the world headquarters of the FirstEnergy All-American Soap Box Derby and the site of the annual championship race and weeklong festivities in July. The derby has been the subject of documentaries, feature films and even an episode of Bewitched (FYI: Season 3, episode 16). The track is also used for educational, community and corporate events.
81 For more than 100 years, the Akron Art Museum has showcased and supported the fine and applied arts. The museum’s unwavering focus on modern and contemporary art from 1850 onward has allowed it to develop one of the finest collections of its kind in the country. Events in its galleries and garden fill the soul all year.
82 Canton Museum of Art’s collection focuses on American watercolors and works on paper from the 19th century on and contemporary ceramics from the
1950s forward.
83 The annual Twins Days Festival in Twinsburg is the largest gathering of twins (and other multiples) in the world, drawing about 25,000 visitors as well as academic researchers who see it as a gold mine of info.
84 The University of Akron’s mascot is a kangaroo named Zippy. She’s one of only eight female mascots in the country. She may look adorable, but she can pack a punch. She became official in 1953. Happy 70!
85 Look up! Greater Akron-Canton is lucky enough to have two of the 1920s atmospheric theaters by renowned architect John Eberson still in operation. The ceilings of the Akron Civic Theatre and the Canton Palace Theatre are spangled with stars and clouds that move across the sky.
86 The University of Akron’s steel drum band was one of the first such university bands in the nation and is flourishing today.
87 Akron’s Northside District is a hip residential, arts and entertainment area in what once was the city’s red light quarter. Luigi’s, an Akron landmark, anchors the district and Jilly’s brings in music fans. The Northside Marketplace mixes established retailers such as Rubber City Clothing® with startups. Cyclists hop on the Towpath Trail only 100 yards away. Northside Lofts provide elegant, urban living.
88 The Balloon A-Fair has filled the September skies over Ravenna with colorful hot air balloons annually for 40 years. The festival celebrates one of the city’s first industries—toy balloons, which were manufactured by Oak Rubber Co.
89 The annual William Carlos Williams Poetry Competition at the Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED) draws hundreds of entries each year from medical students/poets across the country. The humanities were built into the curriculum at NEOMED from its founding in 1973.
90 If you have a tuba, you’re welcome to join TubaChristmas. A music professor named Tucker Jolly founded the event more than 40 years ago. (Yes, that’s his real name.) It became so popular, Jolly launched TubaSummer.
91 The North Pole is just a train ride away from Akron, thanks to the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad’s North Pole Adventure. For six weeks during the holidays, families travel through the gorgeous valley to Santa’s workshop where kids can deliver their letters to Santa directly. Cookies, hot cocoa and magic are involved.
92 The downtown Akron skyline includes old-fashioned grain silos. They were built in the 19th century by German immigrant Ferdinand Schumacher who had a crazy idea to market oats for breakfast (Quaker Oats). The silos and factory are now business offices and a University of Akron residence hall.
93 Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens in Akron is not named for some guy named Stan. Loosely translated from the Old English, Stan Hywet means “stone hewn.” That’s a reference to quarried property on which the 65-room mansion was built more than a century ago by a co-founder of Goodyear. Take a look. It’s routinely named one of the best historic home tours in the nation.
94 Kent State University’s Fashion School is consistently rated one of the top five in the nation and one of the best in the world. Its campus museum has more than 40,000 pieces of apparel dating from the 18th century to today.
95 There are 472 cherry blossom trees lining the Towpath Trail in Downtown Akron. This spring, more than 6,000 people enjoyed them and much more during the third annual Sakura Festival, the latest entry into the area’s enormous roster of festivities.
96 The unmistakable scent of roasting nuts wafts down Main Street from the Peanut Shoppe, a downtown Akron stalwart since the 1930s. If you’ve never had fresh warm cashews on a cold day, you haven’t lived.
97 Sauerkraut balls are to Greater Akron what wings are to Buffalo or cheese steaks are to Philly. No holiday party is complete without the treat of deep-fried meat and sauerkraut. And every self-respecting Cantonian loves a Bittner from Taggarts Ice Cream Parlor and Restaurant. It’s ice cream swirled with chocolate sauce and salty pecans. Bliss in a dish.
98 Other Greater Akron-Canton treats include:
♥ Stricklands Frozen Custard
♥ Barberton chicken (greasy, juicy and served with fries and “hot” rice)
♥ Luigi’s cheese-smothered salad
♥ Skyway’s SkyHi burger
♥ Bender’s turtle soup (with a shot of sherry!)
♥ Swensons’ Galley Boy
♥ Norka Soda (Akron backwards. Five flavors)
♥ Steak at Baker’s Café 33
♥ Square pizza from Pizza Oven
99 The world-famous Cleveland Orchestra has its summer home at the Blossom Music Center, a lovely outdoor amphitheater. Blossom also hosts rock, country and indie concerts all summer presented by Live Nation. Pack a picnic or get food there.
100 The MAPS Air Museum in North Canton features artifacts, interactive exhibits and historical archives. It is a working museum that repairs and restores historical aircraft on site.
101 Renee Powell, the second African-American woman to compete on the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) Tour, is head professional at Clearview Golf Club in East Canton. In 2011, she launched Clearview HOPE, dedicated to helping female veterans through golf.
102 The University of Akron’s men’s soccer team, perennially top-ranked, has cultivated many of Major League Soccer’s best players. There are 26 UA alums in the MLS this year.
103 In 1892, Boniface DeRoo, an ordinary citizen, gave his entire estate ($10,000) for the founding of an Akron hospital to treat anyone, regardless of race or ability to pay. His gift led to the building of Akron City Hospital, which has evolved into the expansive Summa Health System.
104 We’re a gateway to everywhere. Greater Akron-Canton is within 500 miles of 42 major cities. That means manageable weekend getaways. Our central location allows businesses to move their products with speed and ease.
105 In Akron-Canton, we take care of each other. Two thirds of the area’s young professionals surveyed by the Ohio Policy Center felt like “they could make a diff erence” here.
106 “Akron’s ability to convene community leaders from across sectors is partly a function of its small size and the sense of accountability this engenders. The region also has been blessed with leaders who’ve worked to unite people.” —The Commonwealth Fund
107 North Canton was named one of the best cities to live in by a 24/7 Wall Street analysis, which was published by USA Today.
108 Akron and Canton are reinventing their downtowns, as private developers join in to create vibrant work-play-live communities in the heart of their cities.
What’s in the works in Akron:
♥ Overall, more than $176 million has been invested in new residential housing in downtown Akron since 2018, allowing people of all ages to experience the joys of city living.
♥ Lock 3, Akron’s Central Park, is currently undergoing a $10 million makeover to make it a year-round attraction. Locks 2 and 4, adjacent to Lock 3, have already undergone signifi cant transformation.
♥ Akron’s Main Street recently underwent a $45 million, three-year-long facelift that includes new walkways, bike lanes and landscaping.
♥ The Bowery District is a bustling work-play-live hub on South Main Street in downtown Akron. Developers invested $42 million to renovate six historic buildings into modern luxury apartments, retail and office space.
♥ A group of Northeast Ohio investors purchased two buildings at the former B.F. Goodrich plant, known as Canal Place, and turned them into 139 upscale apartments at a cost of $40 million. It is called, naturally, The Goodrich.
What’s in the works in Canton:
♥ The Centennial Plaza in downtown Canton has an event fi eld, massive video screen and 11 towering pylons with the names of all NFL players in the league’s history.
♥ The Hall of Fame Resort and Entertainment Co., affi liated with the Hall of Fame Village, recently renovated the DoubleTree hotel in downtown Canton at an estimated cost of $21 million.
