Akron / About
Akron, Ohio is a city of more than 200,000 located south of Cleveland, Ohio. A city that initially grew to prominence as a stop along the Ohio and Erie Canal and then boomed as the hub of the rubber industry in America, Akron currently is a center for research, financial services, and high-technology companies.
Akron is the headquarters of the Goodyear blimp and a number of large companies, including the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, First Energy, FirstMerit Bank, and Roadway Express. The University of Akron is a major public university, with more than 23,000 students and a reputation as a world leader in polymer research.
Among the attractions found in Akron are the Akron Museum of Art, which recently underwent a complete renovation, the National Inventors Hall of Fame, and Stan Hywet, which features a 64,500-square foot manor home that is one of the finest examples of Tudor Revival architecture in America and extensive landscaped grounds.
The Akron Aeros, a AA baseball team affiliated with the Cleveland Indians, play at Canal Park in downtown Akron. Akron also is known as the home of the All-American Soap Box Derby and as the location of Firestone County Club, which regularly hosts Professional Golf Association tour events.