Greater Akron: Inventive. Industrious. Inspired.

From its beginnings as a canal town in the 1800s to its emergence as a global center of biomedical engineering in the 21st century, Greater Akron, Ohio, is the story of the renaissance of a great American city. Sitting astride one of the great watershed divides in North America, Akron is situated on the highest point along the Ohio & Erie Canal, which transformed the Ohio frontier in 1827 and made the region a dominant agricultural power in the 19th century. For most of the 20th century, Akron was best known as the Rubber Capital of the World. By the beginning of the 21st century, more than 150 Fortune 500 companies had established facilities in Greater Akron, one of the world s leading centers of polymer research and advanced manufacturing. A city of 200,000, Akron is the seat of Summit County Ohio s fourth most-populous county. More than three million people live within a 45-minute drive of downtown Akron. Akron is the gateway to Cuyahoga Valley National Park, the 10th most-visited park among 59 U.S. national parks. The towpath of the Ohio & Erie Canal brings two million hikers and cyclists to the trail each year. Akron has leveraged its former dominance in the tire and rubber industry to become a center of research and advanced manufacturing in polymers, plastics, composites, and metals. Goodyear and Bridgestone maintain their technical centers in Akron. Every super-engineered tire for the Indy circuit is made in Akron, and the tires used in every NASCAR race are designed and manufactured here. The University of Akron is the nation s largest center of polymer education and the only Ohio university to have an engineering program ranked in the top five nationally. Akron was the first city in the United States to develop the system of public education still in wide use today, and the first to expand free public education through 12th grade. Today Akron is recognized as a national leader in public school STEM education (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math). Akron s renaissance has drawn the attention of Brookings Institution, which identified Akron as one of America s leading legacy cities. Newsweek touted Akron as one of 10 new Tech Cities of the Future. Greater Akron: Inventive. Industrious. Inspired. provides a fresh look at Akron s history and spirit of invention, presenting a time capsule of its history and chronicling the events that have made the region one of America s leading centers for new industry. It provides an overview of Akron s flourishing businesses, exceptional education opportunities, leading hospitals and research centers, diverse neighborhoods, and ample offerings of arts and recreation. Most important, it is a tribute to the countless creative people who have been drawn to Greater Akron and in turn have made their mark on the world.