About Akron/Canton

Akron’s history and the history of the rubber industry are intertwined. The industry transformed the city from a small town, beginning in 1869 when B. F. Goodrich began the first rubber company to settle in Akron. Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company, Firestone and others followed, and the city became the “Rubber Capital of the World.”

Today, Akron’s industry has diversified. Goodyear and FirstEnergy, an energy company, are Fortune 500 Companies that call Akron, “home.” Business diversification includes research, financial and high tech industries. Other larger companies in the area include Gojo Industries, Advanced Elastomer Systems, Myers Industries, which is an international maker of polymer products, Lockeed Martin Maritime Systems & Sensors Division, and First Merit Bank.

Leading area educational institutions include The University of Akron, and, nearby Northeastern Ohio Universities College of Medicine and Kent State University. The city is home to several museums, including Akron Art Museum, National Inventors Hall of Fame and Stan Hywet Hall.

Recreational pursuits are numerous. Canal Park is the home for Akron Aeros, the Class AA affiliate of the Cleveland Indians baseball team. In addition, every summer the city hosts the All-American Soap Box Derby, and Firestone Country Club is the site of one of the World Golf Championships on the PGA Tour. Numerous golf courses surround the area and Portage Lakes provide ample opportunities for those who enjoy water sports.

Two of the city’s hospitals—Akron General Medical Center and Akron City Hospital—are operated by Summa Health Systems and have been recognized by U.S. News and World Report as among the best. In addition, Akron Children’s Hospital enjoys a respected national reputation as not only a specialist in pediatric care but in burn care as well. St. Thomas Hospital, also part of Summa, is a recognized orthopedic hospital.

Canton was founded in 1805. It was named by surveyor Bezaleel Wells after a city in China in memory of trader John O’Donnell who named his Maryland plantation after the Chinese city.

The Canton area is primarily industrial, with significant agricultural influence, including poultry production and dairy farming. Major businesses that have called the Canton area home over the years have included Timken Company, Hoover, Belden Brick and Diebold. Other companies include Everhard Products, producer of rubber working tools; Foss Pellet Company; Harrison Paint Company, a paint, stain and specialty coating firm; Midwestern Industries; Meter Devices Company, test switches and enclosures; Lawrence Machine, a custom vinyl fabricator; Dresser Nil-Cor, valves and controls; Hendrickson Trailer Suspension Systems; and Olympo Inc, electro-plating, finishing services, metal finishing. In earlier times, the company played a prominent role in the steel industry. Canton has made a transformation into a retail and service-based economy. According to the 2000 census, the Canton-Massillon Metropolitan Statistical Area included almost 407,000 people.
Area institutions of higher learning include Malone College, Mount Union College, Kent State University-Stark Campus, Walsh University, Stark State College of Technology, and University of Phoenix.

Recreational amenities include William McKinley Memorial Presidential Library and Museum, First Ladies National Historic Site among other museums, numerous golf courses, and nearby Amish country, in addition to camping, fishing, and hiking. The city is the home of the pro Football Hall-of-Fame. Canton is the location where the forerunner of the NFL, the American Professional Football Association, was founded in 1920. The area also is known nationally as a hotbed for high school football.