Neighborhoods in Akron, Ohio
Merriman Valley (Merriman Woods and Merriman Heights)
Famous residents such as John S. Knight, Senator Charles Dick, presidential candidate Wendell Willkie, industrialist Paul Litchfield, and Alcoholics Anonymous founder Dr. Robert Smith, as well as the founders of the Goodyear and Firestone rubber companies, have lived here in the Merriman Heights portion.Located between Memorial Parkway to the south and Portage Country Club, and Sand Run Park to the north, Portage Path on the west to the train tracks east of Bell Ridge Road, Merriman Heights consists of homes built between 1911 and the present and is one of Akron's wealthiest neighborhoods. Beginning with the construction of Stan Hywet Hall in the early part of the 20th century, it has long been known as "Rubber Baron Heights" because all of the great captains of the rubber industry had their homes here. While its age is apparent via the quality of architecture, Merriman Heights remains as pristine as the day it was developed. With Cuyahoga Valley National Park minutes from its doorstep and the best public schools in Akron, Merriman Heights remains one of Akron's premier neighborhoods. Homes generally start at 5000 square feet and can reach 21,000 square feet, such as Stan Hywet Hall. Most having were constructed between 1911 and 1930. A subdivision called Merriman Woods of late-midcentury-modern multi-level homes cascading down the hill from Merriman Road was built in the mid to late 1970s, and contains homes with sizes starting at around 3000 square feet to upwards of 8,000 square feet. House styles in the Heights vary from the French Norman, Large Colonial, and Georgian to Tudor, Spanish, and Renaissance Revival styles, many with indoor pools and situated on wooded lots.
Merriman Hills
High Hampton
Fairlawn Heights
Located between Interstate 77 to the southwest and West Market Street to the northeast and bounded by Miller Road to the northwest and Frank Blvd Park to the southeast, Fairlawn Heights is a treasure trove of early to middle 20th century architecture. Once home to the Quaker Oats heiress and the like, this lovely section of Akron boasts large wooded lots nestled along a hillside, giving it the feel of being in the country when only minutes from downtown Akron and the expressway. Houses tend to start in the 3000 sq foot range upwards to 10,000 sq feet, with most having been built in either the late 1920s early '30s, and then again from the late 1940s to the mid 1960s. Many styles of Architecture abound, with Tudor Revival being the main choice, and Georgian revival and colonial a close second, There are French Norman and French Chateaux as well as Bauhaus and mid-century modern next to large 1960s country ranches.Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill is one of Akron's two large commercial districts. Located in Northeast Akron it borders Cuyahoga Falls to the north and Tallmadge to the east. The area is mostly commercial north of Tallmadge Avenue, with a commercial and retail mix on Tallmadge Avenue. Single and multi-family residential use predominates south of Tallmadge Avenue. There is major retail development along Home Avenue, Howe Road, and Brittain Road, with the retail area anchored by the Chapel Hill Mall at the northeast corner.Chapel Hill is accessible off Route 8 via three interchanges. Chapel Hill is one of Akron's smaller residential neighborhoods, with only 2.5% of its population and 3% of households. Chapel Hill lost a higher percentage of its population than the City during the 1990s. Although average household income is lower than in the City as a whole, there is also a lower percentage of persons in poverty. 61% of Chapel Hill residents are under 45 years of age. Chapel Hill also has a higher proportion of elderly residents than the City.
According to the City of Akron's statistics, there are 5,466 people living in 2,934 households. Chapel Hill is 79% Caucasian. The average household income is $33,930, about seven thousand lower than the city average.
Ellet
Ellet is physically separated from the other neighborhoods by a highway, a river, and an airport.Ellet petitioned the City of Akron for annexation in 1929. In the 1990s when Akron's total population was reduced by over three percent, Ellet started booming. Situated at the far eastern edge of Akron, it borders Mogadore to the east and Springfield Township to the south.
Ellet includes many of Akron's bigger attractions including the University of Akron's Rubber Bowl, a former city owned property that was sold to the University for only a penny. Next door is Derby Downs home of the annual All-American Soap Box Derby. The Goodyear Airdock, which used to house construction projects for Goodyear's new blimp designs, is also nearby. Today it is owned by Lockheed Martin, which runs a sizeable operation in Ellet. The Akron Fulton International Airport is also nearby. The airport is municipally owned. Annual flights to and from the airport have increased from 24,000 in 1998 to 35,000 in 2004.
The neighborhood includes numerous single-family households. Commercial activity is scattered mostly on East Market Street, part of Ohio Route 18, and Eastgate Plaza on Canton Road. In recent years, new retail redevelopment has also taken place south of Hyre Park.
According to the City of Akron's statistics there are 18,132 people living in 7,892 households. Ellet is 94% Caucasian. The average household income is $40,864, representative of the city average.
East Akron
Cascade Valley
Cascade Valley was developed around the old Ohio & Erie Canal in the mid-19th century. The area is located within a walking distance of Akron's downtown. Many people have old canal locks in their back yards. The park, a part of the Cascade Locks Historic District, is the site of the restored Mustill House & Store, which served as a general store to canal users from the 1820s till the end of the 19th century. The Towpath Trail, which will one day stretch from Lake Erie to New Philadelphia, brings thousands of hikers and bikers to the area each year.According to The City of Akron's statistics there are 4,166 people living in 1,838 households. The average household income is $28,430.
Firestone Park
embarked on creating a neighborhood with tree-lined boulevards curved around a central park. He saw families of different income levels living together in diverse styles of homes. He saw churches, schools and stores within walking distance. When Seiberling started on his ambitious housing initiatives in Goodyear Heights, Harvey Firestone did not want to be outdone. Like Seiberling, Firestone hired his estate landscape architect, Alling S. DeForest, to design the layout for Firestone Park. Akron officials have pushed the limits of the area beyond its original borders. City publications draw the park as far south as Firestone Country Club, annexed from Coventry Township in 1985. Firestone Park is located in south Akron, bordering Coventry Twp. Firestone has easy access to two expressways, Interstate 77 and Interstate 277 / U.S. Highway 224. The 2000 U.S. census can explain the attraction objectively. It paints a portrait of an educated working-class population with good incomes and home values. Firestone Park, a public park shaped like the original Firestone shield emblem, is at the heart of the community. It is surrounded by churches, a school, a community center, a new library, and a small business district.Goodyear Heights
As early as 1910 Frank A. Seiberling, founder and then president of the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co., realized how detrimental the housing shortage was to his workers and his company. Even though labor was abundant, Seiberling believed that the transient nature of the workforce cost the company a great deal. Training wasn’t cheap, and the cost of constantly retraining new employees was proving unmanageable. To solve this problem, Seiberling proposed purchasing a large parcel of farmland half a mile from the Goodyear factories. The board was not convinced. The company felt that it was too risky to get involved in the intimate affairs of their employees. However, Seiberling was so committed to the project that he bought the land himself. Seiberling chose a rural plot of land just northeast of Goodyear's main plant.Seiberling hired his personal landscape architect to spearhead the project. He chose sweeping streets over a grid infrastructure and included provision for all modern conveniences like gas, electricity, and telephones. The main thoroughfares were also designed to eventually carry streetcars.
One of the key differences between Goodyear Heights and Firestone Park was the hospitality extended to non-employees for the purchase of a home. Though Goodyear opened the door of purchasing a home to all Akron residents, the 25% increase in selling price and the lack of company sponsored financing made it very unlikely that non-Goodyear employees would buy. Goodyear Heights Realty had an explicit policy against selling to African Americans.
Goodyear Heights borders Tallmadge to the east and has access to I-76. Goodyear Heights remains an overwhelmingly single-family residential community. There is neighborhood-level retail development at Six Corners. Eastwood Avenue near Darrow Road borders suburban-style strip shopping centers. Goodyear Heights Metropolitan Park provides a wide range of recreational activities to people throughout the area. Though the majority of the housing was constructed between 1940 and 1980, the city has been buying up land to build new developments, the latest one being built along Honodle.
According to the City of Akron's statistics there are 20,556 people living in 8,817 households. The average household income is $42,746, slightly higher than the city average.
Highland Square
Highland Square is known as one of the more eclectic areas of Akron. It is a pleasant and walkable residential area featuring an organic grocery store, a library, a theater, several restaurants, and some nightclubs and bars. The Square is considered the Arts and hip urbanite district of Akron. Its large number of historical and modern apartment complexes mean that it is more densely populated than the rest of Akron, in which single unit homes are more common. Many of these apartments line the neighborhood's major thoroughfare, West Market Street, making them very accessible. Highland Square is strongly progressive; John Kerry’s Summit County Headquarters was located in a Highland Square storefront during the 2004 Presidential Election. Many members of the LGBT community have made their home here and many businesses are either gay owned or gay friendly. Although Highland Square is sexually diverse and progressive, it is not as ethnically diverse as other parts of Akron. The commercial part of Highland Square is anchored by the historic Highland Theatre. The Highland Square Neighborhood Association works to maintain the character and atmosphere of the area. Every summer the association promotes and operates Music and Arts Festival, a festival featuring local artists, performers and musicians performing on residential porches and lawns and drawing well over 5,000 people to the neighborhood.Many artists and musicians make their home in Highland Square and their influence and work can be found in the shops and public art found in the neighborhood.
The region's oldest feature is the Portage Path, which passes along the street of that name. For decades the statue of an Indian has watched over this famous pathway where Native Americans carried their canoes between the Cuyahoga and Tuscarawas Rivers. The Portage Path was part of the effective western boundary of the white and Native American lands from 1785 to 1805. When first erected by Gus Kasch, an area real estate developer, the Indian statue stood along the curb on West Market Street. The refurbished statue now stands on a landscaped site on the corner of Portage Path and West Market Street.
According to The City of Akron's statistics there are 12,561 people living in 6,264 households. The average household income is $42,958, slightly higher than the city average.