| Akron is located along the Cuyahoga River in Summit County, Ohio. In 1870, Doctor Benjamin Franklin Goodrich organized the first rubber plant in Akron, and the city eventually became known as the "Rubber Capital of the World." Today it is a major center for polymer research and development and remains the home of the top U.S. rubber companies. The Goodyear World of Rubber Museum traces the discovery and growth of rubber making and the history of the rubber industry in Akron. Visitors can also tour Stan Hywet Hall, a 65-room Tudor mansion on 70 acres of landscaped grounds and gardens that was built in the early 1900s for Frank A. Seiberling, co-founder of Goodyear and Seiberling rubber companies. Greater Akron also offers many opportunities for recreation and sports enthusiasts. Each July, Akron hosts the All-American Soap Box Derby, which has been called "The Greatest Amateur Racing Event in the World." The Pro Football Hall of Fame is a short drive south of Akron in Canton, Ohio; and just north of Akron is the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, encompassing 33,000 acres along 22 miles of the Cuyahoga River between Akron and Cleveland. |
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| photo courtesy of Akron/Summit Convention & Visitors Bureau |
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