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.
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.
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.
Harvey S. Firestone embarked on creating a neighborhood with tree-lined boulevards curved around a central park.
City publications draw the park as far south as Firestone Country Club, annexed from Coventry Township in 1985.
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.
To solve this problem, Seiberling proposed purchasing a large parcel of farmland half a mile from the Goodyear factories.
He chose sweeping streets over a grid infrastructure and included provision for all modern conveniences like gas, electricity, and telephones.
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.
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.
It is a pleasant and walkable residential area featuring an organic grocery store, a library, a theater, several restaurants, and some nightclubs and bars.
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.
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.
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.
The Subdivision of Sunset View (houses range from 2200 sq feet to 7500 sq ft and from $190,000 to $380,000) is full of large older houses equal to the size of those found in Merriman Heights and is bounded by Storer Ave and Delia, to the East and South, and Exchange to Elmdale on the North and West.
Though many Akronites have forgotten the names of Hunter's Lodge, Castle and Sunset View; the residents of all three subdivisions pride themselves in the rich long history of their Developments.
At one time this was considered Millionaires row and you will find many of the large mansions tucked along this stretch of market either as private residences, offices or schools such as Our Lady Of The Elms an all girls school (considered one of the top 10 in Ohio), which occupies what was once a Renaissance Revival Mansion barring the name The Elms.
Miller South School for the Visual and Performing Arts, draws children from all parts of Summit County.
Wooster Avenue was renamed Vernon Odom Boulevard, a nod to the neighborhood's African American heritage.
North Hill served as one of the melting pots during Akron's expansion and soon many Italians were settling down in the area.
Rolling Acres, like Chapel Hill, was a major commercial hub, stationed at the south-western border of Akron.
Areas south and east of the University remain working class, with a significant mix of student rental housing.
Originally settled by Major Minor Spicer and his family in 1810–1811,[6] Spicertown's population increased steadily over the following 25 years due to an influx of German immigrants.
Due to the efforts of community leaders, Spicertown managed to escape being included within the Village of Akron during its incorporation in 1836.
Today, the Spicertown area is an eclectic mix of small shops and college housing on the southern edge of The University of Akron.
One of the area's most well known residents is Don Drumm whose art studio and gallery, which showcases the contemporary artwork of more than 500 N. American artisans, has become well known throughout the region.