AKRON

city, seat (1842) of Summit county, northeastern Ohio, U.S. It lies along the Cuyahoga River, 41 miles (66 km) south-southeast of Cleveland. Akron is the centre of a metropolitan area that includes the cities of Cuyahoga Falls, Tallmadge, and Stow and several villages. At 1,200 feet (370 m) above sea level, it was named for its high place (Greek: akros) on the watershed between the Mississippi River and the Great Lakes. Laid out in 1825 by General Simon Perkins, commissioner of the Ohio Canal Fund, the town was assured substantial growth by the completion of the Ohio and Erie Canal in 1827 and of the Pennsylvania and Ohio Canal in 1840, linking it with Pittsburgh. Water power and transportation supplied by these canals led to Akron's early development as an industrial centre. The abundant water supply and the arrival of the railroads prompted Benjamin F. Goodrich to move a small rubber factory to the site in 1871. This industry rapidly expanded with the advent of the automobile and the demand for rubber tires. Between 1910 and 1920 the city's population tripled to more than 200,000, and Akron became known as the rubber capital of the world and the international or American headquarters of the far-flung giants of the rubber industryFirestone, General Tire, Goodrich, and Goodyear. The city's manufactures are now well diversified and, apart from a wide variety of rubber and plastic products, include farm machinery, aluminum siding, house fittings, electrical and transportation equipment, fishing tackles, children's books and toys, and chemicals. In the late 20th century, however, some manufacturing plants and downtown stores were closed. The hangar at the city's airport is the site of the Goodyear Aerospace Corporation Air Dock (for airships ). This hangar is one of the world's largest buildings without interior supports. Akron is an important truck terminal and distribution point between the eastern seaboard and the Midwest. More than 4,300 acres (1,700 hectares) in the city are occupied by parks, and surrounding lakes and reservoirs and several golf courses afford recreation facilities. The World Series of Golf is an annual professional tournament. Nearby Derby Downs is the site of the annual All-American Soap Box Derby for homemade gravitypowered cars. The city's cultural centres include the Akron Art Museum, American Indian Art Hall of Fame, and the Stan Hywet Hall (with antiques dating from the 16th century). The University of Akron was founded in 1870 as Buchtel College. Inc. village, 1836; city, 1865. Pop. (1992 est.) city, 226,490; Akron PMSA, 662,347.