Akron

Akron (/ˈækrən/) is a city in Summit County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. It is located in Northeast Ohio along the Little Cuyahoga River, approximately 40 miles (64 km) south of Cleveland. Akron had a population of 190,469 at the 2020 census, making it the fifth-most populous city in Ohio. The Akron metropolitan area has an estimated 702,000 residents.

Akron was founded in 1825 by Simon Perkins and Paul Williams at the summit of the Ohio and Erie Canal. Its name is derived from the Greek word ἄκρον (ákron), meaning summit. The canal facilitated early growth by connecting the city to regional and national markets. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Akron became a center of rubber and tire manufacturing; it was the headquarters of B.F. Goodrich, Firestone, General Tire, and Goodyear (which is still based in the city) and was nicknamed the "Rubber Capital of the World". It was also known as a center of airship development.