Local history: Akron legend about Sammy Davis Jr. turns out to be true
Urban legends aren’t supposed to be true.For generations, Summit County residents have handed down a strange tale about entertainer Sammy Davis Jr. and a fateful incident involving an Akron...
View ArticleLocal history: Weather forecaster finds clues in farm folklore
Believe all you want in Doppler radar, satellite imagery and computer-based models.Eunice Merton didn’t need any fancy technology to predict the weather.For nearly 50 years, the Richfield Township...
View ArticleLocal history: 1970s Christmas display wreaks havoc in Bath Township
The glow over Bath Township was so bright that the Three Wise Men might have been tempted to take a detour. Bumper-to-bumper traffic clogged streets for blocks as family automobiles crawled to a stop...
View ArticleLocal history: Old Book Store is a page from Akron’s past
The Old Book Store was a downtown Akron landmark with a lot of character — and a lot of characters.Packed to the rafters with nearly 250,000 volumes, the long, narrow shop stood for decades on South...
View ArticleLocal history: Santa Claus house an Ellet icon for baby boomers
Every kid in Ellet knew who lived in that house.No bigger than a shed, a brightly decorated cottage stands tall in the memories of Akron baby boomers.Visiting the Santa Claus house at Eastgate Plaza...
View ArticleLocal history: Gee whiz, Akron entertainer’s career is swell
Akron songwriter Mort Greene scored a lot of hits during his long career, but none more memorable than The Toy Parade, a cheerful, rollicking tune that marched through American living rooms in the late...
View ArticleLocal history: Building goes from meat packing to “meat market”
The location was prime. The clientele was select. The product was choice. Unfortunately, the business just didn’t cut it. The Portage Packing Co. was a meat-processing plant at Merriman Road and...
View ArticleLocal history: Parachutes rain from Akron Airdock in 1950s
In the quiet darkness of the Akron Airdock, billowy clouds formed near the ceiling and floated gently downward.A silvery rain of nylon cascaded to the floor.Ohio engineers gathered inside the cavernous...
View ArticleLocal history: Akron woman’s burial a grave concern in 1962
Akron resident Anna E. Wasler didn’t intend to be a civil rights pioneer.But then she died.When the beloved, 83-year-old grandmother passed away in 1962, her heirs made funeral arrangements and...
View ArticleLocal history: Elusive cure is breath of fresh air at Sunshine Cottage
On the coldest days of winter, when the wind moaned and the snow swirled, the doors and windows were open.Frail children took deep, cleansing breaths and exhaled tiny clouds of wispy vapor.Fresh air...
View ArticleLocal history: Akron soldier’s secret stuns Army in 1953
Joining the Army was easy. Getting out was a little more complicated.After eight grueling weeks of basic training, Pvt. Raymond E. Hafer of Akron was tired of marching, drilling and camping in the...
View ArticleLocal history: Ravenna monument breaks shackles of slavery
The bonds of love were stronger than the manacles of slavery.Henry and Rebecca Brantley survived decades of oppression, cruelty and heartbreak, overcoming hardships that would shatter the spirit of...
View ArticleLocal history: What in the world is a Witan?
Put on your thinking cap. It’s time for a pop quiz.Question: What is the definition of Witan?1. A small island in the South Pacific.2. An exotic species of flowering vine.3. A popular brand of wicker...
View ArticleDetails: Witan’s French Market
DetailsWhat: Witan’s 36th annual French Market.When: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. Lunch is available from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. each day.Where: Todaro’s Party Center, 1820...
View ArticleWhat’s it worth? Locals pack house to find out
The treasures far outweighed the trash and trinkets Saturday, when area residents packed the Akron Home and Flower Show for a chance to have their antiques appraised by expert Lori Verderame.Those who...
View ArticleLocal history: Lost theater’s story filled with drama and comedy
The Ohio Theater had more twists and turns than a Saturday matinee serial.Located on the southern edge of Cuyahoga Falls, the two-story, brick landmark stood for more than 70 years, changing names,...
View ArticleDetails: ‘In the Company of Extraordinary Women’
DetailsEvent: In the Company of Extraordinary Women, a formal Victorian tea with actresses portraying historic figures.When: 1 and 4 p.m. March 16-17. Reservation deadline is Friday. Where: Hower...
View ArticleLocal history: Famous socialites return to life for Akron tea
The grande dames of Akron society once again will grace us with their presence.For the fifth year, Akron’s Hower House is the setting for In the Company of Extraordinary Women, a Victorian tea honoring...
View ArticleLocal history: Stan Hywet intruder becomes local celebrity
A trespasser slipped through the mansion gates, quietly looked around and hid in the tangled woods.Rarely has an intruder been more warmly received.The white-tailed deer that sneaked onto the grounds...
View ArticleLocal history: Ice cream mogul’s property finds new life as morgue
Autopsies and ice cream usually don’t intersect.A three-story brick building, quiet and unassuming, served as the unusual nexus of melancholy and delight at the southeast corner of North Summit and...
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