Local history: Blind man fought for crumbling home in Akron
Paul Blankenhagen didn’t want any help. He just wanted to keep what he had.Fiercely independent — some might say stubborn — he lived alone for decades in a dilapidated home without running water or...
View ArticleLocal history: The Smorgasbord of Stow served up feast of memories
If any patrons ever left hungry, it was their fault. The Smorgasbord restaurant offered a sumptuous feast in Stow. In fact, there were too many choices. More than 100 dishes were served each day on a...
View ArticleLocal history: A father’s grief led to Glendale’s founding 175 years ago
Dr. Jedediah D. Commins wanted to bury his son, but he couldn’t bear the thought.Akron had no decent place for a public burial.A Vermont native, Commins was the village’s first druggist, opening a...
View ArticleEvents mark Glendale’s anniversary
Two events on Friday will mark Glendale Cemetery’s 175th anniversary. ■ A rededication ceremony beginning at 11:30 a.m. will include a horse-drawn funeral procession with Civil War re-enactors (it...
View ArticleJunior Achievement celebrates 50 years in Akron
Junior Achievement of North Central Ohio is in the mood to celebrate after 50 years in business.Since 1964, Akron teens have learned about free enterprise by forming companies, selling stock, electing...
View ArticleLocal history: Teen entrepreneurs lost their marbles with Junior Achievement...
I’d really like to say that I joined Junior Achievement to learn about free enterprise and the U.S. economic system. At the time, though, I was more interested in learning about a girl.It was the...
View ArticleLocal history: Murder or suicide? 1929 death is puzzling case in Stow
The 90-degree heat was sweltering and the tranquil pond looked so inviting. Two country boys wriggled out of their clothes and took a dip.Richard Call, 8, and his pal Chester Graves, 12, went swimming...
View ArticleLocal history: Fix your car or get towed: Safety checkpoints were a contest...
In the name of public safety, motorists were willing to comply.Not that they had a choice.In June 1948, the Summit County Safety Council announced a $10,000 summer contest to promote safe driving. All...
View ArticleLocal history: Killer blonde’s prison escape caused national sensation in 1939
A notorious killer kept Northeast Ohio residents on the edge of their seats 75 years ago following a daring escape from prison.Hammer murderess Velma West, 33, who had killed her husband a decade...
View ArticleLocal history: Old barber witnessed Akron’s shaggy past
Akron barber George Isenman measured time with snips of scissors and scrapes of razors. For nearly 70 years, he operated a popular shop at Main and Market streets. Among his famous customers were...
View ArticleLocal history: Big bands entertained local workers in World War II radio program
Defeating the enemy was hard work. When it came time for a break, factories enjoyed a pause that refreshed.The Coca-Cola Co. sponsored a national radio program that treated World War II defense workers...
View ArticleLocal history: Trains collided for fun and profit in late 19th century
A.L. Streeter wasn’t a diabolical man. All he wanted to do was make trains crash.His bizarre scheme to allow two locomotives to collide July 20, 1895, created a commotion in Stark County and led to a...
View ArticleLocal history: The summer of Evel Knievel
There probably wasn’t a kid in town who hadn’t pretended to be Evel Knievel.Pedaling furiously on Huffy, Schwinn and Roadmaster bicycles, children raced toward makeshift, miniature ramps built from...
View ArticleLocal history: Chippewa Lake Park owner lived childhood dream
Just like a carousel, Parker Beach’s life revolved around Chippewa Lake Park. He arrived as an infant and left as a senior citizen.Growing up in an amusement park was a dream come true for a little...
View ArticleLocal history: Gleeful motorists welcomed Akron Expressway in 1954
The Akron Expressway experienced its first traffic jam before it even opened.More than 50,000 people attended a street party 60 years ago to celebrate the completion of a 2.5-mile section of Akron’s...
View ArticleLocal history: Romantic advice from 1914 sounds odd today
Ah, young love. Such earnest yearning never grows old.Although hearts still throb and passions still burn, romance just isn’t what it used to be. American society has changed so drastically over the...
View ArticleLocal history: Girdle factory helped support TV ministry in 1960s
Looking back on it, girdles probably weren’t the best fit for a TV preacher. Saving souls was hard enough. Shaping bodies was a bit of a stretch. Summit County television evangelist Rex Humbard...
View ArticleLocal history: Radio bloopers made job amusing to Akron announcer
In the free-wheeling days of live radio, anything could go wrong, and frequently did. Bob Wilson kept it together with his calm demeanor and reassuring voice.The golden-throated announcer for WADC...
View ArticleLocal history: Akron’s West High School opened 100 years ago
West High was built to last. Long after the final bell, the Akron school still has spirit.It’s been 100 years since the first day of classes Sept. 8, 1914, in the four-story, brick-and-stone structure...
View ArticleLocal history: Quarry workers made startling find in 1899
For several backbreaking days, workers labored with pickaxes and shovels to remove tons of earth from a natural sandstone formation. When metal finally hit rock, a startling discovery was made.In...
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