About Akron

Located approximately 40 miles south of Cleveland, Akron, Ohio is a booming metropolis in itself. The “Rubber Capital of the World” is home to the Goodyear Tire Company and was home to the Firestone Company.  Home to The University of Akron, the city is known for its advances in polymer research. The All American Soapbox Derby is hosted here annually.
 
NBA Basketball All-Star LeBron James hails from the city of Akron, where he attended high school at Saint Vincent-Saint Mary. Other famous Akronites include Alice Cooper Band guitarist Glen Buxton, poet Rita Dove, broadcaster Hugh Downs, model Angie Everhart, astronaut Judith Resnik, and football players Chris Wells, Paul Warfield and Mike Vrabel, among many others.
 
Visitors and residents enjoy the Akron Zoo, Akron Art Museum, the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad, and Hale Farm and Village.  The Akron Beacon-Journal serves as the area’s largest newspaper.

Akron opened the nation’s first BioGas facility in 2007, which utilizes gases released from waste sludge to create electricity for the city. Many of the city buses in Akron are also powered by natural gas as opposed to petroleum in an effort to reduce air pollution within the city.