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History · Akron

Akron dates to 1854, and 36% of its homes were built before 1940

Below: maps from 1963 on and the census since 1920.

1854founded
0on the National Register
36%homes built before 1940
1famous people
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Quick answers

How Akron began

When was Akron founded?

1854

Akron dates its founding to 1854 (Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history agree). The census first counted it in 1920.

First census: 505 in 19202020 census: 349172 years
Founding year: Wikidata; Wikipedia’s history section gives the same year. First post office: 1857.The full story ↓

What stands out about Akron’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A history waiting to be writtenNo old photos of Akron are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.Old housesHalf of Akron’s homes were built before 1951.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Akron’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Akron’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
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The story

How Akron came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Akron.

Read it all →

Akron was settled by Charles H. Beach in 1854. It was originally known as Beach's Corners. It was renamed Akron at the time a post office was established in 1857.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

Akron, 1854 to 1963

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 19th century
  2. 1854
    FoundingAkron is established
  3. 1898Born hereJohn Gill is born here
  4. 20th century
  5. 1963On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
By decade

No old photos in the archives yet

Weddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.

Be the first to add onePhotograph a print flat, in daylight, no flash.
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On the map

Akron on the map, 1963 to 1984

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Akron. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

Akron on the 1963 USGS mapAkron on the 1973 USGS mapAkron on the 1984 USGS map1963Fairgrove sheet · 1:24,000

U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Akron.

People over time

Akron, census by census

0100200300400500600192019401960198020002020Peak: 538

Between 349 and 538 people in every census since 1920.

11 censuses, 1920–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Akron’s Wikipedia page.

Questions about Akron’s history

What year was Akron founded?

In 1854, according to Wikidata and Wikipedia’s history of the town. Akron’s post office opened in 1857, and the census of 1920 counted 505 people here.

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
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Sources

Where this page comes from

Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021). How TownRatings grades history →

From Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps and U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.