Linda was always very proud -- at least knowledgeable -- of things related to Akron. In the local news recently was a story about the soap box derby winners locally (2 of the 3 were girls), who will go on to the national derby in Akron later in the summer. Known as the Rubber Capital of the World, Akron was home to BF Goodrich, Goodyear and General Tire. There was also a large chemical processing industry related to tires.
From Wikipedia, here are some other Akron highlights:
* First balloon tire
* First automobile tires made in the United States
* First rubber-wound golf ball
* First breakfast cereal
* First artificial fish bait
* First cotton-covered rubber fire hose
* First U.S. toy company
* First synthetic rubber tire
* First commercial tubeless tire
* First graded school system in United States
* First automobile police patrol wagon
* First long distance electric railway in world
* First U.S. space suits
* First trans-active science museum (National Inventors Hall of Fame)
* First meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous
* First National Football League champions (1920) (Akron Professionals)
* First zeppelin built in the United States
* Sojourner Truth's famous speech, Ain't I a Woman?, was delivered in 1851 at the Ohio Women's Rights Convention in Akron, Ohio.
* One of the only Y-shaped bridges in the United States, the All-American Bridge, is located in Akron, Ohio.
* Italian-American mobster Rosario Borgio arrived in Akron, Ohio in the early 1900's and established one of the first organized crime operations in the Midwest during the 20th century.
* The Home of Cleveland Cavalier's Lebron James
* The height of Akron, Ohio's tallest building the FirstMerit Tower roof is 330 in feet which is the city's area code.
* Winner of an All-American City award in 1981.
* Winner of an All-American City award in 1995.
* Thomas Edison married his 2nd wife Mina Miller on February 24, 1886 in Akron
