1900 - 1949 1900 Population 42,620 Rioting in Akron turns the City Building and Columbia Hall into smoldering ruins. Firestone comes to Akron William McKinley is President A hurricane hits Galveston, Texas killing more than 6,000 of its 36,000 inhabitants Sigmund Freud publishes The Interpretation of Dreams 1905 Harvey Firestone agrees to supply tires for cars produced by Henry Ford. 1906 May 19th, Portage Country Club opens at Portage Path and Twin Oaks Road. 1910 Population 69,067. William H. Taft is President Mark Twain dies Boy Scouts are established in U.S. 1912 Stan Hywet Hall (Old English for "Stone Quarry") was built between 1912 and 1915 by F.A. and Gertrude Seiberling. Ten Akron residents are among the passengers of the ill-fated Titanic on April 14th, 1912.  Two perish, eight survive. 1913 A major storm strikes on Easter Sunday, March 23rd, following record winter snowfalls. The storm started in Omaha, Nebraska and rapidly moved through the Midwest. Akron's total rainfall was recorded at 9.55 inches. The resulting "Great Flood" kills five in Akron and destroys the Ohio & Erie Canal, abruptly ending the canal system. 1915 General Tire comes to Akron. August 15th, Akron begins operating a water system.  Lake Rockwell, named after Mayor Frank Rockwell, will still be Akron's water source in the 21st century. 1916 The current "home base" for Goodyear airship operations at nearby Wingfoot Lake is considered the "Kitty Hawk of Lighter-Than-Air." The historic hangar and field have served continuously as a military and civilian airship base since 1916. 1917 More than fifty interested citizens gathered to give birth to the Akron branch of the NAACP.  Mr. "Cap" Herring was elected the first president of the branch. Nearly 9000 area men are inducted as the United State enters World War I. December 23rd, Guy Norris become the first Akron policeman to die in the line of duty. 1919 Playing for the Akron Indians, Fritz Pollard becomes one of the first African Americans to play professional football.   He also becomes the first black quarterback and the first black head coach in the National Football League, for the Akron Indians, in 1921. 1920 Population 208,435. Warren G. Harding is President The 19th Amendment, voting rights for women, goes into effect KDKA in Pittsburgh is the first station to initiate regular broadcasts 1921 Television personality Hugh Downs is born on February 14th. Emmer Martin Lancaster becomes the first African American to graduate from the University of Akron. He will eventually serve 28 years as special assistant to the U.S. Commerce Secretary in Washington, D.C. 1922 The Akron Art Museum, then called Akron Art Institute, opened in two rooms on the ground floor of the Akron Public Library on East Market Street on February 1st. John L. Suddieth becomes Akron's first black policeman. Akron's first licensed radio station, WOE, goes on the air in April 1922 The North Hill Viaduct is completed in 1922, creating the first direct connection from downtown to North Hill. 1923 Our Lady of the Elms, is founded by the Sisters of St. Dominic in 1923. 1925 Firestone Stadium opens. 1928 The city of Kenmore, population 20 thousand, is annexed by voter approval on November 6th. 1929 The historic Akron Civic Theatre is built as a Lowe's Theme Theatre. It is one of five remaining atmospheric theatres in the United States and is currently undergoing new construction, renovation and restoration. The 27 story First National Tower becomes Akron's first skyscraper. The Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company built an air dock twenty-two stories high in 1929 next to the four-year-old Akron Municipal Airport. 1930 Population 255,040. Roadway Express moved its first shipment of tires from Akron to St. Louis. Herbert C. Hoover is President The Great Depression is underway Pluto is discovered Sliced bread becomes available 1935 Henrietta Seiberling introduces Dr. Bob Smith of Akron to stockbroker Bill Wilson in the Gate Lodge of Stan Hywet. The two men will form Alcoholics Anonymous, which marks its official beginning as June 10, 1935. August 12th, the All American Soap Box Derby comes to Akron. 1940 Population 244,791 1941 Akron market becomes known as the West Point Market when it moved west to its present location in 1941. Franklin D. Roosevelt is President Japan launches a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor Mount Rushmore is completed The Jeep is invented 1942 Punk-rock guitarist Robert Quine is born on December 30th. 1949 Donald L. Plusquellic, who will become Akron's longest-serving mayor, is born on July 3rd.

Sources:  Akron Beacon Journal, Akron: City at the Summit by George Knepper.

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Last Updated 02/28/13