Boy would I love to see my mother. I have not only graduated, I have graduated with a bachelor's degree. She would ask, “Baby what is that?”  And then, I would have to explain it to her.

I never minded, because my mother took me to the library, and church. This was exciting for me. I began to learn at a great rate, and then, she couldn’t get me to put the books down. So, we faced another dilemma.  My mom thought that I thought that I knew everything. My mom would get really upset about conversations we had, until she needed to know something. I waited for those moments, and so did she.

To understand Summit County and Akron’s origins, it is best to take it back to the beginning when David Hudson traveled all the way from Connecticut. His goals were to scope out the land he had acquired and establish a new settlement for his family and friends. He would later name this town Hudson.

Understanding Hudson’s history is crucial to understand the founding of Akron. Hudson was a pioneer who won land through a land lottery in Connecticut. The area he won, part of the Western Reserve, was quite massive and priced at 52 cents per acre. In 1799, he and a small team of six hired helpers and his son Ira, who was 11, set out for Ohio from Connecticut to begin the process of settlement.

Along the way, Hudson hired three additional men to help survey out the area they traveled. On June 17, the group reached what is present day Northfield, and six days of searching later, Hudson finally reached the western border of his soon-to-be township of Hudson. The trip nearly cost them their lives due to nature getting the best of them, weather conditions and sickness from the hardship of the trip.

Where did Akron come from and who chose the name Akron? Why did they choose it and what does it mean? Of course, anyone would want to know, "why Akron?"

The name was suggested by Charles Olcott to Gen. Simon Perkins. Akros (modified to Akron) is the Greek term for “high.” Akron was thought to be the highest point of land on the canal between Lake Erie and the Ohio River. However, it is not the highest point of land in Ohio. Many believe that there is nowhere like it in regards to geographical attributes, and throughout history in Ohio, no city has brought about such diversity in its people and culture.. As we dig further into Akron’s history, you will begin to see a pattern unfold of just how unique Akron was, and is, and it will leave you wanting to know more.

We already know how David Hudson led groups of people to northeast Ohio to settle in the first town of what would later become Summit County, but how did Akron come into play? To understand this question, let’s dig into the life of Gen. Simon Perkins and his contribution in history.