FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions
About the Project
Can anyone submit a story?
Yes. It’s very important to us that we capture the history of Akron’s rubber workers and their descendants while we still can.
Why was the Akron Stories kiosk removed?
The Akron Stories kiosk, which is a free touchscreen audio/visual history display, featuring 100 mini-documentary films about the people who made Akron the “Rubber Capital of the World,” was damaged by a vehicle in the spring of 2023. We recovered the damaged enclosure and display, and are working with the City of Akron to replace it with an interpretive sign and QR code with a link to the Brick Finder.
Who are you working with?
Art x Love was engaged by Miriam Ray in 2019 to lead the Rubber Worker Statue & Stories project. We partnered with the City of Akron, The Summit County Historical Society, The University of Akron, and Akron-Summit County Public Library to create Akron Stories, and manage all aspects of the commemorative bricks and oral history project.
Who is paying for all of this?
The sculpture was paid for by the City of Akron and key corporate and community sponsors. The Akron Stories project has been exclusively funded through the sale of commemorate bricks and other miscellaneous merchandise. If you’d like to purchase a poster or project shirt, please visit artxlove.com/shop.
Where did the pictures and videos on the website and kiosk come from?
Unless otherwise stated, all pictures and videos featured on this website, the kiosk, and in the Akron Stories videos come from the storytellers and/or The University of Akron’s department of Archival Services. The University of Akron granted Akron Stories permission to use photos and videos from the B.F. Goodrich Company Records and Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company Records, which are located in the Polsky Building, Rm. LL-10, 225 S. Main St., Akron, OH 44325-1702.
About the bricks
Why can’t I find my brick?
Bricks are installed annually. If you cannot find your brick, it is likely because it is awaiting installation. Once each batch of bricks is installed, we will update the Brick Finder and notify everyone that the new batch of bricks is in. There have been several rare instances where our system or team failed to place an order for engraving. In each of these cases, we offered a full refund (which many declined) and immediately addressed the error by ordering and installing the missing brick.
There is a typo on my brick. How can I fix it?
If the typo is in our error, we will replace the brick free of charge. If the typo is due to a customer’s error, we can replace the brick for additional fee of $25.
How can I buy a brick?
Bricks are no longer for sale. If the opportunity arises and you are interested in purchasing one in the future, please send your name and contact information to contact@artxlove.com and we will contact you in the event more bricks become available.
About the Construction
Who created the commemorative brick plaza?
Mayor Dan Horrigan and the City of Akron were inspired to create the commemorative plaza based on the advocacy of Miriam Ray, an Akron resident who starting championing the idea of the statue and plaza after reading a letter in the Akron Beacon Journal in 2016 bemoaning the lack of a monument recognizing Akron’s rubber workers.
The commemorative plaza was built by Thomarios, a diverse construction management company based in Ohio, and is the centerpiece of Akron’s new and revitalized main street corridor. Mayor Horrigan and the City of Akron commissioned Zanesville-based sculptor, Alan Cottrill, to create the rubber worker statue as the focal point of the plaza.
Art x Love, an Akron-based creative agency, developed the Akron Stories project to facilitate and manage the sale of commemorative bricks to fund an oral history project dedicated to collecting, preserving, and celebrating the stories of Akron’s rubber workers.
Midwest Engraving (Wadsworth, OH) produced the commemorative bricks, which were installed by Thomarios and supervised by Art x Love.
Where is the statue?
The rubber worker statue is in the middle of the roundabout at the intersection of South Main & Mill Street, in downtown Akron. The statue is strategically positioned to offer iconic vantage points from all four corners of the intersection. The primary viewing area is on the northeast corner, next to the Akron-Summit County Public Library, and is where people can find the commemorative bricks, bench, signage, and Akron Stories kiosk.
Rubber Industry Questions
How many people worked in the rubber industry?
“In 1929, the rubber plants in Akron had 58,000 employees. With the Depression and the movement of plants out of Akron, by 1939 that was down to 33,000.” – The Brookings Institution
“In 1939, 33,285 worked in Akron’s rubber plants. By early 1944, 72,890 were employed.” – Wheels of Fortune: The Story of Rubber in Akron
Other Questions
Why haven’t I heard of this?
The Akron Stories project has been featured in the Akron Beacon Journal, Cleveland Plain Dealer, West Side Leader, Associated Press, WKSU, Ideastream, PBS Western Reserve, and more. We have also published stories and updates on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. If you are discovering this project for the first time, we would greatly appreciate it if you would help us spread the word and raise the national and international profile of this important initiative.