05/27/2026
This National Preservation Month, we are highlighting the Old Stone School, the oldest schoolhouse in Akron. Located at the corner of Broadway and Buchtel Avenues, it was erected in 1840 on land donated by Akron’s founder, General Simon Perkins. For more than 40 years reading, writing, and arithmetic were taught and the school was used as a place for town meetings, church functions, weddings, funerals, and other events.
By 1884, the one room schoolhouse became too crowded, and the property was sold to the New York, Pennsylvania & Ohio Railroad. The City of Akron purchased the site in 1916 and the Summit County Historical Society persuaded the city to turn over the property for use as a future museum in 1929. The Society raised funds to restore it, but the Great Depression ultimately ended those plans.
To commemorate Summit County’s 100th birthday in 1940, the Society again raised funds to restore the school. The project caught the attention of the White House, and FDR congratulated the Society for its preservation work. World War II brought renovation efforts to another halt, but they were renewed in 1966 as a collaborative effort between the Society and Akron Public Schools. Benches were made by Hower Vocational School students from funds raised by the PTA. Goodyear and Perkins junior high students sewed donated cotton fabric into reproduction dresses and bonnets of the 1840s.
Save the date for September 19 for an open house at the Old Stone School! This event is part of Ohio Open Doors, a state-wide event that takes place every other year. We are looking forward to more visits in the future for school alumni organizations to visit during their reunions.
