Why does Akron have a strong southern influence

[Robhu]

Many people came from states south of Ohio after WW2 and even before the war after the Depression when the Rubber companys started booming. And there were quite a few.
Goodyear, Firestone, General, Mohawk, Seiberling, and others. These plants ran 24/7 during the good years. And during the War they made war materials 24/7. There were thousands of jobs. And when the War took the men away to fight, women filled many of these jobs. Thus "Rosie the Riveter"
Neighborhoods came about specificaly to house the influx of workers.
Goodyear Heights, Firestone Park, etc. Hillwood Homes, Wilbeth Arlington homes.
There were also a lot of machine shops sprouting up in the area. Ohio Brass, McNeil Machine and many, many more.
Plus the clay products manufacturing that went on that made sewer pipes, glazed brick, and other things.
So the area had plenty of work and more people making money to spend and that brought in more service and retail type businesses which provided even more jobs.
My Dad and all my uncles from both sides of the family worked at the rubber shops. They all came from W.va to Akron to find work. And they did find work.
The tire manufacturing side of the rubber shops are gone now except for Goodyear still making tires for Nascar.
I can remember when I was a kid in the 50's and 60's and depending on where you were and which way the wind was blowing you could smell the rubber odor from the tire plants. Some people said it smelled bad. Others said it smelled like money and jobs.
I was born and raised here and like me many others of my generation stayed and raised our own families here. My parents came to Akron in 1946 and I was born in 1947. Mom still has an accent that sounds like she just came out of the hills. And many others like her do to. So there are still a lot of that generations offspring that you might say still have some southern roots. There are a lot of Tennessee, Kentucky, and other southern state backgrounds in the area also.

[htlong]

I know its not a southern dish but why is the only area in Americaa where I can order saurekraut balls in North east Ohio?

[mcmillek]

I am from CO where the jobs are scarce, the cost of living on par with CA--so Akron-Cleveland looks like a slice of opportunity heaven to me--a little higher standard of living than in the West/SouthWest.

[goofy328]

Originally Posted by AGuyFromCleveland18

I feel that the Akron area has many folks from the south or Appalachia. Why is this, what is the history that contributed to this immigration? And why Akron and not areas to the north? Also is this one of the factors that separates Akron's culture from Cleveland's?

The Midwest in general has a strong Southern influence. Doubt that it has anything to do with cultural differnces between Cleveland and Akron. Keep in mind that Cleveland is more racially, culturally, and ethnically diverse than Akron. Akron is more Appalachian, read, West Virginia, Kentucky, etc. Cleveland is more than your typical "Black and White".

Cleveland is also a much, much, larger city than Akron, which is going to attract different types.

If you think Akron is Southern, check out the African-Americans in Chicago and their accents. Unapologetically Southern. A direct link from the deep South to Chicago during the Great Migration. It is more than just Akron.

[Buckeye in SC]

Originally Posted by YtownGuy

Once upon a time, Akron was where the jobs were. People just came up US 23 (before I-77 was around), so Akron was a bit closer than some other cities.

They actually probably came up US-21, not US-23 (it still exists running through the central/NW part of the state connecting Toledo, Columbus, Portsmouth). OH-21 (connecting Massillon, Wadsworth, Fairlawn & Cleveland) is the old US-21 which was as you said decommissioned when I-77 was constructed. A portion of US-21 still exists from Wytheville, VA down to Beaufort, SC.

[htlong]

ahhh Beaufort,SC.... beautful city.....

[qwertyasdf]

Originally Posted by Buckeye in SC

They actually probably came up US-21, not US-23 (it still exists running through the central/NW part of the state connecting Toledo, Columbus, Portsmouth). OH-21 (connecting Massillon, Wadsworth, Fairlawn & Cleveland) is the old US-21 which was as you said decommissioned when I-77 was constructed. A portion of US-21 still exists from Wytheville, VA down to Beaufort, SC.

On Dwight Yoakum's 2nd album, "Hillbilly Deluxe", he has a song called, "Readin', Ritin', Route 23", about leaving the coal mines South of Prestonburg, Kentucky and taking Route 23 to work in the factories of the North.

Dwight's folks are from the coal mining region of Kentucky and they went to Ohio. Dwight was raised and graduated high school in Columbus, Ohio.

It's a good song, you might wanna check it out...it's on Rhapsody.