Cascade Valley in Akron in Summit County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Dynamics of Change in Cascade Locks Park
Photographed by Ian Lefkowitz, May 24, 2025
1. Dynamics of Change in Cascade Locks Park Marker
The dramatic change in height also provided immense water power that led local inventors and businessmen to harness that energy through a separate waterway called the Cascade Race, which powered multiple mills along its path.
Although water power gave birth to industrial growth in Akron, it did not stand as the primary source of power. Evolution to steam and then electric power continues to shape Cascade Locks Park. Throughout your journey up the Cascade Locks, look for evidence of the dynamics of change through this important piece of our past.
Timeline of Cascade Locks
Our industrial history and evolution of power
1826 - 1827 Construction of the Cascade Locks
1832 Cascade Race
1838 Aetna Mill
1850s Mustill House & Store
1876 Schumacher's Cascade Mills
1880 Valley Railway
1912 American Tire & Rubber
1913 Great Flood
1927 Akron Steam Heating Company
Cascade Locks Park, from 1825 to 1976, is a thread that between the Cascade Locks Park Association, the City of Akron and Summit Metro Parks. This park represents and celebrates our industrial heritage.
Erected by Summit Metro Parks.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Parks & Recreational Areas • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical year for this entry is 1827.
Location. 41° 5.448′ N, 81° 31.072′ W. Marker is in Akron, Ohio, in Summit County. It is in Cascade Valley. It is on East North Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or
this page online
Regionally, this marker is in Greater Cleveland and in the Western Reserve. It is also in the American Midwest. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy, the territory of the Mississippian Culture, and the Northwest Territory.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: When Flour was Power (a few steps from this marker); The Canal Basin (within shouting distance of this marker); How Can Water Going Down Make A Boat Go Up? (within shouting distance of this marker); Ferdinand Schumacher's Cascade Mills Stood Here (within shouting distance of this marker); Wheel Power (within shouting distance of this marker); The Oatmeal King (within shouting distance of this marker); Made in Ohio, Produced for America (within shouting distance of this marker); Becoming an American Company (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map
Photographed by Ian Lefkowitz, May 24, 2025
2. Cascade Locks Park
The park was completed and opened to the public in 2009.
Also see . . . A Pathway Through Akrons Heritage.
Walk along the Akron's section of the towpath trail that winds through rich landscapes, explore the Mustill Store Museum where canal-era artifacts bring local history to life, and enjoy interactive exhibits detailing the heritage of Lock 15.(Submitted on June 16, 2025, by Ian Lefkowitz of New York, New York.)
Photographed by Cascade Locks Park Association
3. Cascade Valley 1882
The village of Cascade, which would later become North Akron.
Credits. This page was last revised on June 22, 2025. It was originally submitted on June 16, 2025, by Ian Lefkowitz of New York, New York. This page has been viewed 102 times since then and 18 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on June 16, 2025, by Ian Lefkowitz of New York, New York. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.
