Cascade Valley in Akron in Summit County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
The Legacy of Schumacher
Photographed by Ian Lefkowitz, May 24, 2025
1. The Legacy of Schumacher Marker
The Cascade Mills, Cascade Race and the Ohio & Erie Canal were cornerstones of 19th-century industry. Each had their heyday, but were replaced as technology and business changed. Today the park allows for their rediscovery.
Once the American Cereal Company shifted operations to Chicago, Akron's role dwindled. The Cascade Mills' role diminished to grain and flour storage. In 1904, it burned to the ground. Today the park outlines the buried foundation of the mill.
Offering 10 times the power of water, steam ultimately made the Cascade Race obsolete. The race tunnel still exists underground and its route is traced here.
Competition from railroads cut into the canal's business in the 1850s. Its transportation role ended in 1913 when record snowfalls and spring rains caused major flooding throughout Ohio. Citizens dynamited lock gates in Akron to allow water to disperse. Today the canal is visible along the Towpath Trail through Cascade Locks Park and other areas of the Ohio & Erie Canalway.
Erected by Summit Metro Parks.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical year for this entry is 1904.
Location. 41° 5.436′ N, 81° 31.033′ W. Marker
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: The Oatmeal King (here, next to this marker); Made in Ohio, Produced for America (here, next to this marker); Becoming an American Company (here, next to this marker); Ferdinand Schumacher's Cascade Mills Stood Here (here, next to this marker); Wheel Power (here, next to this marker); Schumacher's Cascade Mills (here, next to this marker); The Cascade Race (within shouting distance of this marker); Generations of Power (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Akron.
Photographed by Ian Lefkowitz, May 24, 2025
2. Cascade Locks Park
This marker is one of eight arranged along the artistic interpretation of the water wheel at Schumacher's Mill.
Photographed by Ian Lefkowitz, May 24, 2025
3. The Cascade Race
A park now stands where the mill once was, and the Cascade Race tunnel was buried below ground.
Credits. This page was last revised on June 25, 2025. It was originally submitted on June 22, 2025, by Ian Lefkowitz of New York, New York. This page has been viewed 153 times since then and 23 times this year. Last updated on June 24, 2025, by Ian Lefkowitz of New York, New York. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on June 22, 2025, by Ian Lefkowitz of New York, New York. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.
