Akron in Summit County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Airdock
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., June 7, 2011
1. Airdock Marker
A colossus of engineering acumen and structural steel, the Airdock was built in 1929 as the construction facility for the U.S. Navy's rigid airships, the USS Akron (1931) and USS Macon (1933). The airships, or dirigibles, served as the fleet's aerial watchdogs, but with the advancement of aircraft carriers, the Navy no longer needed these leviathans of the skies, which were large enough to carry five biplanes. Eleven steel parabolic arches, cresting at 211 feet, create one of the largest open space interiors in the world and shelter more than 364,000 square feet of floor space. Only one of the arches is fixed to its concrete piling. Its 660-ton spherical doors rest on flatbed railroad cars to open. The Airdock, a National Civil Engineering Landmark, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.
Erected 2003 by Lockheed Martin and The Ohio Historical Society. (Marker Number 29-77.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Air & Space • Man-Made Features. In addition, it is included in the ASCE Civil Engineering Landmarks, and the Ohio Historical Society / The Ohio History Connection series lists. A significant historical year for this entry is 1929.
Location. 41° 2.546′ N, 81°
this page online
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 3 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Akron Fulton Airport Champions Raceway (here, next to this marker); Motorless Flight (here, next to this marker); Karl Arnstein (here, next to this marker); The Soap Box Derby (approx. 0.4 miles away); Alaskan Totem Pole (approx. 0.4 miles away); Franklin Augustus "F. A." Seiberling and The Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company (approx. 2 miles away); Middlebury Cemetery (approx. 2.3 miles away); Middlebury Lodge No. 34 F.&A.M. (approx. 2.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Akron.
More about this marker. Marker was originally erected about 350 feet northeast of the original Akron Fulton Airport terminal building and about 150 feet ESE of the Triplett Boulevard roundabout and moved to this location in 2015.
Photographed By J. J. Prats, August 23, 2019
2. Karl Arnstein, Champions Raceway and Airdock Markers
This marker, at its new location. It is the rightmost marker.
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., June 7, 2011
3. Airdock in the Distance
This photo shows the marker in its original location about 350 feet northeast of the original Akron Fulton Airport terminal building and about 150 feet ESE of the Triplett Boulevard roundabout. They were moved between 2011 and 2019 to the median in front of the airport terminal, behind the statue of Christoper Columbus.
Photographed By Unknown, undated
4. Photo on Airdock Marker
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., June 7, 2011
5. View of Airdock from Derby Downs
Credits. This page was last revised on November 19, 2019. It was originally submitted on June 16, 2011, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania. This page has been viewed 893 times since then and 38 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on June 16, 2011, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania. 2. submitted on November 19, 2019, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio. 3, 4, 5. submitted on June 17, 2011, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.
