A part of Belt's City Anthology Series, this collection explores Akron, Ohio's past and what may happen there in the future. A portrait of the city's rich, mysterious, odd-leaning inner life. Between 1910 and 1920, Akron was the fastest growing city in the United States, tripling in size and exploding from a population of 69,000 to 208,000. Its period of rapid growth coincided with the expansion of the rubber and tire industry, which in turn corresponded with that of the automobile industry. But since the mid-1970s, industry has abandoned Akron, and the city has lost 31 percent of its population. Once opulent neighborhoods are now swaths of abandoned homes, and the factories that made Akron the Rubber Capital of the World lie dormant. Edited by Jason Segedy, and bringing together established writers like Rita Dove and David Giffels with the work of emerging voices, The Akron Anthology collects essays, poems, and photographs from the writers, artists, and activists who call Akron home. Here you'll find stories that include: - The diaries of a doorman - The trials and triumphs of refugees who have relocated to the city - A portrait of Jamie Stillman, world-renowned effects pedal manufacturer - Archie the talking snowman. Providing readers with diverse group of voices, this collection offers an intimate look at a storied Ohio city. The collection of 22 essays is a must-read for anyone who cares about this city. -- Bob Dyer, journalist, Akron Beacon Journal Jason Segedy is the director of planning and urban development for the city of Akron. He is an avid writer on urban planning and development issues and his work has been published by New Geography, Planetizen, Real Clear Policy, Rustwire, Steetsblog, and Wise Economy . His passion is creating great places and spaces where residents can live, work, and play. David Giffels is a professor of creative nonfiction. His writing has appeared in publications such as Parade , The New York Times Magazine , Redbook , and The Wall Street Journal . He is the author of All the Way Home and The Hard Way on Purpose . They both live in Akron, Ohio. The Akron Anthology By Jason Segedy Belt Publishing Copyright © 2016 Belt Publishing All rights reserved. ISBN: 978-0-9968367-3-9 Contents Note from the Editor Jason Segedy, Here on the Ground: An Introduction David Giffels, "When Are You Coming Home?" Pat Jarrett, A Tavern in the Shire L.S. Quinn, Simple Needs Greg Milo, The Ghosts I Run With Matt Tullis, For New Refugees, Akron Is More Than a Place, It's a Home Maria Mancinelli, Cool But Not Too Cool: The Allure of Akron Roza Maille, The Doorman Diaries Jeff Shearl, Akron's Audio Alchemist Andrew Poulsen, Confessions of a Rust Belt Orphan (Or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Akron) Jason Segedy, RIP Unknown Skeletal Remains Jennifer Conn, Archie the Snowman Joanna Wilson, Major Steps Rita Dove, Butts Up Mike Gruss, You'll Find It Off Market Street Eric Wasserman, The Capital of West Virginia Patricia Fann, Happy, Happy Jesus Hello Matthew Meduri, BF Liesl Schwabe, Foreclosures and Vampire Devils: A Guide to Buying a Home in Akron Chris Drabick, Snapshots From a Rock 'n' Roll Marriage Denise Grollmus, Bombing Run Kyle Cochrun, There's No Place Like Home Emilia Strong Sykes, Hail to the King Matt Stansberry, Contributors, CHAPTER 1 "WHEN ARE YOU COMING HOEM?" By Pat Jarrett I find that a lot of photographers see Ohio as an endless sea of dead malls and salt-crusted cars on fire in front of rusted-out steel plants. It's more than that. The Ohio I know is tough and unforgiving. I never got a trophy for participation. I was never told that I was any more special than anyone else. The Ohio I know chews you up early so that when the shit hits the fan it's not as bad as it could have been — and as I grow older I'm thankful for that scar tissue. The Ohio I know is full of the best friends anyone could ask for. Ohio friends are friends for life. Sure, we have our disagreements and maybe we fought on the playground in the fourth grade, but after thirty years I know I can count on my Ohio friends. They are bedrock. They are the friends who will make sure you aren't making a terrible decision. They will laugh at you right before they reach down to pick you up and dust you off and buy you a beer. They will fight anyone who means to hurt you. I started this project when my maternal grandmother died. I continued to document through her husband's (my grandfather's) death, his funeral and the selling of his home in Stow that he bought when he came back from WWII. I photographed the loss of other family members, the return of my sister to Akron from Portland, Oregon, the birth of my nephew and the struggles of my family and friends. Northeast Ohio doesn't have the luxury of a geographical crown jewel. No ocean or mountain range, no grand desert or majestic vistas really to speak of. Ohio's color palette is a shade abov