Akron, if you didn't know it, is the Rubber Capital of the World. It remains the home of the Goodyear Tire Company and Goodrich and others. As a tribute to the people who helped make it what it is, this statue was unveiled in 2021 by mayor and others. It was sculpted by Zanesville artist Alan Cottrill and modeled after the 1920s tire worker on the cover of "Wheels of Fortune," a book by former Beacon Journal writers David Giffels and Steve Love. It stands at a roundabout at the intersection of Mill Street and Main Street.
The plaque reads, "This commemorative statue pays tribute to the lives of Akron rubber workers and their families, and the essential part they played in establishing our city's identity as the Rubber Capital of the World."
I didn't spot it at the time, but the main base is in the shape of Summit County and the taller portion is in the shape of the Akron city limits. You'll need to climb to a higher floor in the library to look down and spot it.
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