Additional Resources
There are a variety of institutions and organizations that provide great resources and educational opportunities that will help you and your students learn more about Akron, Summit County as well as other cities, towns and counties located throughout Northeast Ohio. Check out a few of the ones listed below.
Summit County & WWI
Learn all about Summit County and the Great War. This website contains a wealth of information, digital resources, lesson plans, and locally produced content, including the Emmy-nominated documentary film, Lost Voices of the Great War: Summit County in the First World War. This website was created as part of a partnership formed to commemorate Summit County's contribution to the U.S. war effort during World War I (1917-1918). In addition to Stan Hywet, partners include Akron-Summit County Public Library, MAPS Air Museum, Summit County Historical Society and the University of Akron Archival Services.
Archive Collections
Akron Summit County Public Library Special Collections Division’s Summit Memory project is a countywide, collaborative effort to make available some of the remarkable local history collections maintained by several partner institutions. The Sports and Leisure from Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens online collection includes 125 images of the Seiberling family and friends and the Early Akron from Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens collection contains 23 images captured by Willard Penfield Seiberling, son of F.A. and Gertrude Seiberling.
The University of Akron Archival Services collects, preserves, and provides access to important historical resources that primarily document the history of The University of Akron, Akron and Summit County, The Rubber Industry, Lighter-than-Air Flight, Ohio Canals, The Book and Print Culture, and The B-26 Marauder and the 9th Air Force.
The Cleveland History Center of the Western Reserve Historical Society has collections which touch upon every aspect of Ohio history. These collections cover a wide range of subjects, including architecture, business, education, charity and social welfare, farming, immigration, law, military, politics, religion, and transportation. Among the individuals represented here are abolitionists, ministers, lawyers and jurists, industrialists, journalists, and civic leaders. The photographic holdings are vast and cover all subjects dating from the advent of photography in 1839 to the present.
Partner Organizations
Cuyahoga Valley National Park is a refuge for native plants and wildlife, and provides routes of discovery for visitors. The park traces its roots to the Cuyahoga Valley Association's efforts in the early 1970s to protect the valley from growing development threats. Culminating with Congressman John F. Seiberling's successful campaign for Congressional designation, the Cuyahoga Valley was recognized as a unit of the National Park System in 1974. The Conservancy for Cuyahoga Valley National Park is a non-profit organization created to engage public support for the park and provide services to enhance public use and enjoyment of the park.
Ohio and Erie Canalway is a National Heritage Area – designated by Congress in 1996 – to help preserve and celebrate the rails, trails, landscapes, towns and sites that grew up along the first 110 miles of the canal that helped Ohio and our nation grow. As a part of this National Heritage Area, Stan Hywet, along with a variety of other partners including the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Cleveland Metroparks, Stark Parks, Metro Parks, Serving Summit County participates in the Canalway Questing (link: http://www.ohioanderiecanalway.com/Main/Questing.aspx) program- an interactive recreational activity enjoyed by thousands of Canalway visitors every year.
Ohio State University Extension- Summit County delivers educational programs and provides information directly to county residents Through 4-H Youth Development, Agriculture and Natural Resources, Family & Consumer Sciences, Community Development and Expanded Food and Nutrition Education programs. OSU Extension in Summit County also serves as the portal to The Ohio State University Extension system and to information from other Land Grant colleges and universities across the country.
Many volunteers who help educate guests in Stan Hywet’s “Beauty in Flight” native butterfly habitat are Ohio Volunteer Certified Naturalists. The Conservancy for Cuyahoga Valley National Park partners with the OSU Extension and offers an OCVN (Ohio Certified Naturalist) training program each spring.
Summit County Educational Service Center is dedicated to providing leadership in the areas of staff development, in-service, technological developments, student development, curriculum and instruction development, current educational processes, legal developments, and fiscal developments. Stan Hywet and Summit County ESC partner to provide quality educational experiences and professional development programs to educators throughout the region.
Summit Metro Parks manages 11,500 acres, including 14 developed parks, several conservation areas and more than 125 miles of trails, with 22.4 miles of the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail. The system's natural-area parks are open 365 days a year and provide passive outdoor recreational and educational opportunities.
Between 1929 and 1949, F.A. Seiberling donated over 500 acres of his 1,700 acre Estate, Stan Hywet. This land became the basis of Sand Run Metro Park and Goodyear Heights Metro Park.
In 1964, land formerly owned by the Seiberling family was purchased to create F.A. Seiberling Nature Realm, a special-use area that has been set aside for the study and enjoyment of nature.