National Register of Historic Places

First National Bank Tower

Akron, Summit County, Ohio
Listed
June 26, 2007
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
07000633

About this property

Huntington Tower, earlier known as FirstMerit Tower, First National Bank Building, the First Central Tower and the First Central Trust Building, is a skyscraper in Akron, Ohio. The centerpiece of downtown Akron, it sits in the Cascade Plaza at the corner of S Main St and East Mill Street. The 330 ft (100 m) tower has been the city's tallest building since its completion in 1931. The 27-story building is art deco in style and is covered in glazed architectural terra-cotta. Its lobby is built of Tennessee marble, white brick, and terra cotta, and features a large banking hall with arched windows. The tower is also noted for its role in local broadcasting. Studios for WAKR radio were originally housed in the ground level from 1940 until 1953. The top of the building also held a television mast originally used by WAKR's TV adjacent, WAKR-TV (now WVPX-TV) and WAKR-FM. Erected in 1953 for WAKR-TV's sign-on and later donated to PBS member station WEAO, the antenna reached a height of 134.7 metres (442 ft) but was removed in 2019.

Location

106 S. Main St.
Akron, Summit County, Ohio
41.08226, -81.51871

Categories

ARCHITECTUREENGINEERINGCOMMERCE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about First National Bank Tower

This page lists First National Bank Tower. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your First National Bank Tower report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Young Woman's Christian Association
Industrial
0.1 mi
Loew's Theatre
Industrial
0.1 mi
Summit County Courthouse and Annex
Industrial
0.2 mi
South Main Street Historic District
Listed
0.2 mi
Gothic Building, The
Industrial
0.2 mi

Questions about this property

When was First National Bank Tower listed on the National Register?

First National Bank Tower was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on June 26, 2007.

What type of historic resource is First National Bank Tower?

First National Bank Tower is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for First National Bank Tower?

The period of significance for First National Bank Tower is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near First National Bank Tower?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near First National Bank Tower will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Summit County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Summit County.

Explore SummitCounty ›

More historic places in Ohio

Browse all historic places in Ohio.

View Ohiohistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Ohio history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Ohiohistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near First National Bank Tower will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report