In the mid-1950s, when sisters Frances Sutter and Carol Dullen were 9 and 6 years old, respectively, they moved into a house on Upson Street in Akron’s Middlebury neighborhood with their family.
Nearly 60 years later, their childhood home is no longer standing, but both Sutter and Dullen own houses on Upson and are active members of the community.
“It just feels like home; it’s always been home,” Dullen said. “It’s pretty much the only home I’ve ever remembered.”
While Dullen remained in Middlebury, Sutter moved to Loudonville with her husband, Fred, where they lived for 25 years and raised their children. They kept their Upson Street house for their kids to live in when they attended the University of Akron. After her husband died in May of 2009, Sutter moved back into the house – just up the street from her sister.
Read more: Middlebury residents concerned about where Summa Health/Fairmount Properties plan will leave them
“It was close to Carol, and I had the house already, so it was really a no-brainer,” Sutter said. “And so I’ve lived there since he passed away. And I know it’s not the same neighborhood as when we grew up, but I like the neighborhood.”
Sutter and Dullen remember a time when they used to know each and every one of their neighbors. Now, they say, the neighborhood is more transient, with more renters than homeowners. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t new homeowners coming in.
Jewett Park renovation strengthens one residents bond to the neighborhood
After renting in the area since 2019, Megan Delong and her partner, Sam Borick, bought a house in 2022 on Jewett Street, which intersects Upson Street.
Delong, who grew up in Ellet, said she passed through the Middlebury neighborhood when attending the University of Akron but really became aware of the area through Neighborhood Network meetings.
The planning and rejuvenation of Jewett Park was a key neighborhood effort that strengthened Delong’s bond to Middlebury.
“I got to fall in love with my neighborhood by being a part of the planning. I really care about it, and I could cry about it,” Delong said. “I got to see Middlebury at the really good parts, where people were coming together and really putting their best foot forward, caring about the neighborhood and caring about the people in it. So, I’ve seen the best parts of Middlebury. And I continue to see it.”
Dullen said the reason she stayed in Middlebury was proximity.
“We were on the bus line; I was close to work. We had a mall just practically down around the corner. We had grocery stores, all kinds of places that we could go to,” Dullen said. “It was very active, and it was accessible. There were so many things that were accessible. Any place I wanted to go and anything I wanted to do, I didn’t have to go very far.”
Dullen and Sutter saw a shift over the years in neighborhood accessibility and available resources, but Delong was drawn into the neighborhood by what it has to offer and the community efforts there.
“I really value diversity and knowing my neighbors, and I’ve created a community here so I really want to be where my people are,” she said. “So I very much valued finding a home in this space.”
Middlebury is the oldest neighborhood in Akron and was its own community until it officially merged with the city in 1872. Check out this map of Middlebury from 1882. The neighborhood is bordered by the University of Akron, the former Goodyear World Headquarters (now The East End project), and Summa Hospital.
It’s home to 6,075 Akronites, community organizations such as The Well Community Development Corporation and small businesses such as Hibachi Ninja Express and A&A Beauty Supply.
Middlebury by the numbers
Ward: 10
City Council member: Sharon Connor
Borders these neighborhoods: University Park, South Akron, East Akron, Goodyear Heights, Cascade Valley
Area: 1.54 square miles
Residents*: 6,075
Average age*: 34.5; Male, 34.8 years; Female, 34.2 years
Races (2021): Black, 42.6%; white, 30.9%; Asian, 10.1%; two or more races, 4.9%; Hispanic or Latino, 2.5%; Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, 0.7%; American Indian, 0.4%
Housing*: 2,226 units, 68% rentals, 32% owner-occupied. Average estimated value of detached houses in 2021 (78.6% of all units): $43,106
Schools: Public: Mason Community Learning Center, K-6. Private: Akron Preparatory School, Case Preparatory Academy
Neighborhood highlights: Elizabeth’s Bookshop & Writing Center, which amplifies and celebrates marginalized voices, inside The Well CDC. Compass Akron
* Data from City Data