INSIDE AKRON: Akron Documenters are fanning out across the city’s 24 neighborhoods to elevate places, faces, voices and vibes — as shared by the people who live there. Expect a new profile every day through October.
Ellet is Akron’s largest neighborhood — in both size and population — with more than 19,000 residents who live inside seven square miles of land. Located in Akron’s southeast corner, it’s sometimes considered a suburb within the city.
The neighborhood dates back to the early 1800s, when Englishman Samuel Elliott — also known as Samuel Ellet — bought more than 500 acres from Col. Simon Perkins, the son of Akron’s co-founder, Gen. Simon Perkins. The Englishman’s granddaughter, Minnie Jane Ellet, worked as a columnist for the Akron Beacon Journal for 50 years, where she championed both women’s suffrage and prohibition.
Akron Documenter Al Macdougall is the primary contributor for this story. They grew up in Ellet and now live in downtown Akron and have been a Documenter since March 2025. Learn more about Documenters, including how to join.
Akron annexes Ellet in 1929
It wasn’t until 1929 that the neighborhood was annexed into Akron. Now, Ellet is home to five community learning centers, more than any other neighborhood except for North Hill (which also has five). It’s 81% white, and 63% of homes are owner-occupied.
Mayor Shammas Malik announced plans to build more infill housing in the area during his June State of the City address. Akron also included $25,000 in its budget to renovate the Hyre Park Nature Trail.
Despite the fact that Ellet has been part of Akron for less than half the city’s life, some of the town’s most notable landmarks are in the neighborhood. There’s Derby Downs — home of the International Soap Box Derby — and the Goodyear Airdock. Ellet is also home to the Akron Fulton Regional Airport and the Rubber Bowl, now demolished. Less well known is the Akron Skate Park, which Documenter Al Macdougall highlights below.
VOICE OF THE PEOPLE: Paige Shaffer
The 21-year-old has lived in Ellet for seven years.
What is the most interesting thing about Ellet?
“I would say the high school and the band community specifically,” she said referring to Ellet Community Learning Center (CLC). “ I feel like that’s a huge one. Yeah, it’s most of our community.”
What is missing from your neighborhood?
“I feel like we don’t have anything outside of downtown Akron,” Paige said. Ellet has annual craft fairs, she said, along with activities such as geocaching and hiking, but she would like more to do in the Ellet community.
How has Ellet changed over the time you’ve lived there?
Though she hesitated to answer after only having lived in the area for seven years, she said she did notice a shift during the pandemic. “More people were around pre-COVID. And then after COVID, I promise you, I don’t think I talked to anyone.”
She said she’s felt less connection between neighbors since then, especially between long-term residents and newer community members.
Where is the Ellet neighborhood in Akron?
Ellet is located on the eastern edge of Akron and is characterized by its quiet, small-town feel within the city. It is known for its plentiful outdoor recreational opportunities.
What’s the biggest challenge facing your neighborhood, and how do you think it can be solved?
“I don’t think there’s anything to do,” she said, adding that it can be hard to meet people specifically from Ellet vs. downtown orGreater-Akron. She thinks this is solvable by simply making a point to become a part of something in Ellet.
“I’ve spoken to my neighbors once or twice when we’re mowing the lawn, it’s like a little wave,” she said. “If you have a dog and you walk the dog, you know more people out here. But unless you’re making a point to show up in places and knock on your neighbor’s doors, you’re not really meeting a whole lot of people.”
What else do you want people to know about Ellet?
“Go explore. There are things to do out here. We have geocaching, we have trails. There is a skate park.”
What is your favorite thing about living here?
Paige said she really enjoys sitting on her front porch and being able to hear the Ellet Community Learning Center band rehearsing and performing. “It’s nice to just sit here and listen.”
Small business perspective:
Strickland’s Frozen Custard, 1809 Triplett Blvd.
Scott Margroff, co-owner
Tell me about the purpose of your business?
“Everyone from 2 to 82 loves ice cream,” Scott said — or, in the case of Strickland’s, frozen custard. He said they serve frozen custard using the machines and recipe created by the original owners, Bill and Florence Strickland, in the 1930s.
How does your organization fit into or support the neighborhood?
Scott said Strickland’s hires from within the community, typically from a 3- to 5-mile distance from the stand. They are open to hiring anyone and have had student employees from nearby schools such as Ellet, Garfield and East CLCs.
“We support athletic teams. We give 10% discounts. We support police and fire with discounts as well. We do whatever we can for the community, whoever requests it,” he said.
What’s missing from Ellet, or what’s the biggest need in the neighborhood?
“I don’t think there’s anything missing. I grew up in Ellet and loved Ellet and went to school at Ellet, so I don’t see anything that’s missing,” Scott said.
What else do you want to say about your organization or Ellet?
“I’m a third-generation owner; I’ve been coming here since I was a child, and I’m 62 now.”
The Ellet location was the first Strickland’s — it was selected because customers could sit and eat their custard while they watched the airplanes and blimps take off across the street at the Akron Fulton Airport.
What is your favorite ice cream flavor?
Black cherry.
Public space shoutout:
The Akron Skate Park
The Akron Skate Park is open 24/7. It’s located in Ellet near the Akron Fulton Airport, Akron BMX and Derby Downs. Used by all ages, the skate park includes multiple bowls, ramps, a funbox and a covered gazebo with a porch swing.
