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 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…