Quaker Oats silos - Akron, Ohio - Photos Then and Now on Waymarking.com

The American Cereal Company was founded in 1891. While its corporate offices were eventually located in Chicago, Illinois, the primary manufacturing center for its cereals was in Akron, Ohio. Among the company's founders was Ferdinand Schumacher. During the 1880s, Schumacher operated the F. Schumacher Milling Company in Akron. Hoping to reduce competition, he agreed to merge with several additional companies to create the American Cereal Company. The company's main product was oats used in cereal. American Cereal Company sold the oats with a picture of a Quaker on the packaging. This packaging was first used by Henry Crowell, the owner of a mill in Ravenna, Ohio, in 1877.

In 1901, as the American Cereal Company began producing additional products, a parent company was formed, known as Quaker Oats. By the early 1900s, Quaker Oats had become the largest cereal manufacturer in the world. Quaker Oats terminated production in Akron in 1970.

On April 1, 1975, Quaker Square opened with four shops and an ice cream parlor. The 1932 silos, which once held over 1.5 million bushels of grain, were converted into a Hilton Hotel which opened in 1980. Later, other franchises operated the hotel.

The hotel is built into the cluster of 36 silos and is famed for its 196 completely round rooms. Creating guest rooms in the circular towers required sawing through six-inch concrete to form the balconies, windows and doors. Today it is known as The Quaker Square Inn at The University of Akron, which houses both dorm rooms and hotel rooms.

Year photo was taken: 1960

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Date Logged Log User Rating   05/10/2010 buffalohiker visited it