Author Archives: Donna Webb

(Onddatra, syn. Fiber, zibethicus) An aquatic rodent. It reaches a length of two feet with webbed hind feet and long scaly tail. Muskrats tunneled into the canal banks beneath the water, and constructed small chambers … more →

The offspring of a mare and a male donkey. Along with the jenny (the offspring of a stallion and a she-ass) it was the preferred form of power for boats on the Ohio Canal. They … more →

Any tree of the genus Morus; also the edible, pleasantly acid berrylike fruit, usually dark purple. (Red) Mulberry trees grow to 70 feet tall. Though the fruits are edible the trees’ height makes them difficult … more →

Machinery made in Akron for farming. For thirty years it was the leading industry of Akron (1860’s—1890’s). The canal provided water for cooling and transportation for raw materials .

Any of certain insects of the family Culiciddae, having a rather narrow abdomen, usually a long and slender but firm proboscis and narrow wings. The males have featherlike antennae and the mouth parts are not … more →

For four decades, one of the centers for Akron’s black community, the cornerstone of a thriving business and entertainment complex. George Mathews converted an existing boardinghouse at the corner of Howard and Perkins Streets into … more →