Who was Paul E. Werner? Akron preservationists propose name for new Route 8 bridge

Mark J. Price, Akron Beacon Journal
·3 min read

Akron preservationists have proposed a name for the new bridge that will be built on state Route 8 over the Little Cuyahoga River.

Progress Through Preservation of Greater Akron suggests “The Paul E. Werner Memorial Bridge.” If you aren’t familiar with Werner, that proves the group’s point: The industrialist’s name has been unjustly erased from the city’s memory.

Paul E. Werner (1850-1931)
Paul E. Werner (1850-1931)

The German immigrant (1850-1931) served as publisher of the Akron Tribune, Sunday Gazette and Germania newspapers, and founded the Werner Printing & Lithograph Co., which in the late 19th century was Akron’s largest employer with about 1,500 workers.

Werner’s 11-building complex at Perkins and North Union streets produced such works as Webster’s Dictionary, Encyclopaedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Americana, the Waldorf Cook Book, the White House Cook Book and World’s Best Literature. At its peak, the Akron plant printed 10,000 volumes a day, or enough to fill six train cars, and operated branches in 20 countries.

In an April 13 letter to Akron City Council members, Progress through Preservation President Sarah Deitrick noted that “in spite of Mr. Werner’s considerable contributions to the City of Akron not even a street, park or site has memorialized him.”

Progress Through Preservation promotes and encourages the preservation, maintenance, restoration and adaptive reuse of buildings, sites and neighborhoods that are of historic or architectural significance in Akron and Summit County.

The former Werner office building, later the home of Famous Enterprises, is pictured in 1975 at Perkins and North Union streets in Akron.
The former Werner office building, later the home of Famous Enterprises, is pictured in 1975 at Perkins and North Union streets in Akron.

Members are still heartbroken that Werner’s castlelike office building at 109 N. Perkins St., the last surviving structure from the complex, was abruptly demolished in 2020 despite their efforts to save it. The red brick building had been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1977.

In 2018, the group submitted a historic landmark application for the vacant building to the Akron City Urban Design and Historic Preservation Commission after owner Famous Realty of Cleveland listed it for sale.

“PTP representatives toured the building along with representatives of Famous and were of the opinion that the structure was sound and could be restored or repurposed,” Deitrick wrote. “Famous promised to notify PTP in advance of any purchase offer or demolition of the building.

“PTP was proceeding with efforts to find a way to preserve the building when Famous summarily razed the structure in September 2020 without the promised notice to PTP or obtaining a demolition permit from the city.”

With the building gone, Progress Through Preservation would like to see Werner honored through the naming of the new bridge on Route 8, which will be constructed northeast of the former site of the publishing complex.

A postcard shows the Werner Co. at Perkins and North Union streets in Akron. The office building is in the circle.
A postcard shows the Werner Co. at Perkins and North Union streets in Akron. The office building is in the circle.

The Ohio Department of Transportation plans to begin work in July on the $154.6 million project, which is expected to take five years to complete.

Built in 1953, the current six-lane bridge is 1,500 feet long and carries 120,000 vehicles a day. ODOT will replace it with two four-lane bridges. The state plans to maintain three lanes of traffic in each direction during construction, although ramp closures will range from 14 days to two years at Perkins Street and Glenwood Avenue.

“PTP hereby requests resolution and approval by Akron City Council to be forwarded to the Ohio Department of Transportation for the naming of the new Ohio State Route 8 Bridge as ‘The Paul E. Werner Memorial Bridge,’ ” Deitrick wrote.

She cited the precedent of Stow naming the Steels Corners bridge over Route 8 as the John Lewis Memorial Bridge in 2021. Stow dedicated the structure on the first anniversary of the death of the Georgia civil rights leader and U.S. congressman.

“In summary, PTP prays that the Akron City Council resolves, approves and forwards our petition to ODT for consideration, approval and application,” Deitrick concluded.

Will Paul E. Werner be remembered or forgotten?

Beacon Journal reporter Eric Marotta contributed to this article. Mark J. Price can be reached at mprice@thebeaconjournal.com

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This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Akron preservationists propose naming Route 8 bridge for industrialist