1844

The YMCA is founded by Sir George Williams in London, England.  A dry goods clerk, the first programs were a reading room, Bible study and a resource for acquiring room and board.

1851

The first YMCAs are established in North America in Boston, Massachusetts and Montréal , Quebec.

1854

YMCA is founded in Cleveland, Cincinnati, Indianapolis and Detroit.

1870

• YMCA of Akron, Ohio is founded by Judge Jacob Kohler, a prosecuting attorney and later involved in the founding of Akron Paint and Varnish. 
• The first building was a reading room in the Mathews Block on South Howard St. 
• The Y opened with 120 members and a $200.00 annual budget.

1880

• YMCA moves to the Academy of Music Building, later called the Everett Building at the corner of Main and Market Streets.
• First Akron Y General Secretary, J. Y. Leming is hired.

1882

First adult evening school in Akron is organized by the YMCA.

1889

Akron YMCA General Secretary, James N. Gunn was hired.

1891

The game of basketball is invented by pastor and YMCA training school instructor, James Naismith at the YMCA Training School – now Springfield College – in Springfield Massachusetts.

1902

• The YMCA of Akron, Ohio, Incorporated is officially incorporated in the State of Ohio.
• Richard G. Hooper became General Secretary.

1906

Opened in early 1906 at a cost of $125,000, a five story building that had a gymnasium, indoor swimming bath, a dining room, auditorium, classrooms, clubrooms for games and reading, offices and a dormitory was built at the corner of State and Main Streets in Akron.

1907

• The Medina County YMCA is founded.  Their camp is called Camp Craig in Hinkley, Ohio.
• Akron Y Camping Program is started with Gypsy Hikes to Camp Kettle near Coshocton, Ohio.

1911

Under leadership of Andrew Noah, the Y purchased land in Green Township for a camp.  Situated on East Reservoir, it was named Camp Mudjikiwis.

1912

Akron Community Boys Department is founded.

1915

• Education Committee of the YMCA offers programs to improve literacy.
• The Perkins St. Branch, a predecessor to the Akron Urban League, is founded to serve African-Americans relocating to Akron.
• The first Boy Scout troop in Akron is formed under the auspices of the YMCA.

1918

Youth outreach programs in East and South Akron are started.

1921

The South Akron Y, now the Firestone Park Y, is started above a hardware store on Aster Ave.

1923

The Barberton Y is founded.

1927

John A. VanDis becomes General Secretary and leads the Y through a period of great growth before joining the staff of the National Council of YMCAs.

1929

YMCA offices are moved to 122 W. Bowery St.  Other activities take place in schools and churches while a new building is constructed.  The old Y building is torn down to make way for the Mayflower Hotel.

1930

Replacing Camp Mudjikiwis, Camp Y-Noah is founded on 250 acres in Green Township.

1931

• The 15 story Central YMCA, the largest of its kind in the country with 220 dorm rooms, a pool, gyms, bowling lanes, a restaurant, barber shop and dry cleaning shop is constructed at 80 W. Center St.
• 75,000 visitors inspect the new Central YMCA building at Bowery, Center and Water Streets.  Completed at a cost of $1.26 million, it is the tallest Y building in Ohio.
• Membership was 5481.

1935

The first All-American Soap Box Derby champs are housed at Camp Y-Noah.

1936

Programs are organized in West Akron.  Membership was 9,123.

1937

John L. Prosser is named General Secretary of the Akron YMCA and serves until 1951.

1940s

Various outposts of the YMCA are established in North Hill, Kenmore and East Akron.  Henry Kohl is the first Y secretary who directs program development.

1946

• The Glendale YMCA is started to serve African American men.
• E. Bruce Tate is named Executive Secretary of the Glendale Y.

1947

The Cuyahoga Falls Branch YMCA is established after five years as an outreach center in a house at the corner of Broad Blvd. and 6^th Street.

1950

The East Akron and Firestone Park branches are built on property donated by the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company and the Firestone Tire and Rubber Company.  P. W. Litchfield and Raymond Firestone lay the respective cornerstones.

1953

The Y purchases a 3.5 acre tract on Lawton St. for a West Akron YMCA and operated until the late 1970s with a gym, handball courts and meeting rooms.

1961

The Tallmadge YMCA/YWCA is opened on East Ave. near Tallmadge Circle.

1966

The Western Reserve Branch is established on 11 acres of property near the intersection of Fishcreek and Rt. 59.

1967

The Longwood Branch is established on 10 acres of property donated by Macedonia Mayor, Colonel Frew Long.

1969

William A. Markell is named General Director and serves until 1975.

1972

• YMCA’s first Child Care Center, Hope Child Care Center is opened as a collaboration with the Florence Crittenden Home, First Presbyterian Church, the United Way and the YMCA.
• The YMCA Phoenix Alternative School is started by Y volunteers Senator Oliver Ocasek and Juvenile Court Judge William Kannell.
• The YMCA of the USA Values Project is initiated by the YMCA of Akron, Ohio.

1975

Fred F. Fuerst is named General Director of the Akron YMCA and serves until 1991.

1979

• In an effort to streamline operations, the Y sells some property.  Residential property behind Firestone Park, the West Akron Y, property in NW Akron and Stow were sold.
• The Heritage Club is founded with 56 members who have included the Y in their estate plan.

1980

The Central YMCA is closed as part of a $4.6 million renovation and improvement project and the administrative offices move to the Firestone Park YMCA for six years while renovation of the Central Y building takes place.

1982

YMCA & YWCA conclude negotiations to split shared buildings with the YMCA taking control of the Cuyahoga Falls Y and the YWCA operating the Tallmadge Y building.

1984

The Firestone Equestrian Center, complete with a barn, box stalls and tack room is completed at Camp Y-Noah.

1986

• The Central Y re-opens as the Canal Square YMCA.  The dorm rooms are converted to 55 apartments, 13,000 square feet of commercial space and a completely renovated YMCA space.  It qualifies for the National Register of Historic Spaces.
• The Medina Y ceases operations and the service area is assigned to the Akron association, operating programs from an office building just off the square in the City of Medina.
• YMCA Phoenix School receives a charter as a State of Ohio certified SBH School.

1991

Douglas R. Kohl is hired as General Director and then is appointed President/CEO.

• The YMCA conducts an Endowment Development Campaign and adds over $250,000 to the fund, including a lead gift from the GAR Foundation.

1992

• The Leadership Development Center and High Ropes Course is opened at Camp Y-Noah with lead gifts from GenCorp, The GAR Foundation and the Knight Foundation.
• The YMCA Phoenix School moves from Glendale Ave. to the East Akron YMCA.
• YMCA membership is 2,000 units (about 4,200 members).

1994

• The Longwood YMCA builds a 12,000 square foot building that includes a gym and classrooms at the Shepard Rd. property for $500,000.
• The Falls YMCA expands programs to the Schnee Elementary School in order to serve growing gymnastics, childcare, day camp and other youth programs.
• The YMCA Endowment Foundation is incorporated.  First chairman is David Vernon.
• Medina YMCA moves from office space to Weymouth Elementary School on Remsen Rd.

1995

The YMCA begins a partnership with the Akron Rotary Camp for Children With Special Needs on Rex Lake in Akron, operating programs at this camp that has been owned by the Rotary Club of Akron since 1923.

1996

38 acres of property on S. R. 59 in Ravenna Twp. is donated by Douglas McGee to the Y for the benefit of starting a Y in Portage County.

1998

• Camp Y-Noah receives $1.2 million in improvements including a new dining hall, indoor riding arena and cabin improvements. 
• Improvements to fitness & childcare are made to the Canal Square YMCA. The YMCA Administrative Offices move from Canal Square to 209 S. Main St.

1999

The Cuyahoga Falls YMCA completes $2.5 million in improvements that include a new gymnastics center, wellness center and classrooms.  Schnee School programs are reunited at the Broad Blvd. location.  The Y is renamed the Riverfront YMCA.

2000

The $4.7 million Green YMCA is opened in August 2000, a collaboration with Summa Health System.

2006

• A $1.8 million expansion of the Green YMCA is completed.
• YMCA membership stands at 8,000 units, approximately 18,000 men, women and children.

2007

The Lake Anna YMCA opens in November, a collaboration with the Barberton Community Foundation, the City of Barberton, Barberton Citizen’s Hospital and the YMCA.  The project is completed for $9.0 million.

2011

The $11.0 million University Park YMCA opens to the public in January.  Lead gifts by Summa Health Systems and the Knight Foundation are key to this project.

2013

• The Wadsworth YMCA opens.  This project is a 5 partner collaboration including the YMCA, Wadsworth Public Schools, the City of Wadsworth, Summa Health System and the Wadsworth Library.
• Membership tops 18,000 membership units (36,000 men, women and children).

2016

Jill Kolesar is hired as President/CEO.