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- Constructed: 1929
- Opened: February, 1930
- Named in honor of: George Barber
(1805-1879)
- Addition: 1953
- Closed: February, 2008
- New building: Scheduled for completion in 2009
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n 1845, George Barber, founder of the match industry in
Akron, purchased a struggling match manufacturing business — one of the first west of
the Allegheny Mountains. Although he turned out good matches, his business was
plagued by financial difficulties due to a poor sales distribution system.
Consequently, he traded his factory for a hotel in 1852.
fter a year, he again embarked in the match business — being more successful the
second time with the assistance of his son, Ohio Columbus (O. C.) Barber. By 1862,
O. C. assumed the management of his father's business which in 1868 was incorporated as
the Barber Match Company.
he company grew rapidly during the 1870s. "Strike-anywhere" matches, as they were
called, came into general use throughout the nation. When George Barber died in
1879, the fledgling business he had started was making one-fifth of all the matches
manufactured in the United States. His son, O. C. Barber, founded the village of
Barberton and became known as the "Match King of America."
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