Botzum, Ohio facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Botzum
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Hamlet
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John Botzum General Store, 1875
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 Botzum
Location in Ohio
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| Country | United States |
| State | Ohio |
| County | Summit |
| Elevation | 748 ft (228 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| GNIS feature ID | 1062404 |
Botzum was once a small community, or hamlet, located in Ohio. It was found near where Bath and Riverview Roads meet today. This area is now part of Akron and Cuyahoga Falls.
Botzum's Early Days
Botzum started as a busy spot along the Ohio and Erie Canal. The canal widened here, forming the Yellow Creek Basin. People thought this would be a great place for businesses to grow.
In 1827, a man named Nathaniel Hardy set up several buildings. These included two warehouses, a store, and even a hotel.
A Town That Never Was
In 1836, a plan was made to create a village called Niles. Peter Voris and his friends planned this on 100 acres (about 0.4 square kilometers) of land. However, the village was never actually built. This was because of a big economic problem called the Panic of 1837.
Eventually, the land lots were sold off. One of these lots was bought by a person named George Botzum.
How Botzum Got Its Name
In 1866, a post office opened in the area. It was called the Buckeye post office. But the local train station was already known as Botzum. To make things match, the post office name was changed to Botzum in 1893.
Botzum Today
In the 1920s, the city of Akron bought a large area of land at Botzum. They purchased 800 acres (about 3.2 square kilometers). Their goal was to build a sewage treatment plant. This plant opened in 1928 and is still there today.
There are no longer any signs of the old community. However, the area is known for a special viewing spot. You can watch great blue herons there, east of where Bath Road crosses the Cuyahoga River. There is also a sign along the Ohio and Erie Canal Towpath. This sign shows a photograph of Botzum from 1875.
