" THE PORTAGE TRAIL " 1915 MELODRAMA AKRON, OHIO WATER CRISIS & TYPHOID OUTBREAK 90834

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This strange, silent film "The Portage Trail" dates to 1915. The film tells the story of a romance between a minister's son and a banker's daughter, but the narrative also pays attention to the city of Akron, Ohio. It's highly possible that the film was made in an attempt to clean up that city's reputation, since in the 1910s there was a deadly outbreak of typhoid fever caused by a bad water supply. To whit, the film has a segment, inserted into the middle of the romance, explaining how the city now has a new "five million dollar water treatment plant". (Incidentally, this treatment plant was highly successful and ended the outbreak in the city.) Interestingly, the way the narrative unfolds in "The Portage Trail", a modern viewer gets the sense that the romantic story may have been a familiar one -- perhaps one told in a play or book that predates this film. So far, we haven't identified any fictional counterpart, although a book with the same title was published in 1924 (but doesn't seem to be similar to the movie in terms of content). The film stars Miriam Good, Neal Handy, George Bates, Newton S. Noble, Jr., Hulda Jacob, and others (credits at :13).
The Portage Trail aka Portage Path is an old Indian trail, which runs between Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio and the Tuscarawas River. The Trail is a route the Indians blazed from Lake Erie to Chautauqua Lake, and represented the western boundary of the United States in 1785.
The film begins with images of a church social at Cuyahoga Falls circa 1915, with the local minister explaining that his son William is soon to depart for Akron, where he will be working in the rubber factory. At 1:07, a steam locomotive pulls a passenger train; the minister's son boards it. At 1:30, WIlliam is shown at the rubber factory with co-workers. At 1:49, he receives a notice that he's been fired for operating machinery carelessly. At 2:14, William witnesses an attempted robbery of a woman named Dorothy. William manages to break it up. He helps the victim board a trolley car 2:26. William is rewarded with a job at a local bank. At 3:50, William receives a letter from the Akron Rubber Works informing him that he was blamed for something he didn't do, and that his old job awaits if he wants it. At 4:27, William and Dorothy become better acquainted. At 4:33, interesting shots of downtown Akron, Ohio. At 4:52, shots of the city's recreational park with its broad lake, skyscrapers, and industrial factories. At 6:60, the springtime Children's Playground Pageant is shown. At 7:04, a five million dollar water plant is dedicated by the Mayor. (Note: in 1915, 126 people in Akron became sick with Typhoid; the situation was alleviated by 1925 when a new water treatment plant [probably the one shown in the film] was built.) At 7:57, Dorothy and William arrive at the Portage Path Tablet, now known as the Portage Path Monument, located Perkins Park Drive in Perkins Wood, Akron. The monument was erected by the Daughters of the American Revolution in 1914. At 8:47, a re-enactment of Native Americans with canoes, congregating on the banks of the river. At 9:55, "a romance grows in the moonlight" between William and Dorothy. At 11:07, the "heartless" father discourages their romance. At 11:36, the Portage Country Club, which opened in 1906. At 12:09, Dorothy throws a house party which ends disastrously in a huge fire at 13:28. Dorothy is rescued by William and the two become betrothed. The film ends with their wedding.
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[@billsomody6928]

My Mother was born in Akron in 1915. I was born in 1953, the youngest of 6 children. We lived on North Hill. It's interesting that Portage Country club is still going strong after all these years. St. Paul's Episcopal church as well. Feeding those beautiful white swans an exquisite scene. Thank you for sharing this piece of local history. So much packed into a 16 minute film! Lots of drama and human interaction! Wedding and fire rescue, etc etc, etc!! Would Hollywood ever go back to these short films to save money? I wonder how much the main actors ( the roles of Dorothy and William) were paid for their work? Maybe millions, but probably only in pennies or perhaps nickels! Lol!

[@PorkChopJones]

Thanks so much for showing this film from the 1920's,people need to understand that this film made was at the very beginning end of picture making there would be a piano player on stage to set the mood/emotions until the Talkies came.... Some people in the very early days, actually thought this was some kind of black magic both evil and sinful, I kid you not. High society people went to the movies back then and they all came dressed up in their best clothes, It was a special time for everyone to go to the movies on the weekend. For the average person going to the movies back then was considered a luxury. Thanks for this wonderful look back into history! Periscope Film!

[@blackwidow8000]

As someone who lived in Akron for many years, this was a fascinating film. Thanks for posting this!

[@mommykrab1624]

Would love to see someone go to filming site and show then and now. Both raw footage and split screen would be an awesome adventure for someone with skills. Even a awesome undertaking for a local history or drama teacher … to do exact place and motion of actor on split screen. It would be a great community treasure.. even shown on big screen or public viewing event… think about it

[@paulabrannan1111]

Site in Falls is also a memorial park at Bailey and Front street due to a tragic train wreck there

[@bigtosz]

HE TOOK A TRAIN FROM CUYAHOGA FALLS TO AKRON?! (For those outside northeast Ohio, Cuyahoga Falls and Akron border each other, and the furthest Akron rubber plant from downtown Cuyahoga Falls is eight miles 😆) ((There was also interurban rail, yes, but it’s still funny.))

[@paulabrannan1111]

Yes. The doodle bug line!

[@zackfrm330]

lmao u right im from Goodyear Heights

[@MrSilentjim]

There is a Doodlebug memorial where it crashed. Went from Akron to Falls to Hudson. Tracks are still there but will be bike path

[@TremendousKendous]

Yeah I mean this was 1915. There is no highways and not everyone had a car. Public transit like trains and shorter trains (such as the aforementioned doodle bug line). This isn’t like Tommy Boy having a plane from Sandusky to Cuyahoga Falls and making a stop in Columbus…that was a film being written by people who just grabbed a list of cities of Ohio and never looked at a map or set foot here. This was a film produced by Akron people in Akron. It just happens to be a very different time from now.

[@cicione2007]

Very cool to see "old" Akron in motion

[@ralphcarneymovies1919]

This is fantastic. Thank you!

[@PeriscopeFilm]

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[@christopheresker8542]

Excellent - just read Mark Price's ABJ article and watched the film. So much to see - the @AkronCivicTheatre and @TheNightlight ought to consider screening this gem - or even the @AkronSummitCountyPublicLibrary, which has a wonderful auditorium.

[@donaldrankin9656]

If the Civic decides to do it I volunteer to give it a proper accompaniment on their Wurlitzer.

[@ebreedon]

Is it possible that this was made in 1915? Considering the date 1915 repeated throughout?

[@kmdfrd]

That is correct. I found an article in the Akron Evening Times of September 15, 1915, reporting on the film's public debut the night before at the Grand Theater. According to the article, the Akron Chamber of Commerce produced the film to promote the city. It said Miss Amy Fullington provided the piano accompaniment.

[@nataliecassidy4298]

These old films of how things were done and the way people dressed and looked back in those days are very interesting. I was born in Cuyahoga Falls in 1955.

[@Wifgargfhaurh]

Akron has a goblin problem

[@keithpomeraning9784]

Wow, you're in my backyard...

[@jaredevildog6343]

No I'm not.... I'm here in Washington State.

[@USJFKSWGA]

I live in Cuyahoga falls..

[@makebacunningham6795]

I'm in Akron ✌🏽

[@christopheresker8542]

@@makebacunningham6795 - You and @USJFKSWGA should hop on the electric interurban train to meet each other....

[@Bomb.jamesbomb]

Neat

[@mattmarzula]

2:16... What happened to the kid?

[@the_mowron]

I'm thinking the "hero" may have hired the robbers so he could save the young lady. That robbery just seemed too convenient to me. edit: I hadn't watched the end yet when commenting. He's also an arsonist.

[@johnjones9642]

The north side of Akron is the falls!🤣

[@paulabrannan1111]

Wrong! Formerly know as little Italy/ North Hill. Falls Is on north side of river. Falls is older than Akron!

[@johnjones9642]

@@paulabrannan1111 same thing. He still didn't need to take a train🤣🤣 yeah back then they put all Italians on north hill when they came to the states. Now it's the Asian or what ever you call them, that's over there now.

[@ellagirl3496]

@@johnjones9642 and they are buying all the old abandoned houses and creating stores on North Main St. that had been boarded up for at least 20 years. I have watched North Hill spring back to life with this influx of hard working refugees. Very positive effect.

[@johnjones9642]

@@ellagirl3496 yeah they might as well. They also get a lot of help from that international place etc. They can't drive a lick🤣🤣🤣

[@johnjones9642]

@@ellagirl3496 they aren't buying all the old places, it's the international place that assist them & they buy all that for them. The city of Akron helps here & there but they get a kick back. If not for that they would remain boarded up. They get assist ed pretty much on everything when they get over here to this country. They even eat for free at the Chinese buffet at chapel Hill. Akron police even hired 1officer from their country to help with the language barrier. They are having kids left & right! I used to be a cab driver and take them back& forth from Dr appointments. They get naked in a heart beat.

[@nicholehajtovik7625]

I am a siberling/ Robinson family my family home is stan hewitt and Robin family home

[@andreagaskins1]

Only in Ohio 💀

[@jesussavescars807]

Crazy to think that the ford factory would have been mine in this era had my grandfather not been robbed by Henry ford it would have still been the Patterson motor company it’s a shame that why u never share your ideas with a rich greedy man

[@Legenddjt]

Huh?

[@mattmarzula]

​@@Sarabella68 *lies

[@mattmarzula]

Ideas aren't execution. You're full of it.

[@bitteranjel6782]

The trail connects the lakes Cuyahoga Falls and Portage Lakes lare both Tech CDPs ( Census designated park zones) they are not Akron its a shame people who live here don't understand basic geography

[@teemarie780]

But we have you to save us from the shame of our ignorance. Thank you so much for enlightening the world of such an important fact.

[@mattmarzula]

Basic geography is cardinal directions along with major, minor, and supplementary terrain features. Zoning and municipal boundaries are not basic geography. No one ever said that the trail was Akron. The title of the film is "The Portage Trail" and it clearly states it's a "photoplay enacted in Akron, Ohio". The title of the video is about the film and the subtopics of the Akron water crisis and the typhoid outbreak. Whatever your beef is, it's rooted in your own inability to pay attention and observe. That's just it's own ignorance. Then to act superior like you have something over everyone else? Come on. If you're going to be a killjoy at least be realistic and factual.

[@mattmarzula]

​@@teemarie780 sure. With their own.

[@bitteranjel6782]

I don't just surprised I did alot of hiking that's a n it is geography