Goodyear Airdock
Why it's listed
Rising beside the Akron Airport, this enormous airship hangar has been likened to half a silkworm's cocoon cut lengthwise. It measures 1,175 feet long, 325 feet wide and 211 feet high, and its sheet metal skin is attached to eleven parabolic arches spaced 80 feet apart. Identical two-piece spherical doors close each end; each piece weighs 600 tons and rolls on 40 wheels set on curved railroad track. The building rests on rollers so it can expand and contract with temperature changes. Goodyear Zeppelin Corporation built it between April and November 1929 for about 2.2 million dollars, using plans by the Wilbur Watson Engineering Company. At the time it was the world's largest building without interior supports. It made Akron a center for lighter-than-air ship construction, and the Navy dirigibles Akron and Macon were built there in 1931 and 1934. Later it housed the photographic division of Goodyear Aerospace and remained in excellent, unaltered condition.
Significance in brief: It made Akron a center for developing and building lighter-than-air ships, and the Navy airships Akron and Macon were built inside it. At the time it was the largest building in the world without interior supports. Its engineering is notable, including 600-ton spherical doors and a structure mounted on rollers to allow for temperature expansion.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 73002259, listed April 11, 1973. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | S side of the Akron Airport, Akron |
|---|---|
| County | Summit County |
| Listed | April 11, 1973 |
| Reference number | 73002259 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1929 (20th Century) |
| Architect / builder | Goodyear Zeppelin Corporation (builder); plans by Wilbur Watson Engineering Company of Cleveland, Ohio |
| Areas of significance | Industry, Engineering, Transportation |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition excellent and unaltered; no longer used for its original purpose, and it houses the photographic division of Goodyear Aerospace Corporation. |
| Acreage | 9 |
| Coordinates | 41.03202, -81.47067 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 73002259.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q3110737
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.