Quaker Oats Cereal Factory
Also known as: Quaker Square
Why it's listed
Covering the equivalent of a city block in downtown Akron, this former cereal factory grew from the milling operation Ferdinand Schumacher began in 1854. In 1872 he built his expanded German Mills complex on the site. After a fire in 1886, the buildings were replaced with similar ones on the same stone foundations. Later additions include a steel-frame link building, a former rail siding shed, a 1900 express agency depot, and thirty-six poured concrete grain silos about 90 feet tall, with a stepped elevator tower. Quaker Oats was once Akron's biggest industry and largest employer, and while based here the company pioneered national brand advertising, an early product slogan, whistle-stop sales campaigns and small consumer packages. The complex is now the city's only remaining visual link to the company. Adapted in the 1970s as a specialty shopping and restaurant center, it keeps the look of an industrial mill complex, contrasting smooth silos with textured brick warehouses.
Significance in brief: The complex is the only remaining visual reminder in Akron of the Quaker Oats Company, which began there and was once the city's largest employer. Quaker developed early national brand advertising, slogans and consumer packaging while based in Akron. The buildings have also been recycled into a retail center.
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 78002195, listed December 8, 1978. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 120 E. Mill St., Akron |
|---|---|
| County | Summit County |
| Listed | December 8, 1978 |
| Reference number | 78002195 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899, 1900- |
| Areas of significance | Industry, Commerce |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied and in good condition; adapted as the Quaker Square specialty shopping and restaurant complex, with the elevator building and dry house not yet rehabilitated. |
| Acreage | 4 |
| Coordinates | 41.08119, -81.51483 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
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 78002195.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7268566
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.