A wooded hillside monument to abolitionist John Brown that Akron residents could once only reach through guided tours or special events now has a public trailhead available during zoo hours, weather permitting. The City of Akron, the Akron Zoo, and the Summit County Historical Society marked the opening of the John Brown Monument Trailhead, a tenth-of-a-mile path that starts inside the zoo's parking lot and leads to the 1910 sandstone column honoring the militant abolitionist.
From Special-Events-Only to a Daily Walk
For years, seeing the monument up close meant waiting for a scheduled tour or a special event, with a zoo staff member typically required to escort visitors onto the grounds. As reported by Cleveland.com, the new trail changes that by putting the monument on a path accessible during regular zoo hours — 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. from April 5 through September 30, and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. from October 1 through April 4 — with the pathway itself closing 30 minutes before the zoo does each day. Parking is free, and visitors do not need to pay zoo admission just to walk the trail to the monument, according to the outlet's reporting.
The path is described as a nature trail and is not accessible under the Americans with Disabilities Act; anyone needing ADA accommodations can call 330-375-2550 to schedule a visit, per the same report. Funding for the trailhead came through Akron200, the city's bicentennial initiative, and the Akron Bicentennial Commission. The City of Akron owns the monument itself, while the Akron Zoo cares for it.
A Century of Reinterpretation on Sherbondy Hill
The monument's roots go back to 1910, when Akron's German-American Alliance erected the original sandstone pillar from a column salvaged from Summit County's demolished first courthouse, according to Signal Akron. The dedication marked the 50th anniversary of Brown's execution.
Nearly three decades later, Akron's Negro 25 Year Club, led by lawyer and civil rights leader Emmer Lancaster, expanded the site in 1938. The group added a stone and bronze marker, the outlet's report notes. The monument fell into neglect and suffered vandalism for decades afterward, and it was restored in time for Akron's 150th anniversary in 1975. In 2000, the Akron Zoo purchased the surrounding land to protect the site, while the city retained ownership of the monument itself — an arrangement that, according to the site's reporting, ultimately limited general public access for more than twenty years.
A Push for Public Access and a Bicentennial Deadline
Local historian Dave Lieberth was a staunch advocate for preserving the monument and played a pivotal role in the trailhead's construction. The trailhead was dedicated on September 22, 2026, and Akron Mayor Shammas Malik spoke at the ceremony, per Signal Akron's account.
Summit Metro Parks designed and constructed the new trail. The project also repurposed the zoo's former bus stop to display signage about the monument's history — an adaptive reuse the same outlet highlighted as part of the redesign.
Why the Site Sits Where It Does
Brown lived in Akron from 1844 to 1854 and worked on land owned by Col. Simon Perkins near the Perkins Stone Mansion; a John Brown House museum is located at 514 Diagonal Road. The zoo property was chosen for the original monument because of its proximity to Brown's family home on Diagonal Road, according to Cleveland.com's report.
Brown went on to advocate armed resistance to abolish slavery, and in October 1859 he led a raid on the federal armory at Harpers Ferry, Virginia, that the Akron Zoo says aimed to spark an armed revolt by enslaved people. The raid resulted in the deaths of 16 people. Brown was convicted of murder, conspiracy and treason, and he was executed on December 2, 1859.
What's Missing From the Monument Today
One piece of the original design has never been restored. The sandstone column originally featured an eagle, which was lost in a 1940 tornado, according to Signal Akron. Whether that missing eagle or other lost elements will ever be reconstructed remains an open question tied to future restoration work on the monument itself.
