Date for the Akron Hotel, is not quite known, however, the first recorded deed, is dated,
          April 1, 1847, with transferring the propery from Lewis R. and Charlotte Deig to
          Henry and Sarah Fritz. There were many owners of the Hotel, from that time on, to include
          Jacob Wenger, Samuel Wenger, Monroe B. Wenger, Urias D. Miley, Jacob C. Fry,
          William Lutz, Charles L. Green and W. U. Hensel, and of course, my Great-Grandparents,
          Harvey and M. Francis ( Irvin) Romig.

          In 1902, the property passed into the hands of Frank A. Ricker, owner of a Lancaster-

          Harvey Romig operated the Hotel from February 1908, until his death in November of 1952.
          After that, my Grandfather, Erwin Irvin Romig, operated the Hotel, until August 1953, when
          the Hotel and the grounds were sold to Walter and Esther Snader,  who, decided to move their
          grocery business to the site which housed the Hotel. The old landmark was then removed and
          in its place, was a New Grocery Store.

         At one point in time, the Hotel was one of the most popular places in the community. The
         importance of the Hotel was shown by the fact that it served as the polling place for
         elections many years ago. However, that activity was ceased when a State Law forbade
         voting in Hotels.   Then, before re-routing of our route 222, the Lancaster to Reading -
         Highway passed right  through the Akron Square. As a result, the Hotel, was always well
         filled with roomers and tenants, many of them travelers. Among the many transients who
         stopped at the Akron Hotel were salesmen for the Local Shoe Factories.

           A period of activity was during the building of the oil tanks at Millway, a near by town,
         prior to World War 1. among the construction workers, many of them Irish, were a host
         who made the Akron Hotel their living and entertainment quarters. Another such period came
         during the 1920's when the Ephrata-Lancaster trolley line of the Conestoga Traction Company
         was being rebuilt to pass through Akron. Many of the workers were housed at the Hotel or
         gathered there to pass a sociable evening.

         In the early part of this century when baseball was a Number one pastime and a real
         weekend treat for oldsters and youngsters alike, the rivalry between Ephrata and Akron
         teams was one of the keenest.  Ervin Romig who helped his Father, Harvey in the business
         would for many year, recall this brisk business which followed the games and also the many
         fist fights which were common place.

         When prohibition came along at the close of World War 1, the Hotel took on a new and
         more repectable look with the addition of a Soda Fountain, with an Ice Cream  Parlor.
         The Bar-Room was moved to the rear of the building.

          I remember the Hotel, as having many rooms. Beautiful old furniture. I remember,
          how my Great Grandfather,  would allow us kids,  to sit on the bench outfront, and
         clean out an almost empty Ice Cream container, he would even furnish the spoons.
         Then he would talk to us, if he was not that busy. Both my Great Grandparents were
         well liked, it seemed to me. I was never allowed to enter the Bar-room, unless, it
         was closed, like on a Sunday. They had some oil painting that were hanging there,
         that I never did forget. I hope the people that have them, now, enjoy looking at them
         like I used to. One was an original of Custer's Last Stand.

         Harvey and Mary Francis ( Irvin) Romig, raised two Children, Ervin Irvin Romig
         and Ella Mae who later married Elmer Bowman of Lancaster.

         Inserts taken from, "The Ephrata Review"   dated June 30, 1955