Resharing an old post I found from 2010 about the Norton Homes:
Today, we are featuring a story from one of our fans, Gary Matney. If any of you have a story related to Barberton and would like us to run it on this site, please email us at Barbertonhistsoc@aol.com. Thank you, Gary, for your story:
THE NORTON HOMES by Gary Matney
There was a long waiting list to move into Norton Homes. We moved here in the spring of 1942 just a few months after the start of World War II. The lawns weren’t in yet and refrigerators were just being delivered. This was the first time many families had refrigerators. We spent weeks playing in the refrigerator boxes.
Many of the men and some women were defense workers and worked at B&W, Seiberling, PPG, Sun Rubber in Barberton or Goodyear, Goodrich, Firestone in Akron. Most of us were probably poor but didn’t know it. Many of the younger men were drafted or joined the military for World War II. There was a housing shortage during the war because of all the workers needed for the local manufacturing industries. People came from all over Ohio to live there, also Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Tennessee, and especially West Virginia.
I was 7 years old and I loved it. There were so many kids to run and play with and there were the BHS athletic fields just across Norton Avenue to go to baseball and football games. Also there were woods and creeks and swamps close by to explore. Lake Anna was just south four or five blocks to swim in. It was heaven for a youngster.
Most of the children who lived there went to Central Grade School or St. Augustine and on to Lincoln through the 8th grade then on to Barberton High School. Later on Decker and Memorial were built and children went to Portage Jr. High and then to High School.
Some of the people who lived there that I remember were: Hal and Tom Naragon, Dick Fletcher, Bob Addis, Mike Stewart, Jim Stewart and his sister Phyllis Stewart Taylor, Jay Hallinan, Ralph Lukens, and former Mayor Randy Hart in his youth.
Gary also commented on his photo:
It appears as though the kids are standing on a porch. Actually the stoop contained a coal bin. Some of the kids are standing on it. Years later the bins were torn off.
People will probably remember the “projects” as being porchless.The main building had washers (clothes were hung outside). Also when your grass needed mowing, you got your mower (push-type) from that main building.
Rules were strict and you had to keep your yard neat and tidy.
All reactions:
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Many contributors to the Magic City started in the Norton homes. Today the Middle School sits on the site.