From our photo archives: Goodyear celebrates 125 years

Frank Seiberling, founder of Goodyear, sitting at his desk

Frank A. Seiberling founded the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. on Aug. 29, 1898. He named the company for Charles Goodyear, who 59 years earlier discovered the vulcanization process that made rubber a useful substance. Seiberling selected the winged foot of the Roman god Mercury as the company logo, anticipating the "winged foot would carry Goodyear around the globe."

Goodyear's first facility just outside Akron
Goodyear's first home was this small strawboard factory on the banks of the Little Cuyahoga River just outside Akron. Frank Seiberling purchased the property for $13,500.
Goodyear employee stretches rubber over wheel in early 1900s
Early days of tire production differ drastically from today's highly technical plants. Automobile tire production began in 1899, and by 1916, Goodyear was the world's largest tire and rubber company. Today, the company ranks No. 3 among global tire makers.
1917 photo of Goodyear employees demonstrating commercial truck tires on the Wingfoot Express truck, a 1917 Packard

In 1917, Goodyear demonstrated the usefulness of pneumatic truck tires. Using a Wingfoot Express truck, a 1917 Packard, to carry a load of tires from Akron to Boston, the truck made history as it accomplished the first cross-country trucking run, proving the feasibility of commercial trucking, according to Goodyear.

Mrs. Arnstein, wife of airship designer Karl Arnstein, christens the Goodyear Mayflower blimp on May 22, 1929

Karl Arnstein, designer of the airships Akron and Macon as well as the airdock at Goodyear's former Aerospace subsidiary, stands a safe distance behind his wife as she christens the Mayflower on May 12, 1929.

Goodyear blimp
In 1966, Goodyear's Mayflower blimp debuted Skytacular, a four-color, animated night sign developed at Wingfoot Lake.
Protesters stop a train from Goodyear in 1976

Goodyear pickets stop a train from the company in 1976. On April 21 that year, 70,000 rubber workers, members of the United Rubber Workers union, went on strike at Firestone, Goodyear, Goodrich and Uniroyal. They sought better wages.

Goodyear employee stands in the center of a 12-ft. tall radial tire to add decals.
A Goodyear employee adds decals to a radial earthmover tire at the company's Topeka, Kan., plant. The tire weighs nearly 7,500 pounds and stands nearly 12 feet high.
Goodyear employee handles rubber hoses manufactured by the company

A Goodyear employee handles rubber hoses manufactured by the company.

Goodyear Galaxy hose in facility
Goodyear's Galaxy hose for air conditioning.
Goodyear employee analyzes tire data
A Goodyear employee analyzes tire tread data on an IBM Personal Computer in the 1980s.
Goodyear employees test tires in Florida for snow traction

Goodyear employees test winter tires inside the Eglin Air Force Base's climatic chamber.

Godyear R&D fellow Dr. Adel Halasa

Adel Halasa, a Goodyear research and development fellow. He was the 1997 recipient of the Charles Goodyear Medal, which is awarded by the ACS Rubber Division.

Goodyear worker along conveyor belt with tires at Avon Lake facility
A worker at Goodyear's Avon Lake, Ohio, facility of T&WA readies a batch of tires that will be sent to be mounted and balanced before their delivery to a Ford Motor Co. assembly plant.
Goodyear worker Greg Cox examines rubber extract solution with pile of tires in the background

Goodyear associate Greg Cox examines rubber extract in a solution derived during laboratory testing. Goodyear had received a patent for a process that could offer a viable answer to the recycling of scrap tires by reversing the vulcanization process, leaving the rubber recurable in tires and other products.

Frank Seiberling, founder of Goodyear, sitting at his desk
Goodyear's first facility just outside Akron
Goodyear employee stretches rubber over wheel in early 1900s
1917 photo of Goodyear employees demonstrating commercial truck tires on the Wingfoot Express truck, a 1917 Packard
Mrs. Arnstein, wife of airship designer Karl Arnstein, christens the Goodyear Mayflower blimp on May 22, 1929
Goodyear blimp
Protesters stop a train from Goodyear in 1976
Goodyear employee stands in the center of a 12-ft. tall radial tire to add decals.
Goodyear employee handles rubber hoses manufactured by the company
Goodyear Galaxy hose in facility
Goodyear employee analyzes tire data
Goodyear employees test tires in Florida for snow traction
Godyear R&D fellow Dr. Adel Halasa
Goodyear worker along conveyor belt with tires at Avon Lake facility
Goodyear worker Greg Cox examines rubber extract solution with pile of tires in the background

Much has changed for the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. in the past 125 years, from tire production, testing and even the company's iconic blimp. We dug into the Rubber News archives to get a picture of the tire maker's past. Here's a look at some historical photos from the tire maker, which today stands as third largest worldwide.