Archive Tidbits :: 6/21/06 - Gate Lodge

Photo: Gate Lodge
By Kathleen Folkerth (The following was edited from an article in an Arkon Newspaper)

A conversation that has changed thousands of lives took place in a tiny room of a cottage on a grand Akron estate. It was the historic meeting of two men, Akron surgeon Dr. Bob Smith and New York stockbroker Bill Wilson, both troubled by their addiction to alcohol. The meeting, which took place in the Gate Lodge at Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens on May 12, 1935, set the stage for what would eventually be known as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). The Gate Lodge opened to the public in 2004. During the past two Founders’ Day weekends, more than 7,500 people have walked through the doors of the modest cottage. For more information, read Bill’s Story & Dr. Bob’s Nightmare in the Big Book or go to www.stanhywet.org.