Wonder Book of Rubber #PRD-62

In 1870, B. F. Goodrich set a bold course by establishing the first rubber plant west of the Atlantic seaboard, transforming Akron into the heart of the nation’s rubber industry. This short, fact-based account traces the foundation of a manufacturing legacy that would shape both the local economy and the future of transportation.

Sir Henry Wickham’s remarkable journey begins with his efforts to cultivate rubber trees at Kew Gardens, a quiet but pivotal step that set off a chain of global change. His work ultimately led to the transfer of these trees to Ceylon and beyond, laying the foundation for vast plantations across southeast Asia.

In the quiet labs of pre-war America, Michael Faraday’s foundational work on chemistry meets the ingenuity of Dr. Waldo L. Semon and John L. Collyer as they tackle the science of rubber. Their collaboration reveals how precise chemical compounds can transform natural materials into synthetic alternatives—paving the way for national self-reliance in a time of growing global tension.