Explore the real-world places that appear in Room by Emma Donoghue. Each location on the map shows what happens there in the novel, the real history of the place, and what's there today. Featured locations include Backyard Shed, Akron General Medical Center, Summit County Sheriff's Office, Grandma's House, Cascade Valley Metro Parks and 6 more.
Suburban neighborhood — Jack and Ma's prison
This is Room itself, the 11x11 foot soundproofed shed where Jack has lived his entire five years with Ma. Jack believes this is the entire world, calling the skylight 'Skylight' and the bed 'Bed' as if they are living beings. Ma tells him stories and creates elaborate games to keep him entertained and educated. Old Nick visits at night, bringing groceries and supplies while Ma hides Jack in Wardrobe. The shed contains their entire universe until their dramatic escape.
Typical suburban backyards in Akron contain various outbuildings and sheds, often used for storage or workshops. Some properties date back to the early 20th century when Akron was booming as the 'Rubber Capital of the World.'
The fictional location represents countless suburban properties throughout Akron's residential neighborhoods, where normal family life continues behind privacy fences and mature trees.
1 Akron General Ave — Where Jack and Ma receive medical care
After their escape, Jack and Ma are brought here for medical evaluation and treatment. Jack is terrified by the bright lights, machines, and unfamiliar people after living his entire life in Room. Ma receives treatment for malnutrition and psychological trauma while Jack undergoes medical tests. The sterile hospital environment overwhelms Jack, who has never seen such a large space or so many strangers.
Akron General Medical Center was founded in 1914 and has been a cornerstone of healthcare in Summit County for over a century. The hospital expanded significantly in the post-war era to serve Akron's growing suburban population.
Now part of the Cleveland Clinic health system, Akron General continues to provide comprehensive medical services including emergency care, trauma treatment, and specialized programs for abuse survivors.
53 University Ave — Where the investigation begins
After Jack's successful escape plan leads police to rescue Ma, they are brought here for initial questioning and processing. Jack struggles to understand the police officers and the formal interview process, having never interacted with strangers before. The officers work to piece together the seven-year kidnapping case while trying to be gentle with the traumatized child who sees everything as a frightening new experience.
The Summit County Sheriff's Office has served the Akron area since 1840, evolving from frontier law enforcement to modern police work. The current headquarters was built in the 1970s as part of an expansion of county services.
The sheriff's office continues to handle major crimes and investigations throughout Summit County, including cases involving missing persons, kidnapping, and domestic violence.
Residential street — Ma's childhood home
This is where Ma grew up, and where she and Jack come to stay after their rescue. Jack is amazed by the multiple rooms, the stairs, and especially the garden where real plants grow. Grandma struggles with guilt over Ma's disappearance years earlier, while Grandpa has difficulty coping with the trauma. Jack explores every corner of the house, fascinated by family photos, the television, and normal household items he's never seen before.
Akron's residential neighborhoods feature many modest family homes built during the city's industrial boom in the early-to-mid 20th century. These neighborhoods housed workers from Goodyear, Firestone, and other rubber companies.
Many of these neighborhoods remain intact as working-class and middle-class residential areas, though some have experienced economic challenges as Akron's industrial base declined.
Hampton Hills Metro Park — Jack's first real outside experience
Jack experiences the outside world for the first time in a controlled, peaceful environment. He is overwhelmed by the vastness of the sky, the feeling of wind, and the sight of trees that are bigger than anything he could have imagined in Room. Ma watches anxiously as Jack tentatively explores grass, leaves, and open space, marveling at birds flying overhead and the endless horizon.
The Cascade Valley Metro Parks system was established in 1965 to preserve green spaces in Summit County as urban development expanded. Hampton Hills Metro Park protects 275 acres of mixed forest and meadow typical of Ohio's natural landscape.
Hampton Hills Metro Park offers hiking trails, picnic areas, and nature education programs. It remains a popular destination for families seeking outdoor recreation and serves as an excellent introduction to nature for urban children.
Visit: Hampton Hills Metro Park (park)
60 S High St — Where stories come alive
Jack discovers the magical world of books beyond the few stories Ma told him in Room. He is amazed to learn that the stories Ma told him came from actual books, and that there are thousands more books with different stories. The librarian helps him find picture books appropriate for his reading level, and Jack experiences the wonder of choosing his own books for the first time.
The Akron Public Library was established in 1874 and moved to its current High Street location in 1969. The modernist building was designed to serve as a cultural hub for the community during Akron's transition from an industrial to a more diversified economy.
The main library continues to serve downtown Akron with extensive collections, community programs, and digital services. It offers special programs for children and families, including those dealing with trauma or difficult transitions.
Visit: Akron Public Library Main Branch (library)
500 Edgewood Ave — Jack meets real animals
Jack's first visit to see live animals is both thrilling and overwhelming. Having only seen animals in the few books Ma had in Room, he is amazed by their size, sounds, and movements. He is particularly fascinated by animals that were in his favorite books, comparing the real animals to the pictures he remembers. The experience helps him understand that the world is much larger and more varied than he ever imagined.
The Akron Zoo opened in 1953 in the Cascade Valley, originally focusing on farm animals and local wildlife. It expanded over the decades to include exotic animals and became an important educational resource for area families.
Now home to over 1,000 animals representing 300 species, the Akron Zoo focuses on conservation, education, and family experiences. It offers special programs for children with developmental needs and those who have experienced trauma.
Visit: Akron Zoo (park)
Montrose Shopping Area — Jack's overwhelming first shopping trip
Jack's first trip to a store is sensory overload - the fluorescent lights, endless aisles, and countless products overwhelm him after five years in an 11x11 room. He clings to Ma as they navigate the toy section, where he sees versions of things he only knew from TV commercials. The abundance of choices paralyzes him, and he has a meltdown from the overstimulation of colors, sounds, and space.
Large-format retail stores like Target became prevalent in American suburbs in the 1980s and 1990s, representing a shift toward car-dependent shopping and consumer abundance that would be completely foreign to someone raised in isolation.
This Target location continues to serve the Montrose area of Akron, representing the typical suburban shopping experience that most American children take for granted but would be overwhelming for someone experiencing it for the first time.
Various Akron locations — Jack's first restaurant experience
Jack experiences his first meal outside of Room at McDonald's, amazed by the concept of ordering food that someone else cooks. He is fascinated by the drive-through speaker, the playground visible through the windows, and the fact that there are other children his age. The Happy Meal toy becomes one of his first possessions from the outside world, and he carefully saves every part of the packaging.
McDonald's expanded rapidly in American suburbs during the 1960s-80s, becoming a ubiquitous part of childhood for most American families. The standardized experience and child-friendly atmosphere made it an ideal introduction to dining out.
McDonald's locations throughout Akron continue to serve families, offering the same standardized experience that helps children feel comfortable in an unfamiliar environment.
264 S Arlington St — Support services for Jack and Ma
Social workers here help Jack and Ma navigate their new life, providing counseling services and helping Jack understand concepts like school, other children, and normal family relationships. Jack meets with child psychologists who use play therapy to help him process his experiences and prepare for eventual integration into a more normal childhood routine.
Summit County Children's Services was established to protect children and support families in crisis. The agency expanded its trauma-informed care approaches in the late 20th century to better serve children who had experienced severe abuse or neglect.
The agency continues to provide comprehensive services for children and families, including specialized programs for children who have experienced trauma, kidnapping, or other severe circumstances.
2077 Newton St — Therapeutic outdoor space
Jack and Ma visit this quieter park for therapeutic walks as part of Jack's gradual introduction to the outside world. The trails provide a less overwhelming outdoor experience than busy commercial areas, allowing Jack to slowly become comfortable with natural spaces, wildlife sounds, and the feeling of being in an open area without walls or ceiling.
This metro park was created from land that once housed Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company employee housing in the early 1900s. When the housing was removed, the area was converted to parkland to preserve green space for the community.
The park offers 409 acres of peaceful trails, meadows, and woods, making it ideal for therapeutic recreation and quiet family activities. It serves as a gentle introduction to nature for those transitioning from traumatic circumstances.
Visit: Goodyear Heights Metro Park (park)
More by Emma Donoghue: All Emma Donoghue books
Other nearby maps: Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen locations map · Looking for Alaska by John Green locations map