Cuyahoga Falls is a city in Summit County, Ohio, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 49,374. It is currently the second largest city in Summit County. It is a suburb of Akron and Cleveland and part of the Akron Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Cleveland-Akron-Elyria Combined Statistical Area. Actually older than Akron, the city was founded in 1812 by William Wetmore and was originally named Manchester. Cuyahoga Falls is named after the Cuyahoga River (which flows into Lake Erie) and the series of falls that run through the middle of the city. Cuyahoga Falls is bordered by Akron to the south and the Cuyahoga Valley National Park to the northwest.