A Visit to the Home of Dr. Bob - in Akron, OhioA Visit to the Home of Dr. Bob - in Akron, Ohio
Recovery Coast to Coast
Neil Scott visits Dr. Bob’s historic home in Akron, Ohio with chairman Harmon Velie to talk about its history, restoration and meaning for people in recovery. The episode also features an archival recording of Dr. Bob describing his final drink and early sobriety.
23:21•31 Mar 2026
Holy Ground in Akron: Inside Dr. Bob’s Home and the Birth of AA
Episode Overview
- Dr. Bob’s home in Akron is described as the “cradle of Alcoholics Anonymous and all 12-step recoveries.”
- The house was purchased and restored in the mid-1980s to resemble the Smith family home, guided by memories and interviews with Dr. Bob’s children.
- Visitor numbers can reach thousands over Founders Day weekend, with many people reporting powerful spiritual experiences in the house.
- Volunteers gain their own sense of meaning and connection by witnessing others’ emotional reactions and “passing it on.”
- A rare 1948 recording features Dr. Bob recalling his last drink on 10 June 1935 and his sobriety from that date onward.
“Sometimes people will come in and have spiritual experiences and will have an experience that is second to none. It is, if you will, the holy ground for a lot of people.”
What drives someone to seek a life without alcohol? For many, it traces back to a small house at 855 Ardmore Avenue in Akron, Ohio – and this episode shines a warm light on that address. Recovery Coast to Coast host Neil Scott sits at the very table where Bill W. and Dr. Bob once sat and shaped the early framework of Alcoholics Anonymous. His guest, Harmon Velie, chairman of Dr.
Bob’s historic home, talks through the story of the house, the Smith family, and how this modest, middle‑class home grew into what he calls “the cradle of Alcoholics Anonymous and all 12‑step recoveries.” You’ll hear how the Founders Foundation bought the property in the 1980s, restored it with input from Dr. Bob’s children, and turned it into a museum and spiritual touchstone for people in recovery from across the globe.
Harmon describes major restorations, its recognition as a state historic site and national landmark candidate, and the challenge of preserving a nearly 100‑year‑old building that sometimes welcomes thousands of visitors in a single Founders Day weekend.
There’s also a very human side: stories of people spending their life savings just to stand on what Harmon calls “holy ground,” volunteers moved to tears as they watch others have powerful experiences, and neighbours who turn Founders Day into a kind of community festival. To cap it off, the episode includes a rare archival recording of Dr.
Bob from 1948, recounting his last drink on 10 June 1935 and saying, “I have had no alcohol in any form that I know of since.” For anyone curious about AA’s roots, or seeking a deeper sense of connection to recovery history, this one offers both heart and heritage. Could a simple house in Akron help you feel less alone in your own journey?
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