American manufacturing production jobs are more concentrated in the Midwest than in any other region. Well into the 21st century, manufacturing remains a fundamental part of the region’s identity, and is still central to ideas of economic prosperity.

Cities like Cleveland, Cincinnati and Detroit are shaking off the Rust Belt moniker — or, in some cases, embracing it in a new era. But in some Midwestern, mid-sized cities, recovery is lagging as the memory of high quality manufacturing jobs remains wishful reminiscing.

Inventor Charles Goodyear, for whom Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. is named, may never have set foot in Akron, OH. Yet, his innovation — one of the most significant...

In post-industrial cities across the Midwest, the struggles of population loss, low wages and aging infrastructure remain as barriers to the economic revitalization of once-thriving manufacturing hubs, and Toledo...