Atlas Obscura - Latest • Jan. 21, 2026, 3:22 a.m.
Oldest Concrete Street in America in Bellefontaine, Ohio
It is hard for most to imagine a time when there were not concrete and asphalt roads to travel on. In Early America, horses and wagons traveled on roads made of dirt, gravel, crushed stone, and eventually brick.
These materials created problems for travelers, and required innovation. George W.
Bartholomew, founder of Buckeye Portland Cement Company, knew there was a better way for road surfaces. Concrete was called "artificial stone" in the 19th century and was considered a modern mixture not yet used to pave streets.
Source: atlasobscura.com ↗
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