Nomination for First Concrete Street In U.S.

From the form

The catalogue entry the section above was filed under.

Form 10-300 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR (Rev. 6-72) NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY - NOMINATION FORM FOR NPS USE ONLY ENTRY DATE (Type all entries - complete applicable sections) FEB 2 5 1974 AND/ OR HISTORIC: STREET AND NUMBER Clarence J. Brown, Jr. 3.

CLASSIFICATION (Check One) X] Public - Unoccupied - In Process - Preservation work PRESENT USE (Check One or More as Appropriate) X Transportation - Comments - Other (Specify) OWNER'S NAME: City of Bellefontaine LOCATION OF LEGAL DESCRIPTION COURTHOUSE, REGISTRY OF DEEDS, ETC: TITLE OF SURVEY: DATE OF SURVEY: - Federal DEPOSITORY FOR SURVEY RECORDS: 039 091 Logan LOCATION ACCESSIBLE Both NAME STATE Private Religious Commercial Government STATUS Site CATEGORY CODE District Agricultural Restricted Entertainment OWNERSHIP Bellefontaine Yes: Park Museum Ohio Scientific Being Considered Military Private Residence Building Industrial Main Street Educational CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT: Public Acquisition: Object Logan County Courthouse REPRESENTATION IN EXISTING SURVEYS South Detroit Street OWNER OF PROPERTY TO THE PUBLIC County CITY OR TOWN: X Structure BER COMMON: Court Avenue (Between Main Street and Opera Street) The First Concrete Street in the United States- DESCRIPTION (Check One) - Deteriorated - Unexposed - Unaltered - Moved [X Original Site DESCRIBE THE PRESENT AND ORIGINAL (if known) PHYSICAL APPEARANCE

Description of the property

The site under consideration here is East Court Avenue between Main and Opera Streets in Bellefontaine, Ohio. Measuring from the east curb of Main Street to the west curb of Opera Street, East Court Avenue is 203.5 The street is constructed of concrete sections five feet square inspection it would appear that the street has undergone extensive repairs in the area where the concrete sections meet. When bids were taken for the surfacing of East Court Avenue in 1893, the contract stipulated that a 14 inch foundation be prepared and filled with of the base layer a wearing surface layer about two inches thick was poured to provide traction for the hoofed animals which used the street. Some the animals that used the street. has worn away the edges of the squares.

The city, however, has made an attempt to maintain the character of the street by making repairs congruent MAR 8 CONDITION REGISTER Ruins NATIONAL inch deep and about two inches apart were made in the concrete surface. of the grooves are presently visible along the north curb of the street. but not separated by any visible expansion joint material.From visual to mix the concrete which was poured onto the stone in five foot square This technique proved tobe a satisfactory way of providing traction for sections.At least two layers of concrete were poured.The base layer, did not provide the necessary traction.Cleat marks about 3/16 of an feet long. The curb to curb width in this section is a uniform 29.3 Originally the wearing surface was grooved in a grid pattern in an attempt Much of the original concrete remains on the surface of the street; however with the original style and pattern.

Shortly after the street was completed it was discovered that the grooves 1973 which was poured on the stone foundation was four inches thick.On top Excellent had been worn away.Extensive chipping due to expansion and contraction considerable wearing away of the surface has occurred.In 1956 a repair stone to within eight inches of the surface.A native marl was then used

Statement of significance

In the late 1880's George W. Bartholomew perfected and patented the in 1890, Bartholomew examined an asphalt street noting that horses' make a much better surface he returned to Bellefontaine and set about convincing the City Council to join in an experiment to test the feasibility of his idea. In 1891 an eight foot wide layer of concrete was laid along Main Street in front of the Logan County Courthouse where horses stood up to the wear, the City Council contracted with Bartholomew's Opera Street, Columbus Street and East Court Avenue) that were adjacent and the city appropriated $9000 to cover the cost of other materials and forfeited if the surface did not last five years. The concrete was poured in the summer of 1893 and the four streets Bartholomew remained in Bellefontaine until 1909 when dwindling supplies of limestone forced him to close his Buckeye Portland Cement Company.

there. Commerce Engineering Conservation MAR8 Communications REGISTER Literature Architecture losophy Science Military Religion/Phi Aboriginal Theater Education NATIONAL itarian Music Agriculture Pre-Columbian Invention Social/Human- Sculpture Buckeye Portland Cement Company to surface the four streets (Main Street, Urban Planning Industry contention that concrete could serve as a paving material.The streets Bartholomew paved remained in service for 65 years without major main- Other(Specify) mentioned above became the first public thoroughfares in the United States Political repair chipping and breakage which had occurred at the corners and were tied.After almost two years of use during which the pavement had along the edges of the sections. SPECIFIC DATE(S) (If Applicable and Known) AREAS OF SIGNIFICANCE (Check One or More as Appropriate) "wet method" of making concrete.

While on a sales trip to Philadelphia to the courthouse square. Bartholomew provided the concrete at no cost to be surfaced with concrete. The experiment proved Bartholomew's He then moved to Denver, Colorado and became the manager of a cement plant 1893 Art hoofs1eft imprints in the surface.Believing that his concrete would

The rest of the file

Bibliography, boundary description, and the people who prepared and reviewed the nomination.

MAJOR BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES City Council of Bellefontaine, "Minute Book", September & October, 1893. Daily Index- Republican, 21 November, 1921. March, 1962, pp. 3 & 4. GEOGRAPHICAL DATA LATITUDE AND LONGITUDE COORDINATES DEFINING A RECTANGLE LOCATING THE PROPERTY DEFINING THE CENTER POINT OF A PHOPERTY OF LESS THAN TEN ACRES FORM PREPARED BY NAME AND TITLE: Amos J. Loveday, Jr. July, 1972 STREET AND NUMBER: 5479-B Rockwood Court CITY OR TOWN: STATE LIAISON OFFICER CERTIFICATION NATIONAL REGISTER VERIFICATION As the designated State Liaison Officer for the Na- I hereby certify that this property is included in the tional Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (Public Law Nationa 1 Register. 89-665), I hereby nominate this property for inclusion in the National Register and certify that it has been evaluated according to the c-iteria and procedures set forth by the National Park Service.

The recommended Director, Office of Archeology and Historic Preservation level of significance of this nomination is: GP0 931-89 4 039 Degrees ORGANIZATION DATE Local STATE LONGITUDE Seconds Title LATITUDE COUNTY Name Minutes CODE CORNER ATTEST: REGISTER Degrees Minutes Seconds Graham, Maurice,'The First Concrete Street," The Plaster and Cement Mason, 1973 NATIONAL Columbus WORKING NUMBERH U.S 3. 8.73.2516 Photos 2 ARCHITECTURAL HISTORIAN Federal Register entry _ FEB 2 5 1974 Entered ARCHEOLOGIST Maps KEEPER HISTORIAN Re-submit Send-back TECH REVIEW REVIEW UNIT CHIEF 4-18- CONTROL REVIEW BRANCH CHIEF National Register write-up 4-25- AmL UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE ENTRE NUMBER 2 5 1974 DESCRIBE VIEW, DIRECTION, ETC. 039 Bellefontaine COUNTY DATE CODE NAME LOCATION STATE East Court Avenue looking east from south curb of the street.

The First Concrete Street in the United States IDENTIFICATION COMMON: PROPERTY PHOTOGRAPH FORM Ohio PHOTO CREDIT: NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES (Type all entries-attach to or enclose with photograph) AND/OR HISTORIC: Logan FOR NPS USE ONLY STREET AND NUMBER: CITY OR TOWN: Amos J. Loveday. Jr. DATE OF PHOTO: June 13, 1972 PHOTO REFERENCE 091 Court Avenue (Between Main Street and Opera Street) J. C.PENNEY CO. OUSE DRY CLEANING USIC Form No. 10-301a UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NAME AND/OR HISTORIC: LOCA TION STREET AND NUMBER: June 13, 1972 NEGATIVE FILED AT: Amos J. Loveday, Jr. DESCRIBE VIEW, DIRECTION, ETC. 039 Logan DATE IDENTIFICATION COUNTY STATE Bellefontaine CODE Ohio COMMON: PROPERTY PHOTOGRAPH FORM The First Concrete Street in the United States East Court Avenue looking west from Opera Street.

PHOTO REFERENCE ENTRY NUMBER NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES (Type all entries-attach to or enclose with photograph) CITY OR TOWN: PROPERTY OF THE NATONAL REGISTER FOR NPS USE ONLY DATE OF PHOTO: (7/72) NATIONAL IN T: 154-72 Court Avenue (between Main St. and Opera St.) Form 10-301 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR (July 1969) NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES PROPERTY MAP FORM FOR NPS USE ONLY (Type all entries -attach to or enclose with map) AND/OR HISTORIC: STREET AND NUM BER: CITY OR TOWN: TO BE INCLUDED ON ALL MAPS 1. Property broundaries where required. 2. North arrow. 3. Latitude and longitude reference.

039 Logan 1960 091 BER ENTRY LOCATION Bellefontaine COUNTY REQUIREMENTS DATE NAME REGISTER STATE CODE NATIONAL MAP REFERENCE 1:24:000 SCALE: Ohio COMMON: The First Concrete Street in the United States Quad BELLEFONTAINE, OHIO DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR UNITED STATES West Long 83° 45° States BELLEFONTAINE QUADRANGLE in the United GEOLOGICAL SURVEY The First Concrete STATE OF OHIO FEB 2 5 1974 Cuyahoga County Hon. Howard M. Metzenbaum Hon. Robert Taft, Jr. Mr. Daniel R. Porter Location STATE Bellefontaine Name Sterling School Director Cleveland United States Logan County The First Concrete Street in the Also Notified ENTRIES IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER Date Entered Hon.Louis Stokes State Historic Preservation Officer Director, Midwest Region The Ohio llistorical Society Lion.Clarence J.Brown,Jr. 2/25/74 MMott