First Concrete Street In U.S. - Bellefontaine, Ohio
Posted by: 
Mr. 0
N 40° 21.631 W 083° 45.577
17T E 265668 N 4471428
A section of concrete pavement that is still in use after 117 years.
Waymark Code: WM3XM4
Location: Ohio, United States
Date Posted: 05/31/2008
Views: 54
George Bartholomew is credited as the inventor who figured out the process of concrete paving, and was given an opportunity to test his invention around the Logan County Courthouse in Bellefontaine, Ohio. Court St., as it is now known is still paved in concrete to this day. Several markers and plaques around the courthouse show information about this fact, but the best explanation comes from the Ohio Historic Marker here, which is what the coordinates will lead you to. Court St. runs directly behind you if you're reading the marker.
The text of the marker reads:
"America's first concrete streets were those which surrounded this court house. Concrete was first used in 1891 to provide an 8-foot strip along Main Street where horses were hitched. Two years later Court Avenue was paved with concrete made from native marl supplied by the Buckeye Cement Company, 8 miles to the northeast. This marker was erected in 1968 at the 75th anniversary of the paving of Court Street."
A section of this concrete won first prize at the Chicago Worlds Fair of 1893 for engineering technology. Studies show that this pavement had a breaking strength of 8,000 psi, which is actually stronger than concrete used today.