From time to time, more sand was added to fill the voids between the cobbles. To make a pavement, they were set one against the other, in beds of sand, their long dimensions vertical. Later, however, they were carried by coastal schooners from the Maine coast in large quantities. These naturally rounded cobbles, averaging about seven inches in length, at first probably came mostly from nearby beaches, such as Cohasset, Nahant, and Cape Ann. In New England such stones were plentiful, having been deposited during the retreat of the last glaciation. Among the most common documented materials are:Ĭobblestones : Naturally occurring, rounded stones are among the oldest paving materials and pre-date classical antiquity. Set in the ground with seasonal freeze-thaw cycles, exposed to weather in all seasons, and subject to vibration, pressure, and abrasion from traffic, pre-industrial paving materials tended to be stone or fired bricks, although wood boardwalks were used in some communities. Introduction: Basic Early Paving Materials Consequently, original installations of pre-1914 paving are rare, but notable examples exist. Some of it remains as a base for modern pavement, but much of it has been removed and either sold as salvage for landscaping or used as landfill. 1860 Over the past century, a high proportion of early paving has been disturbed by the installation of sewers and utility conduits. After streets were accepted as municipal property, their paving and maintenance can sometimes be tracked through Town Meeting records, Selectmen/City Council records, and municipal financial records, but information exists largely in manuscript form stored separately in each community, presenting a daunting task for researchers.Ĭobblestone street paving with crosswalks of flagstone at Dock Square, Boston, Massachusetts, ca. Records for the maintenance and paving of private streets are rare, especially those that were paved at the expense of abutters. Many of the principal streets grew out of old paths and cartways, while many smaller streets were laid out privately and may have existed for many years before being accepted by local municipal governments. Research into the history of pavement in New England towns and cities is hindered by the inconsistent manner in which streets were created. Old paving was frequently covered with these new materials, converting what was once considered durable, high-quality paving to a base for modern pavement that offered nearly seamless smoothness for vehicles moving at far faster speeds than were possible in the nineteenth century. This neglect may reflect the widespread adoption of tar macadam and concrete paving following World War I as automotive traffic increased rapidly. Often a source of community pride and status in New England during the pre-industrial era through the early twentieth century, paved streets and sidewalks have not received the same level of recognition and documentation as the region’s buildings and landscapes. ‘View of the old building at the corner of Ann St., Boston, Mass.” Lithograph from a drawing by Fitz Henry Lane showing Dock Square in 1835 with cobblestone paving, flagstone crosswalks, raised brick sidewalks, and short curbstones that match those in Nantucket’s Main Street Square.
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