In the late 1800s, American roads were nearly impassable—muddy in the winter and dusty in the summer. But in 1891, chemist George Bartholomew had a bold vision: what if concrete, a material few considered for road construction, could transform the way America traveled? Determined to prove its durability, he poured his own time, money, and reputation into the experiment. His gamble paid off—134 years later, Court Avenue in Bellefontaine, Ohio, remains the oldest concrete street in the U.S., still open to traffic.
Bartholomew’s success ignited a revolution in roadbuilding, earning him recognition at the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair and setting the foundation for the vast network of highways we use today. But his legacy also raises an important question: if his concrete street has lasted more than a century, why do modern roads often struggle to last just 25 years? This episode of Built to Last takes a deep dive into Bartholomew’s pioneering work and what it can teach us about building longer-lasting roads in the future.
Watch the episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LKFeBZ1mhU