America's 'Oldest Concrete Street' Is A Historic Midwest Gem Near Cute Cafes And Shops

If you were traversing roads anywhere in America before the late 19th century, you would likely encounter dusty, or sometimes muddy roads, with uneven stones, making for a particularly messy trip. Many of America's oldest streets are paved with cobblestones. Though concrete pavement was something that Europe had found a measure of success with in the late 1800s, at this point in time in American travel, the country's roads were still impractical. No one had yet to master a recipe for cement-making domestically in the United States in a way where cement could be the primary paver, rather than just a foundation. That was, until a man in a small town in northwestern Ohio invented a material that would revolutionize American roadways. The monument to his achievement is the oldest concrete street in the country.

In 1889, George W. Bartholomew, a part-time pharmacist and former hardware store owner, discovered a unique combination of limestone and clay and thought he could build a better cement. By 1891, Bartholomew received a special contract from the city of Bellefontaine, Ohio, to pave a strip of roadway, then the town's courthouse square with his Buckeye Portland Cement. This was in the heart of Bellefontaine's downtown. Today, this expanse of vintage cement is America's oldest concrete street, and visitors will love the surrounding neighborhoods' quaint charm and local businesses.

Named one of Ohio's best small towns in 2022 by Ohio Magazine, Bellefontaine is a small but mighty place. You can find the town 60 miles northwest of Columbus and 43 miles northwest of the quiet town of Dublin, which is also worth a visit. Visitors to Bellefontaine eager to see the concrete street can explore this stretch of unique, quirky history by taking a stroll and reading a number of signs that detail the history of the road. A statue of George W. Bartholomew even marks the top of the historic avenue, and much of the road remains intact from the 1880s. Today, there are some small businesses along the stretch of road — notably the coffee shop Sweet Aromas — and you can have a coffee, sit outside, and look at the historic courthouse beside Court Avenue.

Bellefontaine has gone through a massive revitalization in the last decade and a half, and local businesses are championing a repopulation of storefronts and activities to make Bellefontaine a bustling community once again. First, be sure to visit Six Hundred Downtown, the restaurant helmed by five-time World Pizza Champion Brittany Saxton, for a fun menu of brick-oven pizzas. Also, you cannot miss Brewfontaine, a craft beer lover's dream with 16 taps and elevated pub food. And for brunch, be sure to pop by The Syndicate, a beloved local restaurant.

The town is full of historical treasures and natural wonders besides the concrete street, too, if you're in the area. There's the Holland Theatre, which was originally built in 1931; the Piatt Castle Mac-a-Cheek, a historic home; and the otherworldly Ohio Caverns near town.