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Look Back: Paving the way in Parkersburg

The condition of streets and roadways in Parkersburg and Wood County have always been of utmost importance to the citizens and economy of the area. The undated photo above shows an early “paving” machine on what might be Seventh Street. (Photo from the WCHPS archives)

A Chain Gang

We desire to call the attention of our Town Council to the importance of establishing a Chain Gang, for the benefit of the miserable loafers who are daily prowling around our streets. In other places the Chain Gang has operated admirably, and saved great expense in repairing streets and roads. We should like to see our City Fathers adopt it, feeling assured that it would rid us of these pests.

Parkersburg Gazette

Dec. 18, 1852

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Composition Pavement

Messrs Cole and Co. are putting down a composition pavement of gravel and gas tar with a hardening substance, in front of Mr. Gambrill’s lot on Ann street, which appears to us as one of the best that can be made. It is highly recommended by the most prominent men in Frederick, Md., where it is now generally used.

Parkersburg Daily Times

Oct. 27, 1865

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“Better Late Than Never”

The old pavement on Court street, immediately in front of S.S. Cook’s Furniture Store, has at last been torn away and is being replaced by a new one. The change will be fully appreciated by the public at large. There are many other pavements in our city “more holy than righteous,” that might be improved at a very low cost, thereby giving credit to the property holder, and comfort to the public.

Parkersburg Daily Times

Aug. 6, 1867

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Road Work

Jacob Woodyard and W.R. Neale, road contractors, the former of Tygart district and the latter of Parkersburg, are the possessors of two fine patent road machines and scrapers. The latter is operated on the Sand Road [now Murdoch Avenue] and the avenues of Riverside, and the former is repairing the roads in the districts across the river.

Parkersburg Daily

State Journal

May 15, 1889

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Asphalt Paving Wanted by Residents of Juliana Street

City Council ground away for two solid hours last night, most of the time being consumed in new street improvements. The most important incidental of this kind was the notice served by the people of upper Juliana street, which was ordered paved to Thirteenth at the last meeting, was that they would like to have some opportunity to have asphaltum used in the improvement instead of bricks.

Parkersburg Daily

State Journal

March 1, 1900

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Wood County Has

Miles of Concrete Paved Roadways

The citizens of Lubeck and vicinity are all wearing broad smiles and rejoicing over the opening to traffic yesterday of the fine, newly paved road, over which they may now travel to and from Parkersburg with comfort and satisfaction any timer of the day or night, in any kind of weather.

With the completion of this section of 2 ¢ miles of concrete, Wood County will have over thirty miles of concrete paved roads, which are fast being recognized as one of the county’s most worthwhile investments.

Wood County has been a pioneer in the building of concrete paved roads since 1914 when the first mile was built.

The Parkersburg News,

August 10, 1919

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Bob Enoch is the president of the Wood County Historical Society. The group meets at 7p.m. on the last Monday of each month in the Summers Auditorium at the Wood County Public Library on Emerson Avenue. They do not meet in December. For more information, contact P.O. Box 565, Parkersburg, WV 26102

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