Last week, we began examining the journey of asphalt to America, beginning with its ancient roots and ending with its arrival in the United States. This week, we explore the timeline of how the asphalt expanded in importance until it became essential to modern America. Read on to learn the timeline of asphalt’s path through American history.

Capitalist Competition

Once Pennsylvania Avenue was paved, people across the country quickly realized just how much they could benefit from asphalt. This created a gold rush of sorts, with people manufacturing and trademarking various mixes of asphalt. Late 19th century America was a mecca for capitalist thought and markets, so the asphalt paving industry quickly became hyper competitive. Competitive businessmen filed patents for many, many different kinds of asphalt.

  • Bitulithic Pavement (This was specific to the Warren Brothers Company, and the closest to how asphalt is today with a mix of bitumen and aggregate.)
  • Macasphalt (A new mash up of tarmac and asphalt.)
  • Indurite
  • Imperial
  • Romanite
  • National Pavement
  • Wilite

Nathan B. Abbott, a New Yorker, was the first man to file an asphalt patent. He filed in the year 1871. The capitalism of the time period meant that modernization of an industry was rapid, but that restrictions were placed on the industry quickly as well. By the turn of the century, only a couple of the patents were actually still standing.

The Shift To Asphalt Plants

During the growth of the industry, most companies relied on the naturally occurring deposits of asphalt that could be found across the nation. However, by 1907, those were become harder to find, so contractors turned to the best thing for an industry of that era – mechanization. Plant-produced asphalt gave pavers the exact mix they wanted every single time, leading to a surge in popularity. Soon, a majority of contractors depended on plants rather than natural deposits.

The Warren Brothers

The first predecessor to the modern asphalt plant was built near Boston by the Warren Brothers (remember them?) They finished their factory in the year 1901. More factories popped up and improved asphalt producing techniques through the 1930s. By the end of the 1930s, asphalt had firmly wedged itself into the hearts of Americans everywhere.

The Model T

In part, this was thanks to the rise of cars and automotive factories. Ford’s Model T marks an important turning point in the asphalt timeline. They started rolling off the line in 1908 and was in production until the mid-1920s. The Model T was the first widely affordable car in the nation, and it was the introduction of cars to the American culture. Through the Model T, cars became a widespread phenomena and multiple families owned them. As more and more cars crowded the roads, the demand for paved roads shot up. In addition to roads, Ford also used bitumen in the black paint that was iconic on Model T cars. Asphalt was not just under cars, but on them too.