R.S. Blome Granitoid Pavement in Grand Forks
Encyclopedia
R.S. Blome Granitoid Pavement is a historic road surface, as well as the associated cut sandstone curbs in a few sections, found in three of the oldest residential sections of Grand Forks
, North Dakota
. It is a Portland cement
–aggregate
combination that was intended to bridge the gap between the needs of Horse-drawn vehicle
s, which required sure footing, and automobiles, which needed a hard, resilient surface, in the earliest part of the 20th century.
R.S. Blome Granitoid was made from a mixture of Portland cement and angular granite chips along with other stone and sand, laid down over an appropriately arched prepared road bed followed by a six-inch layer of loose gravel (macadam
). It was laid in five-foot sections which were sealed at the joints with an asphalt and rubber mix to allow for expansion. Another intended benefit of laying the pavement in these sections was that it allowed for removal of only necessary portions for utility work. However it would appear that this intention was ignored as indicated by the presence of utility cuts and mismatched concrete and asphalt patching in the Grand Forks examples.
Over these sections was laid a two-inch finish layer of Portland cement and carefully screened angular granite chips measuring between 1/8 and 3/8 of an inch. Angular chips of granite were specified over rounded river gravel to ensure a firm bond and prohibit the dislodging of gravel common to concrete. As the surface dried it was brushed and scored to resemble cut stone, providing a good non-slip surface for horses. Though the Blome Company patent specified a gridded pattern of scoring, the Grand Forks pavement exhibits a running bond pattern.
Also surviving are a number of bronze name plates embedded into the paving surface which read "Established 1888. GRANITOID. R.S. Blome. Chicago. 1907."
This pavement type was selected after a lively discussion by city residents as a solution to the problem of ankle-deep mud which was an annual result of the spring thaw and rains. The residents determined to have a quality pavement that would last long "after it was paid for". Their choice has been validated as the Granitoid is still quite serviceable and well suited to modern automobile traffic after nearly a century of use.
Out of several extant locations where Blome Granitoid has been found, such as Duluth
, Minnesota
and Spokane
and Seattle, Washington, there are several characteristics which make the Grand Forks sections particularly significant. There is more surviving Granitoid and the associated brass name plates in Grand Forks, encompassing a number of streets in three distinct neighborhoods, than in any of the other locations. Another important difference is the aforementioned use of the running bond pattern in the scoring, which is unique among all of the remaining examples. It suggests a desire among the residents for an aesthetic, as well as functional, pavement.
A 55 acres (22.3 ha) area was listed on the National Register in 1991. However, the listing was modified in 2010 to decrease the listed area.
Grand Forks, North Dakota
Grand Forks is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of North Dakota and the county seat of Grand Forks County. According to the 2010 census, the city's population was 52,838, while that of the city and surrounding metropolitan area was 98,461...
, North Dakota
North Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
. It is a Portland cement
Portland cement
Portland cement is the most common type of cement in general use around the world because it is a basic ingredient of concrete, mortar, stucco and most non-specialty grout...
–aggregate
Construction Aggregate
Construction aggregate, or simply "aggregate", is a broad category of coarse particulate material used in construction, including sand, gravel, crushed stone, slag, recycled concrete and geosynthetic aggregates. Aggregates are the most mined material in the world...
combination that was intended to bridge the gap between the needs of Horse-drawn vehicle
Horse-drawn vehicle
A horse-drawn vehicle is a mechanized piece of equipment pulled by one horse or by a team of horses. These vehicles typically had two or four wheels and were used to carry passengers and/or a load...
s, which required sure footing, and automobiles, which needed a hard, resilient surface, in the earliest part of the 20th century.
R.S. Blome Granitoid was made from a mixture of Portland cement and angular granite chips along with other stone and sand, laid down over an appropriately arched prepared road bed followed by a six-inch layer of loose gravel (macadam
Macadam
Macadam is a type of road construction pioneered by the Scotsman John Loudon McAdam in around 1820. The method simplified what had been considered state-of-the-art at that point...
). It was laid in five-foot sections which were sealed at the joints with an asphalt and rubber mix to allow for expansion. Another intended benefit of laying the pavement in these sections was that it allowed for removal of only necessary portions for utility work. However it would appear that this intention was ignored as indicated by the presence of utility cuts and mismatched concrete and asphalt patching in the Grand Forks examples.
Over these sections was laid a two-inch finish layer of Portland cement and carefully screened angular granite chips measuring between 1/8 and 3/8 of an inch. Angular chips of granite were specified over rounded river gravel to ensure a firm bond and prohibit the dislodging of gravel common to concrete. As the surface dried it was brushed and scored to resemble cut stone, providing a good non-slip surface for horses. Though the Blome Company patent specified a gridded pattern of scoring, the Grand Forks pavement exhibits a running bond pattern.
Also surviving are a number of bronze name plates embedded into the paving surface which read "Established 1888. GRANITOID. R.S. Blome. Chicago. 1907."
This pavement type was selected after a lively discussion by city residents as a solution to the problem of ankle-deep mud which was an annual result of the spring thaw and rains. The residents determined to have a quality pavement that would last long "after it was paid for". Their choice has been validated as the Granitoid is still quite serviceable and well suited to modern automobile traffic after nearly a century of use.
Out of several extant locations where Blome Granitoid has been found, such as Duluth
Duluth, Minnesota
Duluth is a port city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and is the county seat of Saint Louis County. The fourth largest city in Minnesota, Duluth had a total population of 86,265 in the 2010 census. Duluth is also the second largest city that is located on Lake Superior after Thunder Bay, Ontario,...
, Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
and Spokane
Spokane, Washington
Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region...
and Seattle, Washington, there are several characteristics which make the Grand Forks sections particularly significant. There is more surviving Granitoid and the associated brass name plates in Grand Forks, encompassing a number of streets in three distinct neighborhoods, than in any of the other locations. Another important difference is the aforementioned use of the running bond pattern in the scoring, which is unique among all of the remaining examples. It suggests a desire among the residents for an aesthetic, as well as functional, pavement.
A 55 acres (22.3 ha) area was listed on the National Register in 1991. However, the listing was modified in 2010 to decrease the listed area.