Historic Brick Streets of Stephenville
Stephenville, Erath County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Seeking to improve the town's dirt streets, the Stephenville City Council in 1929 authorized paving by the Thurber Construction Co. High-quality bricks from Thurber (26 mi. NW), popular with builders around the state, were laid over a Macadam base and bonded with a tar-like substance. Individual property owners bore most of the cost, despite the economic hardships of the Depression, and viewed the brick thoroughfares with pride. Although some of the streets have since been covered with asphalt, the brick pavement remains handsome and durable. (1978)
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
In 1929 the Stephenville City Council set out to tame its dusty streets, hiring the Thurber Construction Co. to pave the town with the high-quality bricks made in nearby Thurber and prized by builders statewide. Laid over a macadam base, the brickwork was paid for largely by property owners even as the Depression loomed, and residents took pride in the durable new thoroughfares.
Why it matters
The streets are a lasting product of Thurber's famous brickworks and of a small town's determination to modernize on the eve of the Great Depression.
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