Parma Heights in Cuyahoga County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
First Brick Rural Road in United States
Olde York Road
Photographed by Craig Doda, March 7, 2026
1. First Brick Rural Road in United States Marker
In the late nineteenth century, a movement to improve inadequate plank and dirt roads was brought on by the popularity of bicycling, the introduction of the automobile, and the need to improve travel to and from rural areas. Ohio, as a leader in the manufacture of brick paving blocks, was quick to upgrade roads. Toll roads were waning in popularity and the need for free roads was recognized. An act passed in 1892 authorized Cuyahoga County to levy a road tax. With funds levied, the Commissioners selected the Wooster Pike as one of three road improvement projects.
The first brick surface pavement on a rural road was laid along the Wooster Pike, a former stagecoach route from Cleveland to Wooster. Construction for the four miles of brick pavement began in the fall of 1893, and it was completed in 1896. The road began at what is now Olde York Road in Parma Heights and ended in the Village of Albion, Ohio. The York Street Tollgate for the Brooklyn and Parma Wooden Plan Toll Road Company (1876-1907) was located northeast of the beginning point along the Wooster Pike.
Erected 2003 by Ohio Bicentennial Commission, The Longaberger Company, Society for Industrial Archeology Northern Ohio Chapter, and The Ohio Historical Society. (Marker Number 49-18.)
Topics and series. This historical
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Location. 41° 23.503′ N, 81° 45.598′ W. Marker is in Parma Heights, Ohio, in Cuyahoga County. It is at the intersection of Olde York Road and Pearl Road (U.S. 42), on the right when traveling south on Olde York Road. Directly located in front of a Marathon Gas station on the right hand corner as you enter the north end of Olde York Road. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 6229 Pearl Rd, Cleveland OH 44130, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Greater Cleveland, on the Lake Erie Shore, and in the Western Reserve. It is also in the American Midwest and on the Great Lakes. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy, the territory of the Mississippian Culture, and the Northwest Territory.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: A Celebration of Bicentennial of the Bill of Rights (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); Veterans Memorial (about 400 feet away); Honoring the life of John E. Litten (about 400 feet away); George Washington (about 500 feet away); Parma Heights World War II Veterans Memorial (about 600 feet away); Artifact #1-0041a (about 700 feet away); In memoriam (approx. 0.7 miles away); Parma Heights Cemetery (approx. 0.7 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Parma Heights.
Regarding First Brick Rural Road in United States.
Photographed by Lora Szloh, October 27, 2009
2. First Brick Rural Road in United States Marker Side B
Photographed by Craig Doda, March 7, 2026
3. First Brick Rural Road in United States Marker
Photographed by Lora Szloh, January 27, 2009
4. View south from the Marker down the First Brick Road in United States
The first brick road is no longer a brick road.
Credits. This page was last revised on March 26, 2026. It was originally submitted on October 27, 2009, by Lora Szloh of Berea, Ohio. This page has been viewed 3,978 times since then and 102 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on March 22, 2026, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. 2. submitted on October 27, 2009, by Lora Szloh of Berea, Ohio. 3. submitted on March 22, 2026, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. 4. submitted on October 27, 2009, by Lora Szloh of Berea, Ohio. • Kevin W. was the editor who published this page.
