Columbia in Monroe County, Illinois — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Adam’s Road Patrol #4

Photographed by Thomas Smith, May 12, 2026

1. Adam’s Road Patrol / 4 Marker

Inscription. This Adams Road Patrol #4 is an antique, pull-type road grader manufactured by J. D. Adams & Company, often for leveling dirt roads. Primary streets in Monroe County were paved in the 1920's, but most roads were still dirt. In 1885 Joseph D. Adams manufactured his invention, the leaning pull-grader, in Indianapolis, Indiana. Originally horse-drawn, these graders featured manual, hand-operated controls to adjust the blade and leaning wheels to counteract side drafts. In 1935, J. D. Adams introduced a motorized grader with a blade that could slide sideways for trimming road banks and shoulders. During the company's existence, it produced motorized graders, elevating graders, sheep's foot rollers, and scrapers. J. D. Adams & Company became a division of Le Tourneau-Westinghouse in 1955.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Roads & Vehicles. A significant historical year for this entry is 1885.

Location. 38° 27.021′ N, 90° 13.746′ W. Marker is in Columbia, Illinois, in Monroe County. It can be reached from Bluff Road (County Road 6) just south of Old Bluff Road, on the right

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when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 11604 Bluff Rd, Columbia IL 62236, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Greater St. Louis.

It is also in the American Midwest,

in the Lewis & Clark Corridor,

in the Corn Belt,

and in the Great River Road Region.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture

and also the Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: The Kaskaskia-Cahokia Trail (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Piggot's Fort Great Run (about 300 feet away); Fort Piggott / Land Grants / Piggotts Ferry (about 800 feet away); Sand Bank School (approx. ¾ mile away); American Freedom Fighter and Palestinian Girl (approx. ¾ mile away); Admiral Carlisle A. H. Trost (approx. 0.9 miles away); Admiral John P. Weinel (approx. 0.9 miles away); Admiral Memorial Circle (approx. 0.9 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers

Photographed by Thomas Smith, May 15, 2026

2. Adam’s Road Patrol #4 Marker

in Columbia.

Credits. This page was last revised on May 26, 2026. It was originally submitted on May 16, 2026, by Thomas Smith of Waterloo, Ill. This page has been viewed 29 times since then. Photos: 1. submitted on May 16, 2026, by Thomas Smith of Waterloo, Ill. 2. submitted on May 25, 2026, by Thomas Smith of Waterloo, Ill. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.