Delavan in Walworth County, Wisconsin — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Delavan’s Historic Brick Street
Dusty and rutted in dry spells, muddy and miserable in wet, Delavan’s main street, Walworth Avenue, remained unpaved from the 1830’s until the second decade of the 20th century. In 1911, Delavan’s City Council voted to pave the three block central business district of Walworth Avenue and chose brick as the preferred paving material. The city contracted with the Birdsall-Griffith Company of Racine to install the street at a cost of $19,198.18. A workforce of thirty laborers graded the street, poured the concrete base and installed a two inch layer of sand. A crew of skilled Italian immigrant workers then laid the bricks in a running bond pattern along the street and in a herringbone pattern at the intersections. Paved in vitrified brick, a durable waterproof material resistant to wear, the street was completed in 1913 and hailed as a great transportation improvement. Delavan’s brick street has been in continuous use since its installation and remains one of the last and best examples of brick paved roadway in the State of Wisconsin. The street was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1995.
Erected 1996 by Wisconsin State Historical Society. (Marker Number 344.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Roads & Vehicles . In addition, it is included in the Wisconsin Historical Society series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1911.
Location. 42° 37.99′ N, 88° 38.838′ W. Marker is in Delavan, Wisconsin, in Walworth County. Marker is on East Walworth Avenue, 0.1 miles east of Main Street, on the right when traveling west. Located in Tower Park, just east of the water tower. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Delavan WI 53115, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 7 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Delavan's Circus Colony (approx. 0.3 miles away); Wisconsin's First School for the Deaf (approx. half a mile away); Birthplace of “The Greatest Show on Earth” (approx. half a mile away); John Bruce (approx. 3.9 miles away); Darien Civil War Memorial (approx. 4 miles away); The 755th Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron (approx. 5.6 miles away); The Webster House (approx. 5.9 miles away); Allen Family (approx. 6.9 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Delavan.
More about this marker. The marker was taken down temporarily to do renovations in the park. The Parks Director of Delevan has confirmed that the marker has been re-installed as of 8/7/2023.
Credits. This page was last revised on August 31, 2023. It was originally submitted on July 26, 2010, by Paul Fehrenbach of Germantown, Wisconsin. This page has been viewed 1,243 times since then and 86 times this year. Last updated on August 7, 2023, by Fitzie Heimdahl of Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Photos: 1. submitted on August 31, 2023, by Fitzie Heimdahl of Eau Claire, Wisconsin. 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on July 26, 2010, by Paul Fehrenbach of Germantown, Wisconsin. 6. submitted on January 29, 2022, by Devon Polzar of Port Washington, Wisconsin. 7. submitted on January 16, 2023, by Devon Polzar of Port Washington, Wisconsin. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.