The following article has been submitted by the Logan County History Center.
By: Mary E. Mortimer
On August 24–25, 1962, the City of Bellefontaine held a grand rededication ceremony honoring Court Avenue, recognized as the oldest concrete street in America. The street was originally constructed between 1891 and 1893.
Before the celebration could begin, Court Avenue required repairs. On July 22, 1962, the Bellefontaine City Street Department started restoration work on the 71-year-old roadway. Repairs included patching deteriorated joints and replacing several damaged five-foot-square concrete sections. Paving equipment and materials were donated by various local businesses. By August 9, Court Avenue was reported to be fully restored and “as good as new.”
One of the highlights of the celebration was the Miss Concrete Pavement pageant, held at the Logan County Fair. Twenty-nine contestants participated in the preliminary competition on August 19. Seven finalists were selected on August 23: Sally Williams, Judy Rose, Suzanne Hilliker, Susan Traul, Sonja Sweeney, Judy Heath, and Jane Hufford. That evening, Sally Williams, age 19, of Rushsylvania, was crowned Miss Concrete Pavement and chosen to preside over the two-day celebration. Her selection made her eligible to represent Logan County in the Miss Ohio contest.
According to Jack Hadley, owner of Hadley Studios and co-chairman of the celebration committee, Williams received numerous prizes, including: $25 gift certificates from Dee’s and Uhlman’s, a clock radio from Westinghouse, records from DeLong’s, a $25 savings bond from Rockwell Manufacturing Company, and twelve pairs of hosiery from J.C. Penney.
Other members of the court also received gifts, including furniture, lamps, savings bonds, clothing items, and jewelry donated by Armstrong & Allen, May & Co., W.E. Arthur, Herman Lugar, L.M. Stupp Furniture, Corwin’s, and Roe’s House of Fashion. Floral arrangements were provided by The House of Flowers, and Barton Olds supplied convertible automobiles for the court members during the festivities.
The Court Avenue rededication gala officially began on Friday evening at the Bellefontaine High School gymnasium. Bellefontaine Mayor Rodney Hughes delivered the welcome address. The evening’s entertainment featured a baton-twirling competition, including individual “twirl-offs” and a baton corps contest.
Saturday’s events began with a parade at 10:00 a.m., starting at the fairgrounds and traveling north along Main Street past Sandusky Avenue. The 1.7-mile parade route was lined with thousands of spectators and was described as the largest parade ever held in Logan County. The nearly two-hour-long parade included 180 units and approximately 3,500 participants. Belle Center led participation with four floats showcasing Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, baseball players, local businesses, and antique fire equipment.
Notable entries included: Hartley & Nicholl’s float featuring an old-fashioned grass cutter and a new 1962 International Harvester lawn tractor, West Liberty’s Model T fire truck carrying Mayor Carrol Bailey and members of the fire department, Max Garvin riding a unicycle, Don Stinson performing on a custom-built organ, a Valley High ski slope float, and a cement truck towing a wagon with men mixing concrete. Bands, drum and bugle corps, bicycles, and Shrine Club units added music and humor to the parade. Candy and souvenirs were distributed from four large stainless-steel tractor-trailers provided by Super Foods. Commercial participants included Shick Implement, Wilgus Hardware and Implement, Duff Truck Lines, Hopewell Dairy, and many others.
The formal rededication program began at 2:00 p.m. with James D. Peters, master of ceremonies and Bellefontaine Area Chamber of Commerce President, welcoming the large crowd. Margaret Lautenbach performed the National Anthem.
Guest speakers included: State Representative Roger Cloud, H. G. Wood, District Engineer for Portland Cement, F. J. Milligan, President of the Ohio Historical Society, E. S. Preston, Ohio Director of Highways, Attorney General William Saxbe, Lieutenant Governor John Donahey, and State Auditor and gubernatorial nominee James A. Rhodes was also among the honored guests.
The highlight of the ceremony occurred at 4:00 p.m., when Robert J. Notestine, chairman of the Street Committee and Bellefontaine City Council member, and Sally Williams, Miss Concrete Pavement, sprinkled cement and sand onto the original roadway. They then broke and poured a bottle of champagne over the spot, allowing it to evaporate.
Among the attendees was 94-year-old Tom Funk of Northwood, who had been present at the original dedication of Court Avenue in 1891. Funk had once manufactured barrels used to transport the first cement produced at Marl City, near Rushsylvania.
The celebration concluded with Margaret Lautenbach singing “America” and a benediction delivered by Reverend Guy Furbay of the Logan County Historical Society. The festivities continued that evening with music and dancing in the streets. Attendance was estimated at more than 25,000 people.
Visit the Logan County History Center to learn more interesting aspects of Logan County History. The History Center is open for tours Wednesday – Sunday from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm. Admission is free.
