Brick roads and sidewalks give Lawrence history solid foundation
Paul Sollars remembers his father telling him why Old West Lawrence has brick streets and sidewalks. The story always gave him eerie nightmares when he was young.
“He told me that there was a man with no legs who would go along and just lay brick after brick on the streets late at night,” Sollars said. “I think my Dad actually knew the guy.”
Now, Sollars runs his father’s brick company, Jayhawk Masonry. He frequently finds himself replacing uneven sidewalks overgrown by grass in the historic area. The tedious project requires a certain kind of brick be used; a kind of brick that is hard to find.
“These bricks for Old West Lawrence contain a lot of iron, which is what gives them that dark red color,” Sollars said. “But they are expensive and labor charges increase too.”
Sollars buys his bricks from the Lawrence Brick Company. The company still carves “Lawrence Kansas” onto the brick, which $1 a piece. The bricks are historically significant to Lawrence. The brick roads date back to the 1860’s when William Quantrill raided the area.
Today, Old West Lawrence is one of the few neighborhoods listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The neighborhood is located west of downtown Lawrence between Tennessee and Indiana streets and Sixth and 13th streets
Homeowners and landlords strive to maintain a historical environment. Taking care of the brick sidewalks is one way they do this.
Cille King owns the property on the southeast corner of 12th and Ohio. She has spent the past two weeks repairing the brick sidewalk. King knows it might be cheaper to replace the walkway with asphalt but wants to use the bricks that are already there and have been there for years.
“I think it’s part of this neighborhood,” she said. “It adds to the character of the area.”
Not all property owners feel as King does. Many of the blocks along Ohio change from brick to asphalt as each house passes. The majority of the brick sections are dangerous due to poor maintenance. Jagged bricks, tree roots, and large holes stand as obstacles to walkers. King said that she understands why some people may not want to repair their brick sidewalks.
“It’s tedious because you have to even out the soil, lay down sand, measure the width, and then puzzle together all these old bricks,” she said. “I’m lucky that so many of my bricks are in good condition and I can reuse them.”
Organizations such as the Douglas County Historical Society and the Kansas State Heritage Group want homeowners to preserve the homes and nature in the area.
Linda Hyler serves on the Board of Directors for the Douglas County Historical Society. A resident of Lawrence for over 30 years, she values her involvement with the rich history.
“Old West Lawrence is the biggest part of the history here. It’s the one area where you can actually see and touch the past. The old homes, the brick streets, the tall trees: all of this is important in sharing the beauty. It’s Old West Lawrence that visitors remember.”