Shovels and Shoes: Cement Sidewalks’ Influence on New Cultures of Civics and Fashion in the Urbanizing United States, 1890-1930

This is a hybrid event. The in-person reception will begin at 4:30 PM. Please visit here to register.

From 1890 to 1910, public works departments and private contractors collectively paved thousands of miles of new sidewalks in US cities. The new sidewalks, mostly cement-bound concrete, dramatically changed walking for city pedestrians across the country. Previously, walking around towns involved far more puddles, dust, mud, and lumpy surfaces. Impermeable cement regulated water and dirt while creating smooth surfaces. Into this history of urban environments, Kirke Elsass layers a story of snow-shoveling neighbors, street vendors, bicyclists, footwear designers, and rubber manufacturers to recount the role a simple and commonplace material played in how Americans moved, dressed, and lived together.