BETHLEHEM'S YELLOW BRICK ROAD

Ever wonder why there are six rows of yellow bricks embedded into the sidewalk at the southeast corner of Four Corners? A marker near these bricks explains: 

Roads have always been important in the Town of Bethlehem. The landslide near Delaware Avenue recently emphasized that point, since many of our residents depended on the road for commuting. Furthermore, a clean, smooth roadway beautifies a town and increases property values.

In its early years when there weren't that many commuters, Bethlehem's farmers and manufacturers depended on roads to bring their goods and services to Albany. Early roads in Bethlehem were simply ruts carved into the ground by the many horses and wagons that traversed them. In good weather, travel on these roads was brutal. Add inclement weather and it comes to a halt.
Laying cut timbers across a road was one of the first "paving" methods used in Colonial times. These roads, called plank roads, were especially useful for low-lying, swampy areas. However, loose timbers were very dangerous to horses as their hooves could slide deep into the mud between timbers.

Crushed stone was another popular "paving" method. However, during very wet weather or the spring's "mud season," crushed stone still didn't hold up well.

Bethlehem's solution to the need for a good road in the 1800's was the "cobblestone" road paved with bricks -- but not just common, everyday, red bricks, but yellow bricks. What could possibly be more beautiful than a yellow brick road from Albany to Bethlehem? And this predates both the "Wizard of Oz" and Elton John's goodbye to his yellow brick road.

Today, remnants of the old yellow brick road are still around. Besides the six rows of yellow bricks at four corners there are also remnants of the actual road near the Old Delaware Avenue Bridge over the Normanskill. On the south side of the bridge, parts of the old road can still be seen in Normansville. On the north side, parts of the old road are still being used today by the City of Albany.

Today's Delaware Avenue has long since passed by the 200-year-old road chartered to the Albany and Delaware Turnpike Company. However, efforts in Bethlehem are underway to return some of its original beauty. The Normansville Yellow Brick Road Enhancement Committee is currently making plans to cleanup and beautify the south side of the Normanskill near the Old Delaware Avenue Bridge. Information about their efforts, including additional historical information, a progress page and a buy-a-brick campaign can be found on the Internet at http://www.bethlehemfirst.com/yellowbrickroad/.

[Article originally published in the 2005 "Spring Edition" of Our Towne]

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