Baywood and Cindell Streets
Two beautiful brick alignments of the Lincoln Highway still exist near Robertsville, Ohio. Robertsville is between East Canton and Minerva in the eastern part of Stark County.
Originally paved in about 1919, many sections of road were abandoned within 20 years because of the rough terrain on which the original road was laid. The original Minerva to East Canton leg was used from about 1913 to about 1940, but as cars became bigger and faster, the width and tight turns of the road became intolerable. Attempts were made in places to uproot the brick and spread them further apart to widen the road; but even this wasn't enough, and a whole new road was constructed with Federal funds between the two villages. With the construction of the new road, much of the original highway was relegated to residential street status, leaving us years later with two rare antique stretches of road.
In Robertsville near the center of the town, follow Applehill Avenue south from the main highway. Applehill turns into Baywood Street and comes to the highest part of this highway in Stark County. From this ridge road you will be traveling a brick road with some of the best views in the area. The road descends the hill crossing railroad tracks at the bottom. Note that the brick at the bottom of the hill is still painted with dividing lines and rail crossing warnings. It is a stretch just under 3 miles long, and about half of it still has exposed brick.
Another section to visit is Cindell Street. It is just west of Sam Krabill Avenue and is also brick. The original road east of Sam Krabill is on private property.
Baywood Street
Baywood, where attempts were made to widen the street by spreading the bricks.
Baywood where paint markings are still visible on the brick.
Cindell Street
If you get the chance to visit the Robertsville Grange, be sure to ask them to show you their stage curtain (left) of downtown Robertsville, painted in about 1930.