The photo was taken facing to the west, but this stretch of CR 700N from Leesburg to CR 200E was resurfaced in October. The road has some historical significance in Kosciusko County.

LEESBURG — Kosciusko County Highway Department maintains approximately 1,200 miles of roads. Every year crews put down fresh layers of asphalt on roads throughout the county.

But one stretch of roadway paved in October from Leesburg eastward has some historical significance. Four men who have lived in the area for a long time and whose families have deep roots in the area — Everett Tom, Robert Paton, Mike Noel and Bob Bishop — recall the segment of CR 700N that begins near the Old Leesburg Mill and heads east was the first county maintained concrete road.

All four men are familiar with the history of the area. The families of Tom and Bishop date to the very early years of the county, while the Noel family has owned farmland since 1877.

This particular stretch of 700 North ends at 300 East near Tippecanoe Lake. Paton, one of the third generation of owners of Patona Bay Marina and Resort, said his father told him someone influential in state government and who used to visit the Lake Tippecanoe Country Club did not like the dirt road 700 North once was. Apparently the politician used his influence to cause a road contract to be issued.

There was a train depot in Leesburg very near what is now 700 North and those visiting the lake would often come in by trains and be met by someone at the depot.

Bishop said the road was “fast and smooth” before the concrete started crumbling. “People used to take their cars out and race or drag on the road,” he said.

Scott Tilden, superintendent of the highway department, confirmed the road was at one time a concrete road but is unable to say for sure if it was the first county maintained concrete road because the department has no paving records that far back. The department does have a gravel road petition book and it shows 700 North was known as the Jesse B. Marion Road prior to the county road numbering system. In 1931, Tri Lakes Construction Co. of Columbia City completed a road improvement project from Leesburg to what is now 300 East, but the specific type of paving was not clearly stated in the petition.

The country club opened in 1926, so the road being paved in concrete in 1931 is a definite possibility.

Tilden said early concrete roads were typically 16 feet wide with two 8 foot lanes. Later those roads were widened by 2 feet on each side and asphalt was used for paving instead of concrete. The most recent resurfacing project on 700 North east of Leesburg was done with hot mix asphalt.

He noted many concrete road projects were Works Progress Administration projects, but the Indiana State Archives has no records of any WPA road projects in Kosciusko County.

There are references to concrete roads existing in Kosciusko County prior to 1931, but those were either township or state maintained roads. L.W. Royse’s well known historical account of Kosciusko County, “A Standard History of Kosciusko County” says Plain Township already had 8 miles of concrete roads and the book was originally published in 1919, but that was likely when roads were still maintained by townships.