Texas Town’s Historic Brick Streets Documented in Vintage Video

I've lived in Tyler for most of my life. There are many things I enjoy about living here. The people are (mostly) friendly, we have great local businesses, and let's face it, our spring flowers are among the most beautiful anywhere.

Another one of my favorite things about Tyler is those iconic downtown red brick streets. I always get a sense of the city's history when I see it. They've become a signature part of the aesthetic. (Although I don't advocate running in heels on them, but that's another story.)

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Although I adore the upgrades and some of the modernization happening in Tyler and all around East Texas, I wouldn't trade the red brick streets of Tyler in a million years. Fortunately, these beloved red brick streets are being revitalized even now!

And I'm not the only one. East Texans love them so much that Tyler has created an area known as the Brickstreet District. According to Historic Tyler, Inc., "the district encompasses 29 blocks of mid-19th century to mid-20th century residential, commercial, and institutional development." Visitors to East Texas love them, too.

Do you know what year the red brick streets were built in Tyler, Texas?

Well, that may be difficult to answer because they were built over quite a few years. According to data made available by the City of Tyler, the first brick streets were laid as early as 1912. Through the years, more and more were added until 1947.

And today, they are still structurally sound, which is impressive in itself when we consider how often we have to improve our more modern roads.

But building them wasn't as simple as laying the bricks down and gluing them together. It began with a base made of several inches of concrete. Over that, the builders added a layer of sand to give the streets a bit more "give" for passing cars.

On top of that layer, the bricks were added. Then, they poured black hot tar over them, which aided in sealing them. Finally, they were "dusted" with more sand.

So, why aren't the bricks black? Over time, that black finish just wore off, leaving that classic red brick color we know so well.
But don't just take our word for it. Thanks to a vintage video the City of Tyler released, you can see the work in progress. Although a specific year was given for the video, it looks to me as if it is in the late 30s or early 40s.

The almost 14 miles of red brick streets of Tyler have become synonymous with the city's history. They connect some of the city's most beautifully historic places.