Early Roads in Perry Township

Excerpt from The Cory Story (1990); pg 101-102

            “The earliest improved roads in Perry Township were the corduroy roads.  This name was given to a road made passable by cutting poles or rails and laying them across the roadbed, side by side.  It is not certain whether this method of improvement was used for a long length of road, or just for a stretch that had “no bottom” after a spring thaw.  In some areas, corduroy or plank roads extended for some distance.

            The Shady Lane section of the National Road east of Brazil was constructed of “corduroy,” and this accounted for the row of sycamore trees that lined the roadway.  The sycamore poles grew roots in the wet dirt, and grew into large trees.

            The only section of road in Perry Township where the corduroy could be seen, since 1925, was the road north of the present LEMINGER farm, southwest of Cory.

            During the early years, until about 1925, maybe later, farmers did much of the work on the township roads, such as dragging and grading.  They worked out their road tax by working three days a year on the township roads.

            Farmers were paid for hauling gravel for repairing the few graveled roads.  Township road supervisors were appointed, and they dragged the roads with their own teams and often hired other farmers with teams to help.

            John Andy HERRON was an early road supervisor.  Maree MODESITT and Criss MILLER were later supervisors in the north precinct.   Ray MORGAN and “Jap” CROUSE were supervisors in the south precinct.

            About 1940 or a little later, jurisdiction over all roads, with the exception of State Road 46, was given to the county government, and the county supervisors were appointed.  In recent years, two Perry Township men have been county road supervisors, Harlan WARKEN and Carl BOHANNON.  

            The work on State Road 46, the first paved road in the township, began in 1932.  The grading of the roadbed was done by heavy machinery, as well as with horses and mules pulling wheel slip-scrapers and wagons.  The bottoms of the wagon beds were designed with hinges and latches, so that a trip lever could be pulled to dump the dirt.  The drivers of these teams were called “Mule Skinners.”  The mules were stabled on the Orville JEFFERS property.  Later, they moved back in the grove on the Harvey FELL farm.  (To read more about the construction of Hwy. 46 and “brown sugar” roads built by the W.P. A., ask to see The Cory Story the next time you visit the library.)

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