author
Barber Asphalt Paving Co.
Built around Trinidad lake asphalt and the ambitions of entrepreneur Amzi L. Barber, this pioneering paving firm helped turn asphalt streets into a modern American standard. Its story touches booming cities, monopoly fights, and the rapid growth of urban infrastructure in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
1 Audiobook
The Wonderland of Trinidad
by Barber Asphalt Paving Co.
About the author
Founded in Washington, D.C., in 1883, Barber Asphalt Company became one of the major forces behind the rise of asphalt paving in the United States. The business was created by Amzi L. Barber, later nicknamed the "Asphalt King," and it grew by supplying and laying asphalt for streets in expanding American cities.
A big part of the company's success came from access to the famous Pitch Lake in Trinidad. That source of natural asphalt helped Barber Asphalt build a strong position in the paving trade, and the company became prominent enough to appear in major legal disputes of the era, including cases that reached the U.S. Supreme Court.
The company name also appears on period publications as Barber Asphalt Paving Co., reflecting its close association with the practical work of building roads as well as promoting asphalt pavement. Today, its history offers a window into how business, technology, and city growth came together to reshape everyday transportation.