Mcadamization

Ours is a matter-of-fact age—an age of steam and railway and McAdamization and labor-saving machinery—the poetry of Time has gone by forever, and we have only the sober prose left us.

Imagine a street much wider than Pennsylvania Avenue, smooth as McAdamization can render it, down whose length at regular intervals rise spreading trees — divide it into four avenues, each rejoicing in its Arch of leaves — if not as grand, at least as complete as that of Temple Street New Haven that used to excite my special wonder & enthusiasm.

The road in this vicinity was graded, stone prepared along the line for McAdamization, along Main street it was paved, the bridge over Whitewater was built, &c.

Ultimately, Whigs regarded the outcome with mixed emotions. As champions of state-funded internal improvements, they favored recommendations like railroad construction, turnpike McAdamization, and the dredging of rivers and harbors.