History Knox
Mark Sebastian Jordan authors a column each Saturday reflecting on the history of the community.
MOUNT VERNON — This interesting photo comes from the Knox Time Collection, which has generously allowed us use of their assemblage of historical images.
This particular photo shows the Knox County Engineering Department on Columbus Road, but is not dated. People with a greater expertise in tractors may be able to estimate the year of the photo from the road equipment.
My only guess is mid to late 1920s, based on the automobile.
I’m guessing the vehicles directly in front of the barn with lettering are road graders, as they have the same curving front as modern graders, though the ones here appear to have been pulled by little engines in front, while an operator on the grader — seen standing in a little cabin toward the back of each — operated the plow.
It can’t have been much after this photo was taken that a driving engine was incorporated into the graders themselves.
There are two tractors with treads instead of wheels, which would presumably help them get around on Knox County’s unpaved roads in wet seasons. All of this equipment was probably fairly modern upgrades from horse-drawn equipment of the past.
I’m not sure at what point Knox County’s 400 miles of roads started to be paved, but that would have required a great deal of new equipment.
Does anyone know if any of these buildings are still in existence?