On 8/31/2010 6:27 AM, Jim Elbrecht wrote:
wrote:
-snip-

Where is your hometown? I noticed you used the word "Macadam", that is
a rare word in the US. Named for a man named John McAdam. The first to
use stone and roll it to lock the stones together to make better roads.
Later he added oil/tar on top to help it last through heavy rains.
That is were the word "Tarmac" became popular and is still used at
airports. I come from a part of PA, USA where the outdated word
"Macadam" was still used to describe asphalt/blacktop. If I use the
word today not many people will know what it means.

I'm in upstate NY& grew up in Schenectady, Schoharie& Greene
counties in the 50s-60s. I used the term last year and was amazed
that none of the folks I talked to knew what it was. My wife grew
up in Saratoga county- and the folks I was talking to were all from
the NY city area. [and a bit younger]

I didn't think to look it up back then, but when Micajah used it I
Wiki'ed it. I knew it was named for Mr. McAdam- but didn't know
the specifics of *his* roads.

I've always used the term[improperly, it appears] to refer to any
asphalt surface.

Jim

That is how I grew up using the name. Macadam meant Asphalt. I used
the word Macadam around some friends a few years ago and got strange
looks and questions, that's when I looked it up.