Part 3/11:
By the late 1870s, Barber had developed a new obsession: asphalt. As American cities modernized and demanded durable paved roads, Barber saw a lucrative opportunity in this black, sticky substance. In 1883, he founded the Barber Asphalt Company in Washington, shifting his focus from residential properties to infrastructure.
Securing a lease on Pitch Lake in Trinidad—the world’s largest natural asphalt deposit—Barber nearly monopolized high-quality paving materials. His timing was impeccable; while cities from New York to San Francisco sought sturdy streets, Barber’s team laid miles of asphalt pavement.