٠Concrete has lots of history. The Romans used it. Their version combines powdered limestone and volcanic ash to create the cement required to bind stone and water into the hardened mass that becomes a road, a walkway, a bridge, or an improvement over bare dirt.

٠Although civilized man temporarily lost sight of this useful mixture during the Dark Ages, it became common again during the 1800s

٠You would think with all the time we have had to work on the recipe, we would have come up with one that doesn’t crack.
That goal is still being pursued, however.

٠Concrete is made from four ingredients: stone, sand, cement, and water. In some areas at some times of the year, additives help prevent problems caused by temperature extremes

٠The “cement” in today’s recipe is portland cement. While many folks assume the “portland” in this phrase is our own Portland, Oregon, this is not the case. The name was given to the concoction by Joseph Aspdin, a British bricklayer.

٠Early in the 1900s, Aspdin was searching for a way to “manufacture” stone. After some experimentation with lime, clay, roasting, and grinding, he produced a powder (cement) which, when mixed with water, forms a pudding like mixture that hardens.  To Aspdin, the appearance was similar to stone quarried on the Isle of Portland, so he named the product “portland cement”.