The City Repaved Caroline Street and Found More Cobblestones Underneath

Public Works dug up Caroline Street to fix the cobblestones and uncovered an older, smugger set of cobblestones.

7:10 AM

A backhoe idles on Caroline Street beside three orange cones and a sign reading ROAD WORK AHEAD, which everyone agrees is the most accurate thing the city has ever printed.

Foreman

We're finally fixing the cobblestones. Folks have complained for years.

9:30 AM

They lift the old cobblestones. Underneath, packed neat and gleaming, sits an even older layer of cobblestones.

Worker

Sir. There's more of them. Smaller. Angrier.

1:45 PM

A preservation rep arrives within minutes, the way they always do, summoned by the sound of a single brick being moved.

Preservation Rep

You can't touch those. Those are the original originals. The 1840s ones are the new ones now.

Foreman

So we put the bad cobblestones back over the historic cobblestones.

5:15 PM

The cones stay. The backhoe stays. The line at Hyperion has memorized everyone's order and started taking bets.

Barista

Detour's posted for eight months. They're calling it a study.

Fredericksburg doesn't repave Caroline Street. It just keeps confirming the street was right all along.