Rusticated concrete block is the handmade product of in-field advances in cement making. These concrete blocks first appeared in the late 19th century and are used mainly in residences and small building construction and are meant to resemble rusticated stone blocks. Rusticated concrete block involves a rough surface with a carved bevel detail around the edge of the face of the block. The rough texture of the face is created by running the concrete across a cast-iron face plate or by using a plaster mold taken from a cut stone block. This process of texturing concrete block was streamlined by an inventor named Harmon S. Palmer who created a machine that combined the processes of texturing and forming the concrete blocks. Palmer's integration of the rusticated concrete block forming processes allowed for the material to gain national notoriety and led to its eventual inclusion in the Sears kit homes.
