Pioneer Memorial Drive and its bridge mark the original route into Fairmont in the 1800's, when numerous lakes and streams made entry difficult for travelers on horseback and on foot. In 1869, Dr. O.P. Chubb, who was also an engineer, built a wooden bridge at this location, and in 1915 O.C. Gould, a five generation concrete construction company, replaced it with the present concrete bridge. This route connected with what was locally known as the Jackson Road, and the street was renamed Pioneer Drive in 1998 to reflect its historical significance. In 1915, the Ladies Cemetery Improvement Association and local organizations built a sidewalk from the town along this route to Lakeside cemetery. After the blocks deteriorated, the Fairmont Early Riser's Kiwanis Club, the Martin County Historical Society, and the Martin County Preservation Association led local citizens and organizations in preserving this part of Fairmont history, and during the 1998 restoration the names of individuals, organizations, and memorials honoring Fairmont citizens who donated funds were imprinted in the sidewalk along with the original names. The area recalls a longer local history in which several Indian communities lived around the lakes from the 1600's through the mid 1800's, the first fur traders arrived in 1838, the first settlers arrived in 1856, the community of Fairmont was organized in 1857, and Fort Fairmont was built at the site of the present courthouse in 1862.