Robert Rosenberg Age 9, of Bayside. N.Y., for his question:    

How did Portland cement get its name?

Portland cement is a sturdy, man made stone, and you may wonder whether it was named for Portland, Ore., or Portland, Me. But the man who named it did not have either of these wonderful towns in mind. He named it for a tiny island, too small to show itself on most maps, off the coast of his native England.

The stone making material we call Portland cement was invented by a bricklayer of Leeds, England. This was way back in the year 1824. The inventor thought his new: man made stone was very much like the natural stone taken from the quarries on the isle of Portland., so he named it Portland cement.