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The National Road (also known as the Cumberland Road) was the first major improved highway in the United States built by the
federal government A federation (also known as a federal state) is a political entity characterized by a union of partially self-governing provinces, states, or other regions under a central federal government (federalism). In a federation, the self-governin ...
. Built between 1811 and 1837, the road connected the Potomac and
Ohio River The Ohio River is a long river in the United States. It is located at the boundary of the Midwestern and Southern United States, flowing southwesterly from western Pennsylvania to its mouth on the Mississippi River at the southern tip of Illino ...
s and was a main transport path to the West for thousands of settlers. When improved in the 1830s, it became the second U.S. road surfaced with the
macadam Macadam is a type of road construction, pioneered by Scottish engineer John Loudon McAdam around 1820, in which crushed stone is placed in shallow, convex layers and compacted thoroughly. A binding layer of stone dust (crushed stone from the o ...
process pioneered by Scotsman John Loudon McAdam. Construction began heading west in 1811 at Cumberland, Maryland, on the Potomac River. After the Financial Panic of 1837 and the resulting economic depression, congressional funding ran dry and construction was stopped at
Vandalia, Illinois Vandalia is a city in and the county seat of Fayette County, Illinois, United States. At the 2020 Census, the population was 7,458. Vandalia is northeast of St. Louis, on the Kaskaskia River. It served as the state capital of Illinois from 1 ...
, the then-capital of Illinois, northeast of St. Louis across the Mississippi River. The road has also been referred to as the Cumberland Turnpike, the Cumberland–Brownsville Turnpike (or Road or Pike), the Cumberland Pike, the National Pike, and the National Turnpike. In the 20th century with the advent of the automobile, the National Road was connected with other historic routes to California under the title, National Old Trails Road. Today, much of the alignment is followed by
U.S. Route 40 U.S. Route 40 or U.S. Highway 40 (US 40), also known as the Main Street of America, is a major east–west United States Highway traveling across the United States from the Mountain States to the Mid-Atlantic States. As with most routes wh ...
(US 40), with various portions bearing the Alternate U.S. Route 40 (Alt. US 40) designation, or various state-road numbers (such as Maryland Route 144 for several sections between Baltimore and Cumberland). In 1976, the American Society of Civil Engineers designated the National Road as a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark. In 2002, the entire road, including extensions east to Baltimore and west to St. Louis, was designated the Historic National Road, an All-American Road.


History


Braddock Road

The Braddock Road had been opened by the Ohio Company in 1751 between
Fort Cumberland A fortification is a military construction or building designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is also used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from Latin ''fortis'' ("strong") and ''facere'' ...
, the limit of navigation on the upper Potomac River, and the French military station at Fort Duquesne at the forks of the
Ohio River The Ohio River is a long river in the United States. It is located at the boundary of the Midwestern and Southern United States, flowing southwesterly from western Pennsylvania to its mouth on the Mississippi River at the southern tip of Illino ...
, (at the confluence of the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers), an important trading and military point where the city of Pittsburgh now stands. It received its name during the colonial-era French and Indian War of 1753–1763 (also known as the Seven Years' War in Europe), when it was constructed by British
General Edward Braddock Major-general (United Kingdom), Major-General Edward Braddock (January 1695 – 13 July 1755) was a British officer and commander-in-chief for the Thirteen Colonies during the start of the French and Indian War (1754–1763), the North American f ...
, who was accompanied by Colonel
George Washington George Washington (February 22, 1732, 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of th ...
of the Virginia militia regiment in the ill-fated July 1755 Braddock expedition, an attempt to assault the French-held Fort Duquesne.


Cumberland Road

Construction of the Cumberland Road (which later became part of the longer National Road) was authorized on March 29, 1806, by Congress. The new Cumberland Road would replace the wagon and foot paths of the Braddock Road for travel between the Potomac and Ohio Rivers, following roughly the same alignment until just east of Uniontown, Pennsylvania. From there, where the Braddock Road turned north towards Pittsburgh, the new National Road/Cumberland Road continued west to
Wheeling, Virginia Wheeling is a city in the U.S. state of West Virginia. Located almost entirely in Ohio County, West Virginia, Ohio County, of which it is the county seat, it lies along the Ohio River in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains and also contain ...
(now West Virginia), also on the Ohio River. The contract for the construction of the first section was awarded to Henry McKinley on May 8, 1811, and construction began later that year, with the road reaching Wheeling on August 1, 1818. For more than 100 years, a simple granite stone was the only marker of the road's beginning in Cumberland, Maryland. In June 2012, a monument and plaza were built in that town's Riverside Park, next to the historic original starting point. Beyond the National Road's eastern terminus at Cumberland and toward the Atlantic coast, a series of private toll roads and turnpikes were constructed, connecting the National Road (also known as the Old National Pike) with Baltimore, then the third-largest city in the country, and a major maritime port on Chesapeake Bay. Completed in 1824, these feeder routes formed what is referred to as an eastern extension of the federal National Road.


Westward extension

On May 15, 1820, Congress authorized an extension of the road to St. Louis, on the Mississippi River, and on March 3, 1825, across the Mississippi and to
Jefferson City, Missouri Jefferson City, informally Jeff City, is the capital of Missouri, United States. It had a population of 43,228 at the 2020 census, ranking as the 15th most populous city in the state. It is also the county seat of Cole County and the princip ...
. Work on the extension between Wheeling and Zanesville, Ohio, used the pre-existing Zane's Trace of old
Ebenezer Zane Ebenezer Zane (October 7, 1747 – Nov. 19, 1811) was an American pioneer, soldier, politician, road builder and land speculator. Born in the Colony of Virginia (possibly near what became Moorefield, West Virginia), Zane established a settle ...
, and was completed in 1833 to the new state capital of
Columbus, Ohio Columbus () is the state capital and the most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio. With a 2020 census population of 905,748, it is the 14th-most populous city in the U.S., the second-most populous city in the Midwest, after Chicago, and t ...
, and in 1838 to the college town of
Springfield, Ohio Springfield is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Clark County, Ohio, Clark County. The municipality is located in southwestern Ohio and is situated on the Mad River (Ohio), Mad River, Buck Creek, and Beaver Creek, approxim ...
. In 1849, a bridge was completed to carry the National Road across the Ohio River at Wheeling. The Wheeling Suspension Bridge, designed by
Charles Ellet Jr. Charles Ellet Jr. (1 January 1810 – 21 June 1862) was an American civil engineer from Pennsylvania who designed and constructed major canals, suspension bridges and railroads. He built the Wheeling Suspension Bridge, the longest suspension ...
, was at the time the world's longest bridge span at from tower to tower.


Transfer to states

Maintenance costs on the Cumberland Road were becoming more than Congress was willing to bear. In agreements with Maryland, Virginia, and Pennsylvania, the road was to be reconstructed and resurfaced. The section that ran over Haystack Mountain, just west of Cumberland, was abandoned and a new road was built through the Cumberland Narrows. On April 1, 1835, the section from Wheeling to Cumberland was transferred to Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Virginia (now West Virginia). The last congressional appropriation was made May 25, 1838, and in 1840, Congress voted against completing the unfinished portion of the road, with the deciding vote being cast by
Henry Clay Henry Clay Sr. (April 12, 1777June 29, 1852) was an American attorney and statesman who represented Kentucky in both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. He was the seventh House speaker as well as the ninth secretary of state, al ...
. By that time, railroads were proving a better method of long-distance transportation, and the
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was the first common carrier railroad and the oldest railroad in the United States, with its first section opening in 1830. Merchants from Baltimore, which had benefited to some extent from the construction of ...
was being built west from Baltimore to Cumberland, mostly along the Potomac River, and then by a more direct route than the National Road across the Allegheny Plateau of West Virginia (then Virginia) to Wheeling. Construction of the National Road stopped in 1839. Much of the road through Indiana and Illinois remained unfinished and was transferred to the states. Federal construction of the road stopped at
Vandalia, Illinois Vandalia is a city in and the county seat of Fayette County, Illinois, United States. At the 2020 Census, the population was 7,458. Vandalia is northeast of St. Louis, on the Kaskaskia River. It served as the state capital of Illinois from 1 ...
, which at that time was the state's capital. Illinois officials decided not to continue construction without the federal funds because two state roads from Vandalia to the St. Louis area, today's US 40 and Illinois Route 140 (known then as the Alton Road), already existed.


Subsequent events

In 1912, the National Road was chosen to become part of the National Old Trails Road, which would extend further east to New York City and west to Los Angeles, California. Five ''
Madonna of the Trail ''Madonna of the Trail'' is a series of 12 identical monuments dedicated to the spirit of pioneer women in the United States. The monuments were commissioned by the National Society of Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR). They ...
'' monuments, donated by the
Daughters of the American Revolution The Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) is a lineage-based membership service organization for women who are directly descended from a person involved in the United States' efforts towards independence. A non-profit group, they promote ...
, were erected along the Old Trails Road. In 1927, the National Road was designated as the eastern part of US 40, which still generally follows the National Road's alignment with occasional bypasses, realignments, and newer bridges. The mostly parallel Interstate 70 (I-70) now provides a faster route for through travel without the many sharp curves, steep grades, and narrow bridges of US 40 and other segments of the National Road. Heading west from Hancock in western Maryland, I-70 takes a more northerly path to connect with and follow the Pennsylvania Turnpike (also designated as
I-76 Interstate 76 may refer to: Interstate Highways in the United States * Interstate 76 (Colorado–Nebraska) * Interstate 76 (Ohio–New Jersey), running through Pennsylvania Video gaming * ''Interstate '76 ''Interstate '76'' is a vehicular c ...
) across the mountains between Breezewood and
New Stanton New Stanton is a borough in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 2,173 at the 2010 census. New Stanton is often used as a control city in western parts of Pennsylvania, as I-70 joins the Pennsylvania Turnpike (I-76) ...
, where I-70 turns west to rejoin the National Road's route (and US 40) near Washington, Pennsylvania. The more recently constructed I-68 parallels the old road from Hancock through Cumberland west to
Keyser's Ridge, Maryland Keysers Ridge is an unincorporated community in northern Garrett County, Maryland, United States. Named after William Keyser, vice president of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad at the time, it lies to the west of Grantsville on Interstate 68 and is ...
, where the National Road and US 40 turn northwest into Pennsylvania, but I-68 continues directly west to meet I-79 near
Morgantown, West Virginia Morgantown is a city in and the county seat of Monongalia County, West Virginia, Monongalia County, West Virginia, United States, situated along the Monongahela River. The largest city in North-Central West Virginia, Morgantown is best known as th ...
. The portion of I-68 in Maryland is designated as the National Freeway.


Historical structures

Many of the National Road's original stone arch bridges also remain on former alignments, including: * Casselman River Bridge near Grantsville, MarylandBuilt in 1813–1814 to carry the road across the
Casselman River The Casselman River is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed August 15, 2011 tributary of the Youghiogheny River in western Maryland and Pennsylvania in the United States.Ge ...
, it was the longest single-span stone arch bridge in America at the time. * Great Crossings Bridge near Confluence, Pennsylvania—built in 1818 to carry the road over the Youghiogheny River—the bridge, and the adjacent town of Somerfield, Pennsylvania (which was razed) are under the waters of Youghiogheny River Lake (though still visible at times of extremely low water levels). Another remaining National Road bridge is the Wheeling Suspension Bridge at Wheeling, West Virginia. Opened in 1849 to carry the road over the
Ohio River The Ohio River is a long river in the United States. It is located at the boundary of the Midwestern and Southern United States, flowing southwesterly from western Pennsylvania to its mouth on the Mississippi River at the southern tip of Illino ...
, it was the largest suspension bridge in the world until 1851, and is today the oldest vehicular
suspension bridge A suspension bridge is a type of bridge in which the deck (bridge), deck is hung below suspension wire rope, cables on vertical suspenders. The first modern examples of this type of bridge were built in the early 1800s. Simple suspension bridg ...
in the United States still in use. A newer bridge now carries the realigned US 40 and I-70 across the river nearby. Three of the road's original toll houses are preserved: * La Vale Tollgate House, in
La Vale, Maryland LaVale is a census-designated place (CDP) in Allegany County, Maryland, United States. It is part of the Cumberland, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 3,551 at the 2010 census. Geography LaVale is located at , in the shado ...
*
Petersburg Tollhouse The Petersburg Tollhouse, which is now located in the hamlet of Addison, Pennsylvania, United States, was the first tollhouse that travelers encountered while on the National Road heading west into Pennsylvania. It was listed on the National Re ...
, in
Addison, Pennsylvania Addison is a borough in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is part of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania, Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 165 at the 2020 census. History Peter Augustine laid out the town of Petersburg, w ...
* Searights Tollhouse, near Uniontown, Pennsylvania Additionally, several Old National Pike Milestones—some well-maintained, others deteriorating, and yet others represented by modern replacements—remain intact along the route.


Route description

In general, the road climbed westwards along the Amerindian trail known as Chief
Nemacolin's Path 450px, Braddock's Road, General Braddock's March (points 1–10) follows or parallels (and improves upon) Chief Nemacolin's Trail from the Potomac River to the Monogahela. The route from the summit to Redstone Creek, which could be used by wago ...
, once followed and improved by a young George Washington, then also followed by the Braddock Expedition. Using the Cumberland Narrows, its first phase of construction crossed the Allegheny Mountains entered southwestern Pennsylvania, reaching the Allegheny Plateau in Somerset County, Pennsylvania. There, travelers could turn off to Pittsburgh or continue west through Uniontown and reach navigable water, the Monongahela River, at Brownsville, Pennsylvania, which was by then a major outfitting center and riverboat-building emporium. Many settlers boarded boats there to travel down the Ohio and up the Missouri, or elsewhere on the
Mississippi watershed The Mississippi River is the second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson Bay drainage system. From its traditional source of Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota, it ...
. By 1818, travelers could press on, still following Chief Nemacolin's trail across the ford, or taking a ferry to West Brownsville, moving through
Washington County, Pennsylvania Washington County is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, the population was 209,349. Its county seat is Washington. Washington County is part of the Pittsburgh, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area. The county i ...
, and passing into Wheeling, Virginia (now West Virginia), away on the Ohio River. Subsequent efforts pushed the road across the states of Ohio and Indiana and into the
Illinois Territory The Territory of Illinois was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 1, 1809, until December 3, 1818, when the southern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Illinois. Its ca ...
. The western terminus of the National Road at its greatest extent was at the Kaskaskia River in
Vandalia, Illinois Vandalia is a city in and the county seat of Fayette County, Illinois, United States. At the 2020 Census, the population was 7,458. Vandalia is northeast of St. Louis, on the Kaskaskia River. It served as the state capital of Illinois from 1 ...
, near the intersection of modern US 51 and US 40. Today, travelers driving east from Vandalia travel along modern US 40 through south-central Illinois. The National Road continued into Indiana along modern US 40, passing through the cities of Terre Haute and Indianapolis. Within Indianapolis, the National Road used the original alignment of US 40 along West and East Washington Street (modern US 40 is now routed along
I-465 Interstate 465 (I-465), also known as the USS ''Indianapolis'' Memorial Highway, is the beltway circling Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. It is roughly rectangular in shape and has a perimeter of approximately . It lies almost complet ...
). East of Indianapolis, the road went through the city of Richmond before entering Ohio, where the road continued along modern US 40 and passed through the northern suburbs of Dayton, Springfield, and Columbus. West of Zanesville, Ohio, despite US 40's predominantly following the original route, many segments of the original road can still be found. Between Old Washington and Morristown, the original roadbed has been overlaid by I-70. The road then continued east across the Ohio River into Wheeling in West Virginia, the original western end of the National Road when it was first paved. After running in West Virginia, the National Road then entered Pennsylvania. The road cut across southwestern Pennsylvania, heading southeast for about before entering Maryland. East of Keyser's Ridge, the road used modern Alt US 40 to the city of Cumberland (modern US 40 is now routed along I-68). Cumberland was the original eastern terminus of the road. In the mid-19th century, a turnpike extension to Baltimore was approved—along what is now Maryland Route 144 from Cumberland to Hancock, US 40 from Hancock to Hagerstown, Alternate US 40 from Hagerstown to Frederick, and Maryland Route 144 from Frederick to Baltimore. The approval process was a hotly debated subject because of the removal of the original macadam construction that made this road famous. The road's route between Baltimore and Cumberland continues to use the name National Pike or Baltimore National Pike and as Main Street in Ohio today, with various portions now signed as US 40, Alt. US 40, or Maryland Route 144. A spur between Frederick, Maryland, and Georgetown (Washington, D.C.), now Maryland Route 355, bears various local names, but is sometimes referred to as the Washington National Pike; it is now paralleled by
I-270 I-270 may refer to: * Interstate 270 (disambiguation), one of several highways * Mikoyan-Gurevich I-270 The Mikoyan-Gurevich I-270 (Design Ж ("Zh") under Mikoyan-Gurevich's in-house designation sequence, USAF/DoD designation: Type 12) was a ...
between the Capital Beltway (I-495) and Frederick.


Millionaires' Row

Nick-named the "Main Street of America", the road's presence in towns on its route and effective access to surrounding towns attracted wealthy residents to build their houses along the road in towns such as in
Richmond, Indiana Richmond is a city in eastern Wayne County, Indiana. Bordering the state of Ohio, it is the county seat of Wayne County and is part of the Dayton, OH Metropolitan Statistical Area In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 36,812. Situa ...
, and
Springfield, Ohio Springfield is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Clark County, Ohio, Clark County. The municipality is located in southwestern Ohio and is situated on the Mad River (Ohio), Mad River, Buck Creek, and Beaver Creek, approxim ...
, creating Millionaires' Rows.


Historic designations

In 1976, the American Society of Civil Engineers designated the National Road as a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark. There are several structures associated with the National Road that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.


Maryland

* Sixty-nine milestones in Maryland on Maryland Route 144 and
Maryland Route 165 Maryland Route 165 (MD 165) is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. The state highway runs from Baldwin north to the Pennsylvania state line in Cardiff, where the highway continues as Pennsylvania Route 74 (PA 74). MD 165 passes thr ...
,
U.S. Route 40 U.S. Route 40 or U.S. Highway 40 (US 40), also known as the Main Street of America, is a major east–west United States Highway traveling across the United States from the Mountain States to the Mid-Atlantic States. As with most routes wh ...
, U.S. Route 40 Alternate, and
U.S. Route 40 Scenic U.S. Route 40 Scenic (US 40 Scenic) is a scenic route of US 40 in the U.S. state of Maryland. US 40 Scenic, which is known for most of its route as National Pike, is the old alignment of US 40 over ...
* Inns on the National Road in Cumberland, Maryland, and Grantsville, Maryland * Casselman River Bridge near Grantsville, Maryland


Pennsylvania

The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission has installed five
historical markers A commemorative plaque, or simply plaque, or in other places referred to as a historical marker, historic marker, or historic plaque, is a plate of metal, ceramic, stone, wood, or other material, typically attached to a wall, stone, or other ...
noting the historic importance of the road: one in Somerset County on August 10, 1947, one in Washington County on April 1, 1949, and three in Fayette County on October 12, 1948, October 12, 1948, and May 19, 1996. *
Petersburg Tollhouse The Petersburg Tollhouse, which is now located in the hamlet of Addison, Pennsylvania, United States, was the first tollhouse that travelers encountered while on the National Road heading west into Pennsylvania. It was listed on the National Re ...
in
Addison, Pennsylvania Addison is a borough in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is part of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania, Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 165 at the 2020 census. History Peter Augustine laid out the town of Petersburg, w ...
* Mount Washington Tavern adjacent to the Fort Necessity National Battlefield in Wharton Township, Pennsylvania *
Searights Tollhouse, National Road The Searights Tollhouse of the National Road is a historic toll house on United States Route 40, the former route of the historic National Road, north of Uniontown, Pennsylvania. Built in 1835, it is one of two surviving tollhouses (out of six) ...
, in Uniontown, Pennsylvania * Dunlap's Creek Bridge, near Brownsville, Pennsylvania, the first cast iron arch bridge in the United States. Completed in 1839, it was designed by Richard Delafield and built by the United States Army Corps of Engineers. Still in use, the bridge is also a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark. * Claysville S Bridge in
Washington County, Pennsylvania Washington County is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, the population was 209,349. Its county seat is Washington. Washington County is part of the Pittsburgh, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area. The county i ...
, near
Claysville, Pennsylvania Claysville is a borough in Washington County, Pennsylvania, United States and part of the Pittsburgh metropolitan area since 1950. The population was 728 at the 2020 census. Claysville Elementary School, part of the McGuffey School District is ...


West Virginia

* Mile markers 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, and 14 in West Virginia *
National Road Corridor Historic District The National Road Corridor Historic District is a historic district in eastern Wheeling, West Virginia. The district encompasses a section of the National Road from Park View Lane to Bethany Pike. A primarily residential area, the district inc ...
in Wheeling, West Virginia * Wheeling Suspension Bridge in Wheeling, West Virginia


Ohio

* Peacock Road in Cambridge, Ohio * The Red Brick Tavern in
Lafayette, Madison County, Ohio Lafayette is a census-designated place in the center of Deer Creek Township, Madison County, Ohio, United States. It is located at , along U.S. Route 40, just west of its intersection with U.S. Route 42. History Lawrenceville Lawrenceville ...
, built in 1837


Indiana

* Hudleston Farmhouse Inn in
Mount Auburn, Indiana Mount Auburn is a town in Jackson Township, Wayne County, in the U.S. state of Indiana. The population was 117 at the 2010 census. The town is sandwiched between Dublin and Cambridge City. Geography Mount Auburn is located at . According to ...
* James Whitcomb Riley House in Greenfield, Indiana


Illinois

*
Old Stone Arch, National Road The Old Stone Arch is a stone arch bridge along the former route of the National Road in Marshall, Illinois, Marshall, Illinois. The limestone bridge is high and across. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers built the bridge between 1828 and 1837, th ...
, near Marshall, Illinois


Gallery

File:Petersburg Tollhouse.jpg, Petersburg Tollhouse, National Road,
Addison, Pennsylvania Addison is a borough in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is part of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania, Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 165 at the 2020 census. History Peter Augustine laid out the town of Petersburg, w ...
File:Red Brick Tavern in Lafayette.jpg, Red Brick Tavern, National Road,
Lafayette, Ohio Lafayette is a village in Allen County, Ohio, United States. The population was 445 at the 2010 census. It is included in the Lima, Ohio Metropolitan Statistical Area. History The village was incorporated in 1868. Geography Lafayette is loc ...
File:National Road Mile Markers Numbers 8 9 10 11 13 14.jpg, Mile markers, West Virginia File:Old National Road, Clark Center, IL, US.jpg, Abandoned part at
Clark Center, Illinois Clark Center is an unincorporated community in Clark County, Illinois, United States. Clark Center is located on U.S. Route 40 between Marshall Marshall may refer to: Places Australia * Marshall, Victoria, a suburb of Geelong, Victoria Can ...


See also

* National Old Trails Road (Ocean-to-Ocean Highway)


References


Further reading

*
restricted access
*


External links


American Society of Civil Engineers landmark information

National Road Association of Illinois
– National Road in Illinois
Indiana National Road Association
– National Road in Indiana
Ohio National Road Association
– National Road in Ohio
National Road in West Virginia
– by the West Virginia Department of Commerce
National Road Heritage Corridor
– National Road in Pennsylvania
The National Old Trails Road Part 1: The Quest for a National Road


(Baltimore to Cumberland)


The Historic National Road
from the
America's Byways A National Scenic Byway is a road recognized by the United States Department of Transportation for one or more of six "intrinsic qualities": archeological, cultural, historic, natural, recreational, and scenic. The program was established by Co ...
website of the Federal Highway Administration
The National Old Trails Road Photo Gallery

Ohio National Road driving tour
* *
125 M to B: The National Pike and National Road
{{Authority control All-American Roads Historic trails and roads in the United States Roads on the National Register of Historic Places Historic Civil Engineering Landmarks History of Cumberland, MD-WV MSA Roads on the National Register of Historic Places in Ohio Roads on the National Register of Historic Places in West Virginia Roads on the National Register of Historic Places in Indiana Roads on the National Register of Historic Places in Pennsylvania Roads on the National Register of Historic Places in Maryland U.S. Route 40 9th United States Congress Scenic byways in Ohio 1811 establishments in the United States