The National Road (also known as the Cumberland Road) was the first major improved highway in the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

built by the

federal government A federation (also called a federal state) is an entity characterized by a political union, union of partially federated state, self-governing provinces, states, or other regions under a #Federal governments, federal government (federalism) ...

. Built between 1811 and 1837, the road connected the Potomac and

Ohio River The Ohio River () is a river in the United States. It is located at the boundary of the Midwestern and Southern United States, flowing in a southwesterly direction from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to its river mouth, mouth on the Mississippi Riv ...

s and was a main transport path to the

West West is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from east and is the direction in which the Sun sets on the Earth. Etymology The word "west" is a Germanic word passed into some Romance langu ...

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 , in which crushed stone is placed in shallow, convex layers and compacted thoroughly. A binding layer of stone dust (crushed stone from the original mat ...

process pioneered by Scotsman

John Loudon McAdam John Loudon McAdam (23 September 1756 – 26 November 1836) was a Scottish civil engineer and road-builder. He invented a new process, "macadamisation", for building roads with a smooth hard surface, using controlled materials of mi ...

. Construction began heading west in 1811 at

Cumberland, Maryland Cumberland is a city in Allegany County, Maryland, United States, and its county seat. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city had a population of 19,075. Located on the Potomac River, Cumberland is a regional business and comm ...

, 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. The city is on the Kaskaskia River and in the early 19th century, Vandalia became the western terminus of the N ...

, the then-capital of

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. It borders on Lake Michigan to its northeast, the Mississippi River to its west, and the Wabash River, Wabash and Ohio River, Ohio rivers to its ...

, northeast of

St. Louis St. Louis ( , sometimes referred to as St. Louis City, Saint Louis or STL) is an independent city in the U.S. state of Missouri. It lies near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a populatio ...

across the

Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the main stem, primary river of the largest drainage basin in the United States. It is the second-longest river in the United States, behind only the Missouri River, Missouri. From its traditional source of Lake Ita ...

. 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 California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

under the title,

National Old Trails Road National Old Trails Road, also known as the Ocean-to-Ocean Highway, was established in 1912, and became part of the National Auto Trail system in the United States. It was long and stretched from Baltimore, Maryland (some old maps indicate N ...

. 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 (a nickname shared with U.S. Route 66), is a major east–west United States Highway traveling across the United States from the Mountain States to the Mid- ...

(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 Maryland Route 144 (MD 144) is a collection of state highways in the U.S. state of Maryland. These highways are sections of old alignment of U.S. Route 40 in Maryland, U.S. Route 40 (US 40) between Cumberland, Maryland, Cumberland and Baltimo ...

for several sections between Baltimore and Cumberland). In 1976, the

American Society of Civil Engineers The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) is a tax-exempt professional body founded in 1852 to represent members of the civil engineering profession worldwide. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, it is the oldest national engineering soci ...

designated the National Road as a

National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark __NOTOC__ The following is a list of Historic Civil Engineering Landmarks as designated by the American Society of Civil Engineers since it began the program in 1964. The designation is granted to projects, structures, and sites in the United Stat ...

. 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 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 ...

History

Braddock Road

The Braddock Road had been opened by the

Ohio Company The Ohio Company, formally known as the Ohio Company of Virginia, was a land speculation company organized for the settlement by Virginians of the Ohio Country (approximately the present U.S. state of Ohio) and to trade with the Native Ameri ...

in 1751 between

Fort Cumberland A fortification (also called a fort, fortress, fastness, or stronghold) is a military construction designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from Lati ...

, the limit of navigation on the upper

Potomac River The Potomac River () is in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States and flows from the Potomac Highlands in West Virginia to Chesapeake Bay in Maryland. It is long,U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography D ...

, and the French military station at

Fort Duquesne Fort Duquesne ( , ; originally called ''Fort Du Quesne'') was a fort established by the French in 1754, at the confluence of the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers. It was later taken over by the British, and later the Americans, and developed ...

at the forks of the

, (at the confluence of the Allegheny and

Monongahela River The Monongahela River ( , ), sometimes referred to locally as the Mon (), is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed August 15, 2011 river on the Allegheny Plateau in nor ...

s), an important trading and military point where the city of

Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, and its county seat. It is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, second-most populous city in Pennsylvania (after Philadelphia) and the List of Un ...

now stands. It received its name during the colonial-era

French and Indian War The French and Indian War, 1754 to 1763, was a colonial conflict in North America between Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain and Kingdom of France, France, along with their respective Native Americans in the United States, Native American ...

of 1753–1763 (also known as the

Seven Years' War The Seven Years' War, 1756 to 1763, was a Great Power conflict fought primarily in Europe, with significant subsidiary campaigns in North America and South Asia. The protagonists were Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain and Kingdom of Prus ...

in Europe), when it was constructed by British

General Edward Braddock 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 front of what is known in Europe and Canada as ...

, who was accompanied by Colonel

George Washington George Washington (, 1799) was a Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father and the first president of the United States, serving from 1789 to 1797. As commander of the Continental Army, Washington led Patriot (American Revoluti ...

of the

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the East Coast of the United States ...

militia regiment in the ill-fated July 1755

Braddock expedition The Braddock Expedition, also known as Braddock's Campaign or Braddock's Defeat, was a British Empire, British military expedition which attempted to capture Fort Duquesne from the French colonial empire, French in 1755 during the French and Ind ...

, an attempt to assault the French-held Fort Duquesne.

Cumberland Road

Cumberland-national-road-marker-riverside-park2012

Construction of the Cumberland Road (which later became part of the longer National Road) was authorized on March 29, 1806, by

Congress A congress is a formal meeting of the representatives of different countries, constituent states, organizations, trade unions, political parties, or other groups. The term originated in Late Middle English to denote an encounter (meeting of ...

. 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 Uniontown is the largest city in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, United States, and its county seat. The population was 9,984 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Pittsburgh metropolitan area, southeast of Pittsburgh. History southeast of ...

. From there, where the Braddock Road turned north towards Pittsburgh, the new National Road/Cumberland Road continued west to Wheeling, Virginia (now

West Virginia West Virginia is a mountainous U.S. state, state in the Southern United States, Southern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States.The United States Census Bureau, Census Bureau and the Association of American ...

), 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 The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, with an area of about . It covers approximately 17% of Earth's surface and about 24% of its water surface area. During the Age of Discovery, it was known for se ...

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 The Chesapeake Bay ( ) is the largest estuary in the United States. The bay is located in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region and is primarily separated from the Atlantic Ocean by the Delmarva Peninsula, including parts of the Ea ...

. Completed in 1824, these feeder routes formed what is referred to as an eastern extension of the federal National Road.

Westward extension

Wheeling Suspension Bridge west approach Wheeling Island West Virginia

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 List of capitals in the United States, capital of the U.S. state of Missouri. It had a population of 43,228 at the 2020 United States census, ranking as the List of cities in Missouri, 16th most popu ...

. Work on the extension between Wheeling and

Zanesville, Ohio Zanesville is a city in Muskingum County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. Located at the confluence of the Licking River (Ohio), Licking and Muskingum River, Muskingum rivers, the city is approximately east of Columbus, Ohio, Columb ...

, used the pre-existing Zane's Trace of

Ebenezer Zane Ebenezer Zane (October 7, 1747 – November 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 se ...

, and was completed in 1833 to the new

state capital Below is an index of pages containing lists of capital city, capital cities. National capitals *List of national capitals *List of national capitals by latitude *List of national capitals by population *List of national capitals by area *List of ...

Columbus, Ohio Columbus (, ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities in Ohio, most populous city of the U.S. state of Ohio. With a 2020 United States census, 2020 census population of 905,748, it is the List of United States ...

, and in 1838 to the college town of

Springfield, Ohio Springfield is a city in Clark County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. It is located in southwestern Ohio along the Mad River (Ohio), Mad River, Buck Creek, and Beaver Creek, about west of Columbus, Ohio, Columbus and northeast of ...

. In 1849, a bridge was completed to carry the National Road across the Ohio River at Wheeling. The

Wheeling Suspension Bridge The Wheeling Suspension Bridge is a suspension bridge spanning the main channel of the Ohio River at Wheeling, West Virginia. It was the largest suspension bridge in the world from 1849 until 1851. Charles Ellet Jr. (who also worked on the ...

, designed by Charles Ellet Jr., 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 The Cumberland Narrows (or simply The Narrows) is a water gap in western Maryland in the United States, just west of Cumberland. Wills Creek cuts through the central ridge of the Wills Mountain Anticline at a low elevation here between Will ...

. 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 (April 12, 1777June 29, 1852) was an American lawyer and statesman who represented Kentucky in both the United States Senate, U.S. Senate and United States House of Representatives, House of Representatives. He was the seventh Spea ...

. By that time, railroads were beginning to compete for long-distance transportation. The

Baltimore and Ohio Railroad The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was the oldest railroads in North America, oldest railroad in the United States and the first steam engine, steam-operated common carrier. Construction of the line began in 1828, and it operated as B&O from 1830 ...

was being built west from Baltimore to Cumberland, mostly along the Potomac River, which was a more direct route than the National Road across the

Allegheny Plateau The Allegheny Plateau ( ) is a large dissected plateau area of the Appalachian Mountains in western and central New York, northern and western Pennsylvania, northern and western West Virginia, and eastern Ohio. It is divided into the unglacia ...

of West Virginia (then Virginia) to Wheeling. Construction of the National Road stopped in 1839. Portions of the road through Indiana and Illinois remained unpaved or otherwise rudimentary and were transferred to the states. Federal construction of the road stopped at

, 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 Illinois Route 140 (IL 140) is a east–west highway with its western terminus at Illinois Route 143 in Alton and its eastern terminus at U.S. Route 40 (US 40) near Mulberry Grove. It also overlaps IL 111 in Alton and IL 127 in Greenv ...

(known then as the

Alton Alton may refer to: People *Alton (given name) * Alton (surname) Places Australia * Alton National Park, Queensland * Alton, Queensland, a town in the Shire of Balonne Canada * Alton, Ontario * Alton, Nova Scotia New Zealand * Alton, New Zeala ...

Road), already existed.

Subsequent events

In 1912, the National Road was chosen to become part of the

, which would extend further east to New York City and west to

Los Angeles, California Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

. Five ''

Madonna of the Trail ''Madonna of the Trail'' is a series of 12 identical monuments to the spirit of pioneer women in the United States. The monuments were commissioned in the late 1920s by the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR) ...

'' monuments, donated by the

Daughters of the American Revolution The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (often abbreviated as DAR or NSDAR) is a lineage-based membership service organization for women who are directly descended from a patriot of the American Revolutionary War. A non-p ...

, 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 Interstate 70 (I-70) is a major east–west Interstate Highway in the United States that runs from Interstate 15, I-15 near Cove Fort, Utah, to Interstate 695 (Maryland), I-695 and Maryland Route 570 (MD 570) in Woodlawn, Baltimo ...

(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 Hancock may refer to: Places Places in the United States * Hancock, Iowa * Hancock, Maine * Hancock, Maryland * Hancock, Massachusetts * Hancock, Michigan * Hancock, Minnesota * Hancock, Missouri * Hancock, New Hampshire ** Hancock (CDP), New H ...

in western Maryland, I-70 takes a more northerly path to connect with and follow the

Pennsylvania Turnpike The Pennsylvania Turnpike, sometimes shortened to Penna Turnpike or PA Turnpike, is a controlled-access toll road which is operated by the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC) in Pennsylvania. It runs for across the southern part of the st ...

(also designated as

I-76 Interstate 76 or I-76 may refer to: Transportation * Interstate 76 (Colorado–Nebraska) (I-76), US * Interstate 76 (Ohio–New Jersey) (I-76), running through Pennsylvania, US Other uses * ''Interstate '76'', a vehicular combat video game for W ...

) across the mountains between Breezewood and

New Stanton New Stanton is a small city and borough in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 2,339 at the 2020 census. New Stanton is often used as a control city in western parts of Pennsylvania, as I-70 joins the Pennsylvania ...

, where I-70 turns west to rejoin the National Road's route (and US 40) near

Washington, Pennsylvania Washington, also known as Little Washington to distinguish it from the District of Columbia, is a city in Washington County, Pennsylvania, United States, and its county seat. The population was 13,176 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 censu ...

. 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 Monongalia County, West Virginia, United States, and its county seat. It is situated along the Monongahela River in North Central West Virginia and is the home of West Virginia University. The population was 30,347 at the 2 ...

. The portion of I-68 in Maryland is designated as the National Freeway.

Historical structures

Many of the National Road's original stone

arch bridge An arch bridge is a bridge with abutments at each end shaped as a curved arch. Arch bridges work by transferring the weight of the bridge and its structural load, loads partially into a horizontal thrust restrained by the abutments at either si ...

s also remain on former alignments, including: * Casselman River Bridge near

Grantsville, Maryland Grantsville is a town in the northern part of Garrett County, Maryland, United States, near the Pennsylvania border. The population was 968 as of the 2020 census. History Grantsville, half a mile west of the Casselman River, began as a small ...

Built 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.G ...

, it was the longest single-span stone arch bridge in America at the time. *

Great Crossings Bridge The Great Crossings Bridge is a masonry bridge which is on the National Road between Somerset County and Fayette County, Pennsylvania. It crosses the Youghiogheny River near Confluence, Pennsylvania. History and architectural features Built du ...

near

Confluence, Pennsylvania Confluence is a borough in Somerset County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is part of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania, Metropolitan Statistical Area. It was settled in 1870 and incorporated in 1873. The population was 724 at the 2020 census. Ge ...

—built in 1818 to carry the road over the

Youghiogheny River The Youghiogheny River ( ), or the Yough ( ) for short, is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed August 15, 2011 tributary of the Monongahela River in West Virginia, Maryla ...

—the bridge, and the adjacent town of Somerfield, Pennsylvania (which was razed) are under the waters of

Youghiogheny River Lake The Youghiogheny River Lake is a flood control reservoir that is located in southwestern Pennsylvania and western Maryland. It is a significant tourist attraction that brings in more than one million visitors a year to the area. History and notab ...

(though still visible at times of extremely low water levels). Another remaining National Road bridge is the

Wheeling, West Virginia Wheeling is a city in Ohio County, West Virginia, Ohio and Marshall County, West Virginia, Marshall counties in the U.S. state of West Virginia. The county seat of Ohio County, it lies along the Ohio River in the foothills of the Appalachian Mo ...

. Opened in 1849 to carry the road over the

, it was the largest suspension bridge in the world until 1851, and until 2019 was 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, although it has since been closed to vehicular traffic due to repeated overweight vehicles ignoring the weight limits and damaging the bridge. A newer bridge now carries the realigned US 40 and

I-70 Interstate 70 (I-70) is a major east–west Interstate Highway in the United States that runs from I-15 near Cove Fort, Utah, to I-695 and Maryland Route 570 (MD 570) in Woodlawn, just outside Baltimore, Maryland. I-70 appr ...

across the river nearby. Three of the road's original toll houses are preserved: *

La Vale Tollgate House La Vale Tollgate House is a historic toll house in La Vale, Allegany County, Maryland, United States. It is a two-story brick structure built in 1835–1836, with seven sides—a basic polygon plan. A one-story Tuscan-columned porch extends ar ...

, 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 4,201 as of the 2020 census. Geography LaVale is located at , in the s ...

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 R ...

, 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 Peter ...

* Searights Tollhouse, near

Additionally, several

Old National Pike Milestones The Old National Pike Milestones marked each mile of the old National Road in Maryland, an eastern coastal state of the United States, from its dominating city of Baltimore to major towns of western Maryland, as Frederick, and between it and Hag ...

—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 In the Americas, Indigenous peoples comprise the two continents' pre-Columbian inhabitants, as well as the ethnic groups that identify with them in the 15th century, as well as the ethnic groups that identify with the pre-Columbian population of ...

trail known as Chief

Nemacolin's Path image:Cumberland md braddock road.jpg, 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 Redst ...

, once followed and improved by a young George Washington, then also followed by the Braddock Expedition. Using the

, its first phase of construction crossed the

Allegheny Mountains The Allegheny Mountain Range ( ) — also spelled Alleghany or Allegany, less formally the Alleghenies — is part of the vast Appalachian Mountain Range of the Eastern United States and Canada. Historically it represented a significant barr ...

entered southwestern Pennsylvania, reaching the Allegheny Plateau in

Somerset County, Pennsylvania Somerset County is a County (United States), county in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 74,129. Its county seat is Somerset, Pennsylvania, Somerset. ...

. There, travelers could turn off to Pittsburgh or continue west through Uniontown and reach navigable water, the

, at

Brownsville, Pennsylvania Brownsville is a borough in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, United States, first settled in 1785 as the site of a trading post a few years after the defeat of the Iroquois enabled a resumption of westward migration after the American Revolutionary ...

, which was by then a major outfitting center and

riverboat A riverboat is a watercraft designed for inland navigation on lakes, rivers, and artificial waterways. They are generally equipped and outfitted as work boats in one of the carrying trades, for freight or people transport, including luxury ...

-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 primary river of the largest drainage basin in the United States. It is the second-longest river in the United States, behind only the Missouri. From its traditional source of Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota, ...

. 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 (United States), county in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 209,349. Its county seat is Washington, Pe ...

, 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 ...

. The western terminus of the National Road at its greatest extent was at the

Kaskaskia River The Kaskaskia River is a tributary of the Mississippi River, approximately long,U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map , accessed May 13, 2011 in central and southern Illinois in the U ...

, 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. It is roughly rectangular in shape and has a perimeter of approximately . It lies almost completely within the boun ...

). 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

, 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

. 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

. A spur between

Frederick, Maryland Frederick is a city in, and the county seat of, Frederick County, Maryland, United States. Frederick's population was 78,171 people as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List of municipalities in Maryland, second-largest ...

, and

Georgetown (Washington, D.C.) Georgetown is a historic neighborhood and commercial district in Northwest Washington, D.C., situated along the Potomac River. Founded in 1751 as part of the colonial-era Province of Maryland, Georgetown predated the establishment of Washingto ...

, now

Maryland Route 355 Maryland Route 355 (MD 355) is a north–south road in western central Maryland in the United States. The southern terminus of the route is in Bethesda, Maryland, Bethesda in Montgomery County, Maryland, Montgomery County, where ...

, 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, a cancelled Soviet interceptor aircraft {{disambiguation ...

between the Capital Beltway (I-495) and Frederick.

Millionaires' Row

Nicknamed 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, United States. Bordering the state of Ohio, it is the county seat of Wayne County. In the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city had a population of 35,720. It is the principal c ...

, and

, creating

Millionaires' Row The Millionaires' Mile, Millionaires' Row, Billionaires' Row, Golden Mile or Alpha Street are the exclusive residential neighborhoods of various cities, often along one scenic strip such as a riverside or hilltop drive, or a wide city boulevard. ...

Historic designations

The National Road - National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark plaque - National Road Museum - DSC02787

In 1976, the

designated the National Road as a

. There are several structures associated with the National Road that are listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

. Some are listed below.

Maryland

* Sixty-nine milestones in Maryland on

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, Baltimore County, north to the Pennsylvania state line in Cardiff, Harford County, where the highway continues as Pennsylva ...

U.S. Route 40 Alternate Several special routes of U.S. Route 40 exist. In order from west to east they are as follows. Current routes WaKeeney business loop U.S. Route 40 Business (US-40 Bus.) is a business route through WaKeeney, Kansas, that was recommended i ...

, and U.S. Route 40 Scenic *

Inns on the National Road The Inns on the National Road is a national historic district near Cumberland, Allegany County, Maryland. It originally consisted of 11 Maryland inns on the National Road and located in Allegany and Garrett counties. Those that remain stand a ...

, and

* Casselman River Bridge near

Pennsylvania

The

Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission (PHMC) is the governmental agency of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, responsible for the collection, conservation, and interpretation of Pennsylvania's heritage. The commission cares for hist ...

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, bearing text or an image in relief, or both, ...

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. *

* Mount Washington Tavern adjacent to the

Fort Necessity National Battlefield Fort Necessity National Battlefield is a National Battlefield in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, United States, which preserves the site of the Battle of Fort Necessity. The battle, which took place on July 3, 1754, was an early battle of the ...

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 si ...

, in

Dunlap's Creek Bridge __NOTOC__ Dunlap's Creek Bridge is the first arch bridge in the United States built of cast iron. It was designed by Richard Delafield and built by the United States Army Corps of Engineers. Constructed from 1836 to 1839 on the National Road in ...

, near

, the first

cast iron Cast iron is a class of iron–carbon alloys with a carbon content of more than 2% and silicon content around 1–3%. Its usefulness derives from its relatively low melting temperature. The alloying elements determine the form in which its car ...

in the

. Completed in 1839, it was designed by

Richard Delafield Richard Delafield (September 1, 1798 – November 5, 1873) was a United States Army officer for 52 years. He served as superintendent of the United States Military Academy for a total of 12 years. At the start of the American Civil War, then ...

and built by the

United States Army Corps of Engineers The United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is the military engineering branch of the United States Army. A direct reporting unit (DRU), it has three primary mission areas: Engineer Regiment, military construction, and civil wo ...

. Still in use, the bridge is also a

. *

Claysville S Bridge The Claysville "S" Bridge is a historic S bridge in Washington County, Pennsylvania. The bridge is made of stone and was a part of the Cumberland Road (later National Road) and helped transport wagons and stagecoaches amid the American westwa ...

, 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

* National Road Corridor Historic District in

in Wheeling, West Virginia

Ohio

* Peacock Road in

Cambridge, Ohio Cambridge ( ) is a city in Guernsey County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. The population was 10,089 at the 2020 census. It lies in the Appalachian Plateau of the Appalachian Mountains in southeastern Ohio. It is the principal city o ...

* The Red Brick Tavern in

Lafayette, Madison County, Ohio Lafayette is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in the center of Deer Creek Township, Madison County, Ohio, United States. It is located along U.S. Route 40, just west of its intersection with U.S. Route 42.Rand McNally, ' ...

, 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 129 at the 2020 census. The town is sandwiched between Dublin and Cambridge City. Geography According to the 2010 census, Mount Aubur ...

* James Whitcomb Riley House in

Greenfield, Indiana Greenfield is a city in and the county seat of Hancock County, Indiana, United States. It lies in Center and Brandywine townships and is part of the Indianapolis metropolitan area. The population was 23,488 at the 2020 census. Greenfield was a ...

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, t ...

, near

Marshall, Illinois Marshall is a city in and the county seat of Clark County, Illinois, United States, located approximately west of Terre Haute, Indiana. The population was 3,947 at the 2020 census. History Marshall was officially organized by William B. Arc ...

Gallery

File:Petersburg Tollhouse.jpg, Petersburg Tollhouse, National Road,

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 406 at the 2020 census. It is included in the Lima, Ohio Metropolitan Statistical Area. History The village was incorporated in 1868. Geography According to ...

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 ** M ...

References

External links

American Society of Civil Engineers landmark information
* – National Road in

Indiana National Road Association
– National Road in

Indiana Indiana ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Michigan to the northwest, Michigan to the north and northeast, Ohio to the east, the Ohio River and Kentucky to the s ...

Ohio National Road Association
– National Road in

Ohio Ohio ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Erie to the north, Pennsylvania to the east, West Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Indiana to the ...

National Road in West Virginia
– by the West Virginia Department of Commerce
National Road Heritage Corridor
– National Road in

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a U.S. state, state spanning the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern United States, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes region, Great Lakes regions o ...

The National Old Trails Road Part 1: The Quest for a National Road

Maryland's Bank 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 Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is a division of the United States Department of Transportation that specializes in highway transportation. The agency's major activities are grouped into two programs, the Federal-aid Highway Program a ...

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

History

Braddock Road

Cumberland Road

Westward extension

Transfer to states

Subsequent events

Historical structures

Route description

Millionaires' Row

Historic designations

Maryland

Pennsylvania

West Virginia

Ohio

Indiana

Illinois

Gallery

See also

References

Further reading

External links