The Historic National Road in Ohio

—West Gate —

The National Road crosses six states from Baltimore, Maryland to East st. Louis, Illinois. the road fulfilled the dreams of George Washington and Thomas Jefferson to build an all-weather route acros the Allegheny Mountains to connect the Eastern Seaboard with the Midwest.The road was conceived by Albert Gallatin, Secretary of the Treasury under Thomas Jefferson, and was authorized by Congress in 1806. The road was the nation's first federally funded interstate highway and opened the West for the movement of people and goods.
Construction began in 1811 in Cumberland, Maryland, extending an earlier route from Baltimore. By 1818, the road reached the Ohio River; by 1833, it was completed to Columbus, Ohio; in 1850, it extended to Vandalia, Illinois.
The National Road is an engineering marvel. graceful stone arch bridges cross streams and rivers. Inns and taverns were built to meet the need of travelers. Many of the bridges and buildings that characterized the early days of the road can still be found in towns along the road today.
Much of the old National road is still part of U.S. Route 40. Several sections of the original road are no longer used as highways but can still be explored. The longest segment of the National Road is found in Ohio, covering 227 miles from Bridgeport on the east to the Indiana state line on the west.

Sorry, but we don't have a picture of this historical marker yet. If you have a picture, please share it with us. It's simple to do. 1) Become a member. 2) Adopt this historical marker listing. 3) Upload the picture.

Show me all markers in:    |  Preble County  |  Ohio  |  United States of America

Ludlow Springs
Forty Foot-Pitch
Euphemia Historical
Camp Maple Swamp
Welcome to the National Road
Van Ausdal-Donohoe House
Preble County Courthouse
William Bruce
Fort St. Clair
Monument at Mound Hill Cemetery

• GPX
• KML
• LOC

Have you seen this marker? If so, check in and tell us about it.