Jan 20 2009
The National Road in Ohio
As you may know, we enjoy getting off the beaten path. Sometimes this means driving a gravel road to get from here to there, but I’m also intrigued with old roads for some reason. I’ll often find a county road that goes through a small town rather than the highway that goes around it, or try to find the route that was well-traveled before an interstate highway moved in.
We had an excellent opportunity for these old-road adventures in Ohio as we traveled parts of the National Road. Begun in 1806, this road was one of the early main routes westward through the U.S. Roughly parallel to Interstate 70 and U.S. 40 in many places, sections of the actual old road are well-preserved. The Ohio Historical Society operates a National Road museum, and Guernsey County has prepared a detailed guide to the National Road in their area.
Markers like these marked locations along the National Road, as well as distances to other cities.
This section, entering Norwich, OH, is nearly a mile of brick, likely from the World War I era. (It was bumpy with a modern vehicle; I can’t imagine what it was like in the “old days.”)
Signs like these when entering many Ohio towns and cities marked historical events from the area.
Other historic markers provide more detailed information about Ohio historic sites.
I’ll be writing more about the National Road, as well as another historic road, the Lincoln Highway, in future posts.
Ohio was my family’s escape when growing up. We went every summer to visit Aunt Em on a small-scale farm. Now I’m the dad and we still make trips to explore the eastern part, very beautiful.
OK, I’ve added your RSS to Lincoln Highway News!
How cool! I love old roads through small towns. You can just feel the history!
Sharlene’s last blog post..A day at the San Diego Zoo
Sharlene, that’s what I love about the old roads too.
Brian, thanks for adding my feed to the Lincoln Highway site. Stay tuned, because in a few days there will be another post that discusses the Lincoln Highway and mentions your book.
This looks like a trip we’d love to take. We avoid the expressways whenever possible…and getting the GPS has been even more helpful when it comes to our wanderings, we always know how to get back to the main drag.
I was pleased to read your reference to the National Road on your web site. As the current President of the Ohio National Road Association, I invite you to check out our web site at http://www.ohionationalroad.org for additional information about this All- American Road/National Scenic Byway. Enjoy the journey!
Cyndie Gerken’s last blog post..Finding More Fun, 4/8/09
Great website! If your site visitors would be interested in a complete bus tour of the National Road with many historic site visits, please feel free to contact me:
Glen F. Massie
Byway Coordinator
Ohio National Road Association
c/o Clark County-Springfield TCC
3130 East National Road-Suite 2A
Springfield, OH 45505
or
gmassie@clarkcountyohio.gov
Just finished following your journey through our area, and noticed you visited several sites in Licking County, including The Works (a great museum), and the Mail Pouch barn located near the Licking-Muskingum County line on State Route 16. As a Licking County Commissioner and a member of our convention and visitors bureau, it’s always encouraging to learn that your visit here was a pleasant part of your family’s Road trip. Hope to see you all during the world’s longest yard sale, May 27th through the 31st. It’s 824 miles long, along the Historic National Road. Please come back and visit us often. Escape your world. Find yourself in ours. See what life in the past lane’s all about! Learn more at http://www.ohionationalroad.org.
I am so pleased that your website encourages people to travel this historic road. As the author of the audio travelogue of the National Road across Ohio, available in many libraries or by contacting me, I encourage you to check out the ONRA website or Sylvia.ohio40.com for more information about the Road and our organization. I am also a member of the Ohio Humanities Council Speakers’ Bureau, and I give speeches to organizations about the National Road. Keep up your good work.
Sylvia Miller
“The National Road, A Ride Through Time,” audio travelogue
P.O. Box 453
Dublin, Ohio 43017
(614) 766-9974
My name is Patricia McDaniel.
I chair the Historic National Road Yard Sale which extends from Baltimore to ST Louis for 824 miles.
This year, the HNR is scheduler for May 27-31.
Cudos to OHIO!! The State has gone out of its way to provide enthusiasm, writing, and advertising about this great event!! You have every reason to be PROUD!!
Think Bargains!!
Patricia McDaniel, Chairperson
Historic National Road Yard Sale
[...] about an S-shaped bridge and I was intrigued. This was also the first I’d heard about the National Road and its importance in American [...]
[...] already written about the National Road, and you’ll be hearing more about our interest in historic travel routes in future [...]
[...] driven on the Old National Road with its S Bridges; traveled the Lincoln Highway in Pennsylvania; veered off the Interstate for Old [...]