Known as the road that built the nation, the Historic National Road was commissioned by Congress in 1806 and ultimately ran through six states, from Baltimore, Maryland, to Vandalia, Illinois. Today the Ohio portion of the route is defined by U.S. 40. Construction began on the Ohio section during the 1820s and continued into the 1830s. Visitors to the Ohio segment of the National Road can see the evolution of transportation in the U.S. from stagecoach to railroad, automobile, and even airplane.
The construction of the Historic National Road through Ohio opened the state and much of the Northwest Territory to settlement. The Road also provided access for Ohio products to eastern markets, and, as a result, drew a continual flow of people both east and west along the route. This hubbub spurred town and village development, complete with taverns, inns, and blacksmith shops to serve travelers' needs.
Relive the journey today as you cross original bridges and visit remaining historic buildings. See stone S-bridges, a unique feature of the Historic National Road, at Blaine Hill, Salt Fork, and Fox Creek. The Blaine Hill Bridge, Ohio’s oldest bridge, served Historic National Road travelers for well over 100 years and was designated as Ohio's Official Bicentennial Bridge in 2003. Stop in at the Pennsylvania House Museum, a restored tavern where travelers ate and relaxed after a long day on the Road in a rickety stagecoach or alongside livestock headed to market.
The impetus of the railroad diverted people from the Historic National Road until the turn of the twentieth century when the advent of the automobile sparked a new interest in the route and fostered a new round of building construction. Service stations and motels, diners and drive-in movie theatres gradually sprang up. Today they and the remaining historic taverns and inns provide a concrete manifestation of the route's evolution, as well as a living history of America's growth and change over time.
Find a timeline of the Historic National Road at the National Road/Zane Grey Museum in Norwich. The museum also highlights the region's art pottery tradition and the life and works of famous Zanesville author Zane Grey. Alternately, stop by the Heritage Center of Clark County, which features a National Road Gallery that highlights the history of the Road and its impact on Clark County through a multitude of artifacts and interpretive panels.
The automobile wasn't the end of transportation evolution related to the Historic National Road. Modern travel in airplanes began in Dayton, where the Wright Brothers changed the world forever. See the Huffman Prairie Flying Field and the 1905 Wright Flyer III at the Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park. This national park hosts various museums and self-guiding tours.
From foot to flight, the Historic National Road in Ohio is a road of advancement and evolution, growth and expansion. It maps the development of the United States from its early years to today, when its borders extend far beyond Ohio.
