Before Route 66: How the National Road Carried America West

Long before the iconic Route 66 captivated the imagination of travelers, and decades before the sprawling interstate system began to stitch the country together, one singular, ambitious road truly carried America to the west. This wasn’t just any road; it was the National Road, also known as the Cumberland Road, and its legacy is as foundational to American expansion as any river or railway.

Conceived at the dawn of the 19th century, the National Road was a monumental undertaking – the very first federally funded highway in the United States. Its construction began in Cumberland, Maryland, in 1811, slowly but steadily pushing westward through the rugged Appalachian Mountains. Its primary purpose was clear: to connect the established eastern states with the burgeoning territories and settlements beyond the formidable mountain barrier, facilitating migration, trade, and communication.

Imagine a time when travel was arduous, often dangerous, and slow. The National Road offered a lifeline. It became the main artery for pioneers, settlers, merchants, and politicians heading west. Wagons laden with goods, stagecoaches carrying passengers, and families seeking new opportunities traversed its well-built (for the era) surface. Towns sprang up along its route, inns and taverns flourished, and the road became a vibrant conduit of American enterprise and aspiration.

While it never reached as far west as some originally envisioned (eventually stretching to Vandalia, Illinois, by the 1830s), its impact was profound. It proved the viability of large-scale infrastructure projects, connected disparate regions, and significantly accelerated the westward expansion that defined much of 19th-century America. It laid the groundwork, both literally and figuratively, for future transportation networks.

So, as we romanticize the open roads of today or the legendary highways of yesteryear, let’s not forget the pioneering spirit of the National Road. It was the original thoroughfare to the frontier, a testament to American ambition, and a vital precursor to every great road that followed, including the legendary Route 66.

Source: Original Article