Transportation systems have been a catalyst for economic progression throughout American history. Such incitements like that of the National Road, better known as Route 40, changed the livelihood of those dispersed among its passage. Authorized in 1806 by Congress under President Thomas Jefferson, construction began in 1811 and by 1818 the road reached Wheeling, Virginia. As construction continued, settlements among the road were founded creating commerce between westbound and eastbound travelers. Popularity of the National Road stayed consistent for decades following its completion in 1834 because of its rise in establishments that provided reconcile for passing travelers.
Yet, with time brings change and favor for the road began to diminish during the 1870s when the American railroad system blazed westbound. Until the rise of automobiles beginning in the 1920s, the National Road saw a tremendous decrease in usage. Four years shy of the Great Depression, the route officially became part of United States Route 40 in 1926, establishing it as a coast-to-coast highway. As decades waned on the once popular road system fell victim to the rise of interstate highway systems that changed transportation in the United States indefinitely.
In current times, the National Road is considered a vessel into the past that displays what once was innovation at its finest. Historic stone bridges present a glimpse of forgotten craftsmanship of engineers and mile markers show a tradition that was copied from our European ancestry. Traveling along the first federally funded highway in the United States beckons tribute to hardworking peoples of the past and sacrifices to the progression of society.
[1]: Weiser, K. (2020, March). The National Road — First Highway in America. Retrieved December, 2020, from https://www.legendsofamerica.com/ah-nationalroad/
[2]: Longfellow, R. (2017, June 27). Back in Time. Retrieved December, 2020, from https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/infrastructure/back0103.cfm
