125 M to B: The National Pike and National Road

Historical Markers

2008-04-29T12:47:00.004-04:00

I also work as an editor over on the Historical Marker Database. It seemed that it might be an interesting idea to not just map historical markers related to the National Road, which we've done, in this series, but also markers merely in the vicinity of the National Road. The following are the historical markers on or near the National Road, in Maryland, for Garrett County and Allegany County.

Look for additional counties in future posts.

Polish Mountain

2008-03-22T15:00:00.000-04:00

Polish Mountain is on the National Road, about two miles east of Flintstone, Maryland, in Allegany County. The route of the road on the east side, Maryland State Route 144, remains relatively unchanged. This photograph, taken in 1921, illustrates the east face of the mountain quite well.

The route that is signed as the National Road Scenic Byway, differs somewhat on the western side of the mountain. In 1958, Route 40 (now Maryland 144) removed many of the curves on the National Road for a much easier drive. The old alignment of the National Road is now known as Gilpin Road NE, and provides for a much more fun drive, though it does have fewer places to stop and take photographs, due to very narrow or nonexistent shoulders. This tablet, erected in 1958, is just west of the turnoff for Gilpin Road.

The view from the top of Polish Mountain can be quite spectacular. Below, I-68 cuts across the landscape.

This realignment is just the summit, as seen looking west. Note the "lighthouse", on the right side of the road, near the curve, warning motorists to slow down. On the old path of the road, to the left, one can see a vertical bar with diagonal stripes, also warning motorists to slow down.

Seventy five years later, the landscape has changed little. This view shows the same realignment, but as seen from the opposite direction.

The road west from the summit of Polish Mountain was a difficult one. Some period postcards claimed "17 curves," many with sharp drop-offs like this one. The vertical bar with the diagonal stripes was a sort of warning sign, indicating a situation where motorists might need to slow down.

More curves like this one presented themselves as the motorist continued down the mountain. June 1932?

This photo is at the foot of the west slope Polish Mountain looking east showing relocation of the road and the new guard rail. The billboard on the old alignment is for Amoco Motor Oil. It reads "Low cost per mile is what counts!"

Some of the realignments discussed above are illustrated on this map.

All black and white photographs are used courtesy of the Enoch Pratt Free Library, Central Library / State Library Resource Center, Baltimore, Maryland. All black and white photographs are by the Maryland State Roads Commission, except for the first one, which is by the Maryland State Department of Forestry.

The Fairview Inn

2008-03-22T10:03:00.002-04:00

The Fairview Inn, at milestone 3 on the National Road in Baltimore, is probably best known for its place in this print, in the Cator Print Collection at the Enoch Pratt Free Library, in Baltimore.

It has been used as the background for all of the National Road historical markers erected by America's Byways in Maryland. The one shown here is the general introductory marker, used in many places around the state, here at the B&O Railroad Museum in Baltimore.

This is the only known photograph of the Inn, which was demolished in the 1920s. Some versions of the photograph crop the image a bit wider, to include the milestone, which is just to the right of what you see here. This image is believed to have been made by T. C. Worthington, Jr., circa 1900. (Courtesy of the Enoch Pratt Free Library, Central Library / State Library Resource Center, Baltimore, Maryland.)

This is the same site, as seen today.

Stackhouse Family Cemetery, Howard County

2008-03-07T11:13:00.003-05:00

This seemingly abandoned cemetery sits on the old National Road, two and a half miles west of Lisbon, in Howard County, Maryland. Last names include Stackhouse, Webb, Owings, Hood, Delawder, Burdette and others. Most are from the middle third of the 19th century, though I noticed some as recent as the second quarter of the 20th century.

One of the more curious stones was this one, which appears to be carved from slate. I could not make out the inscription.

Samuel T. Burdette - Departed this life March 21, 1850, aged 27 years.

The cemetery is on the right side of the road, when traveling west. More photographs of the site can be found over on my Flickr account, in the set Stackhouse Family Cemetery.

The Construction of the Gwynns Falls Bridge

2008-03-07T09:20:00.001-05:00

The new bridge, as seen from the south, looking north.

In 1914, a new, concrete arch bridge replaced the existing one over the Gwynns Falls in Baltimore.

These four photographs, all courtesy of the Enoch Pratt Free Library, Central Library / State Library Resource Center, Baltimore, Maryland, document the construction of the new bridge.

This map illustrates the locations from which the photographs were taken. If you click on the cameras, you can see the historical photographs shot from that approximate location.

Streetcar passing over the old bridge over Gwynns Falls, with the new bridge in the background.

This image was taken at about the same angle as the one above, but much closer.

The bridges, as seen from the south.

Milestone?

2008-03-05T17:49:00.003-05:00

This 1920s or 1930s photograph, by the Maryland State Roads Commission, shows the area east of Hancock looked like before I-70 was cut through. The spot is on the National Road, about two miles east of Hancock, as seen from the west, looking east. Fruit orchards, like those on the left were plentiful.

The white object on the left side of the road, enlarged here, appears to be milestone 95 M to B. This milestone, along with 94 and 93, sit in the median of I-70, close to their original positions. Due to a relatively narrow shoulder and large quantity of traffic, I have not been able to obtain a photograph of milestone 95 to acertain that it is, in fact, what is pictured here.

Photograph used courtesy of the Enoch Pratt Free Library, Central Library / State Library Resource Center, Baltimore, Maryland.

Road relocation at Puzzley Run

2008-03-05T16:43:00.004-05:00

The stone bridge at Puzzley (sometimes Puzzly) Run, west of Grantsville, Maryland, came up briefly once before, but I never wrote much, primarily because there was nothing to write - I couldn't reconcile the path of the road today, the bridge, and the previous alignment.

This turn of the century postcard shows the bridge, between the two curves of the road, as seen from a bit farther west.

This is the south side of the bridge, the same one shown in the color photograph above. It was probably taken in the 1920s, by the Maryland State Roads Commission.

This view, looing west, shows the stone bridge on the right and the new alignment of the road on the left. 19th century bridge builders tended to take the straightest path possible across a stream, as it was cheaper and easier to build bridges this way. Automobiles, travelling at higher speeds, could not easily navigate these sharp curves, so in 1932, the road was straightened, eliminating this bridge. Photograph by the Maryland State Roads Commission, September, 1932.

This view, looking east toward Grantsville, is from almost the same location as the black and white postcard above. Photograph by the Maryland State Roads Commission, September, 1932.

This photograph, taken last summer, shows the current route of Route 40. The structure that appears to be a stone wall, in the center of the picture, is the south side of the bridge.

The bridge has deteriorated rather considerably. Little remains of the north side. The west end of the south wall is lacking. Still, given that the bridge is probably 180 years old and that it hasn't had any maintenance for at least the past 90 years, it looks quite good. It appeast to be structurally sound, and may still be in use, as a driveway to a private residence.

The three photographs by the State Roads Commission are used courtesy of the Enoch Pratt Free Library, Central Library / State Library Resource Center, Baltimore, Maryland.

Missing Milestone

2008-03-05T16:27:00.003-05:00

Courtesy of the Enoch Pratt Free Library, Central Library / State Library Resource Center, Baltimore, Maryland

I don't know where it is today, but Milestone 32 M to B (just west of Mt. Airy, Maryland) sat on the National Road until at least 1920, as seen here in this photograph from the State Roads Commission.

The milestone is just behind the second mailbox, in this englargement of the photo.

This particular bit of roadscape remains surprisingly similar today. There is still no signal at the railroad crossing and the landscape remains much the same, but with a few more trees.

The Old Bank Road Toll House, west of Hancock, Maryland

2008-02-28T10:28:00.004-05:00

I've always been curious about the row of joists on the front of the Bank Road toll House, on the National Road, just west of Hancock, Maryland, at the western edge of Washington County. There was just something about them that felt wrong. Additionally, the tollhouse seemed too close to the road.

The joists can be seen a bit better in this detail, taken from the above photograph.

Courtesy of the Enoch Pratt Free Library, Central Library / State Library Resource Center, Baltimore, Maryland

I found this photograph, taken by the Maryland State Department of Forestry, in November of 1936, which helps explain what happened. The road was widened, and rather than move the building, the porch was eliminated. With the porch present, the dimensions of the toll house seem more appropriate with one would expect of a structure from this region and time.

Also note that the toll house originally had gutters. It seems that the present lack of them may eventually cause structural issues for the building. In addition, they seem to tie together the visual appeal of the tollhouse.

I'm torn, as a historic preservationist, whether to advocate having the building moved and returned to its original state, or to advocate leaving it in its original location. I'd love to see the road moved, but that is almost impossible. Perhaps a historical marker, from a vantage point similar to the one above, showing it as it was, would help illustrate the situation.

Old Photographs from the Maryland Department, Enoch Pratt Free Library

2008-02-28T10:14:00.003-05:00

New Carroll Creek Bridge, East Patrick Street, Frederick, Maryland, 1926. Photograph by the Maryland State Roads Commission. Courtesy of the Enoch Pratt Free Library, Central Library / State Library Resource Center, Baltimore, Maryland

I've just uploaded more than 100 black and white photographs, virtually all of them taken between 1900 and 1940, relating in some way or another to the National Road in Maryland. The photographs are from the Maryland Department of the Enoch Pratt Free Library, in Baltimore, Maryland. Many of them were taken by the State Highway Administration, documenting construction and realignment of roads and bridges. Others were taken by the Historic American Buildings Survey, documenting historic structures on or near the National Road. Still others were taken by the Maryland National Guard, providing aerial views of various Maryland towns along the National Road. Finally, some were taken by private individuals, but are old enough that they have passed into the public domain.

I will be writing more about the individual photographs in coming weeks, as well as providing maps and detail descriptions. Expect the descriptions on the individual photograph pages and other metadata to increase.

The National Road, Most Historic Thoroughfare in the United States, and Strategic Eastern Link in the National Old Trails Ocean-to-Ocean Highway

2008-02-27T17:58:00.000-05:00

I recently had the fortune to find a copy of Robert Bruce's classic 1916 title on the National Road with the binding in rather sad condition. Bruce originally wrote the book as a set of nine articles for the AAA. They were later published together by the Brooklyn Eagle Press, in 1916. I've taken the liberty of scanning it, in its entirety.

The book includes history, photographs, driving directions, and an extensive collection of maps showing the route of the National Road and adjoining routes.

Middletown, Maryland

2008-02-20T16:34:00.002-05:00

The National Road forms the Main Street in Middletown, a small town, west of Frederick, Maryland. It is seen here from the east edge of town, looking west.

The Middletown Memorial and Town Hall is a wonderful historic building. Someday, some good person will remove the utility lines so that a better photograph might be created. It appears to be unused at the present.

It is unclear what purpose this brick building, built in 1888, originally served. Now it appears to be a private residence.

These buildings make a curious pair. One is (or was) a barber shop, but the original use of the other is not obvious.

As one travels west, the buildings become primarily residential.

Two stone arches for the price of one

2008-02-20T13:44:00.003-05:00

Just east of Mt. Airy, Maryland, is Parrsville. This rarely visited section of the National Road was cut off by the construction of Interstate 70. Both of the roads shown in this picture are actually sections of the National Road. The one that looks almost like a driveway was for an at-grade crossing of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad, which was replaced by a bridge, the road on the left, in the 1920s.

This photograph, taken in 1930 by the Maryland State Roads Commission, was taken from a similar angle to the one above. It shows the construction of the new alignment, on the left. Courtesy of the Enoch Pratt Free Library, Central Library / State Library Resource Center, Baltimore, Maryland.

From the train tracks, looking west, the remains of the older alignment and a church are visible. It also seems to have become a dumping ground for trash.

From the same spot, looking to the northeast, the bridge that used to carry the National Road over the B&O can be seen. The guardrail on the right is for the westbound lanes of Interstate 70.

I didn't think much of this old alignment until I looked over and saw this stone culvert. The construction of it is different from what I am used to seeing - the stones are longer, and the construction is more precise. To the right of this stone arch was a larger one, 20 feet wide, that, for some time, carried the B&O over the National Road.

The other end of the culvert illustrates the nature of the construction a bit better. According to B&O RR Photo Tours, this culvert carried an old route of the B&O during the 1830s, before the route was changed. It's amazing that this stone structure has (mostly) held up for 170+ years with no maintenance whatsoever. The B&O really built things to last.

From the point where I first photographed the B&O culvert, I noticed something else, on the old National Road alignment - another stone culvert! This photograph was taken from virtually the same position as the vertical one of the B&O culvert. It has held up reasonably well, though it wasn't always so covered with debris.

The south side of the culvert hasn't fared as well.

Other National Road blogs

2008-02-20T12:59:00.002-05:00

I somehow missed this update from Jim Grey, Indiana and Illinois National Road Revisited. I love that the state had the foresight(?) to have a sign ordering people to not remove bricks from the old alignment.

You might also be interested in Patricia McDaniel's National Road travel journal.

Casselman River Bridge postcard

2008-02-15T19:21:00.005-05:00

So, someone occasionally spends a bit too much time on eBay. I just got this nice postcard, so I made a high resolution scan and thought I'd share it. It shows the Casselman River Bridge, a National Historic Landmark on the National Road, east of Grantsville, Maryland.

This sign, on the trees to the left of the bridge, is for the Dixie Tavern.

This sign is just before you cross the narrowest part of the bridge. It reads "No parking opposite white line."

Hollow Road Creek bridge

2008-02-15T13:34:00.004-05:00

The casual driver on the National Road in Frederick County, Maryland probably wouldn't notice the bridge here, over Hollow Road Creek. The landscape is relatively uninteresting - a golf course on the south side of the road, some newer homes on the north. This view, looking eastbound, shows the visual clue that led me to suspect there might be something interesting here - the abnormally thick wall on the right side of the bridge.

I put on my hiking boots and got a bit closer. My suspicion was confirmed - a stone arch bridge!

This is the south side of the bridge, as seen from the middle of Hollow Road Creek.

The construction of the bridge seems a bit atypical - the walls of the bridge ususally either go straight or curve, but not both.

The bridge was widened, in 1975, it seems.

Underneath the bridge, half of the stucture remains stone.

Eastern Jug Bridge abutment

2008-02-15T12:48:00.004-05:00

I've written previously about the famous Jug Bridge over the Monocacy River, both as it was in the past and as it is today. I've also written about the concrete arch bridge that was built to replace it in 1944.

I've never, though, written about the eastern abutment of the Jug Bridge, nor have I been able to locate any non-historical photographs of it. The above photograph was all that I'd been able to get documenting this bit of history, and I wasn't even sure that it showed anything.

The road is still in relatively good shape, given that it hasn't been maintained since 1944. This view is looking back toward the end of the public road.

It gradually becomes more overgrown.

This is the end of the road, the eastern abutment of the bridge. The road made a sharp right to cross the bridge just beyond the left edge of the picture. The small white building seen to the right was the toll house for the bridge.

The utility line (click on the picture for a larger version) marks the left (south) side of the old bridge abutment.

This wall formed the north side of the bridge.

This photograph was taken from the spot shown in the preceding one. It helps illustrate how the road curved before crossing the river.

This photograph, taken from approximately the same spot as the preceding one, shows the former location of the "jug" for which the bridge was known, and which now sits in a park in Frederick. It sat on the round, semicircular stone pad, about a third of the way up the image, now covered by moss.

This is the north wall of this abutment. Note the concrete arch bridge that replaced the Jug Bridge in the background, as well as the replacement's replacement.

This is what remains of the south wall of this abutment.

More stone bridges and culverts

2008-02-11T13:14:00.000-05:00

View Larger Map

I've updated my map of the stone bridges and culverts on the National Road, adding five new structures as well as replacing a few photographs. I believe that there are still more to be found, and with time, I will photograph them all. Click on any blue flag for a picture of the bridge or culvert in question.

Another stone arch culvert

2008-02-11T13:03:00.000-05:00

This culvert is on the National Road, in Frederick County, Maryland, about 1.6 miles east of New Market. This is its south wall.

When driving down the road, you'd miss it if you didn't know it was there. Interstate 70 is visible in the distance. This view is from the west, looking east.

At some point, some rather clumsy mortar repair was done.

The north wall of the culvert has deteriorated and had dirt filled in around it.

Another hidden stone arch culvert

2008-02-11T12:55:00.000-05:00

As I mention in my previous entry, I've stopped on the old National Road alignment just east of New Market a couple times to take photographs.

The structure seemed to be nothing more than a simple concrete box culvert, probably built in the 1920s or 1930s.

However, on closer inspection, a stone arch is revealed. This is the south face of the culvert. The construction of the north face is similar.

A spring house, hidden in the woods

2008-02-11T12:38:00.000-05:00

I've stopped a couple times on the old alignment of the National Road, just to the east of New Market, Maryland. The road was moved to go around an exit for Interstate 70, but the old road bed remains open to vehicular travel.

There's a 1920s-30s concrete bridge, but other than that, there isn't much to see. At least that's what I thought.

When I stopped on this bit of road on Friday, I noticed the stone structure shown above, just a bit to the north of the bridge. I was surprised, as I would think I would have seen something like this before.

I approached the building. It appears to have been constructed during the first half of the 19th century. This view is taken from the southeast, looking northwest. A small window is visible on the east wall.

A doorway on the west wall allows access. No door is present.

The masonry is in very good condition, however the wood does show some decay.

Inside, there is a channel, which appears to have been created to allow water from a spring or nearby stream to flow and cool the foodstuffs stored inside.

Outside, parallel with the front of the structure, a few feet to the south, is this construction. It appears to be covering a spring, though no water was present when the photograph was taken. Perhaps the water flowed out of this spring and into the structure.

Some reading

2008-02-05T10:06:00.000-05:00

I'm busy writing captions for all the photographs I scanned last week from the Maryland Department at the Enoch Pratt Free Library. Though they were all either created by government agencies, and therefore, free to use, or are in the public domain due to age, I'm still waiting to get the paperwork regarding the rights to use the imagery. I've already started going through the images again, at a more relaxed pace, hoping to find some new bits that I missed. I've learned a fair amount by looking at the photographs, and I think that with those insights, I may be able to get more out of another browse through the photo collection. On the other hand, I may just spend the time scanning the photographs from the State Highway Administration annual reports, which contain more useful information, I think.

I've been browsing Google Books, and a couple classic National Road titles have come to my attention: Thomas Brownfield Searight's The Old Pike: A History of the National Road; The Old National Road: A Chapter of American Expansion; and The Cumberland Road (from the Highways of America series) both by Archer Butler Hulbert. Multiple copies were listed for these titles - I have linked to the ones that appear to have the best / most complete pictures. This said, I may eventually provide high resolution scans of the plates. A few other titles, not quite classics, but interesting reads nonetheless include The National Road in Indiana by Lee Burns, A Political and Constitutional Study of the Cumberland Road by Jeremiah Simeon Young, and one Executive Communication to the General Assembly of Maryland, at December Session, 1818, on the Subject of Turnpike Roads.

A different sort of road junkie

2008-02-04T13:01:00.000-05:00

I recently discovered B&O RR Photo Tours, a wondeful website documenting the remains of the historic Baltimore and Ohio Railroad in the Baltmore area. It's especially interesting because of the number of stone bridges and culverts that remain in service, including two National Historic Landmarks - the Carrollton Viaduct and the Thomas Viaduct. Like the National Road, the B&O used milestones. Surprisingly, they are much better condition than their counterparts on the National Road, even though they are but 30 years younger.

The website also provided some insight into a bit of confusion I've had about an old alignment east of Mt. Airy. It seems that there used to be an at-grade crossing, which was later changed to a bridge - which explains the two old alignments. I've obtained a photograph of the creation of the new alignment, and will be posting it shortly.

The National Road in Baltimore

2008-01-30T15:40:00.000-05:00

I've focused a bit too much on the rural aspects of the National Road while ignoring the parts of it in my own back yard.

The National Road is split into two one way streets in downtown Baltimore - Lombard Street heading west and Pratt Street going east. The streets are lined with that icon of Baltimore architecture, the rowhouse. Here they are seen, looking east, with the skyline rising in the background.

Formstone helped protect the walls of some of the houses that were made out of such cheap brick that they would weep moisture if not regularly painted.

This view, looking west toward Union Square, suggests that some prosperity may be returning to the neighborhood.

On the opposite side of Union Square, one block north of Lombard Street, lies 1524 Hollins Street, former residence of author and journalist H. L. Mencken. The house, a National Historic Landmark, is not currently open to the pubic.

As we head west, the two halves of the road meet up and become one - Frederick Avenue. This old section of the road is just to the east of the Gwynns Falls. The route of the road was changed when a new bridge was built over the Gwynns Falls in the 1930s.

From below, one can see the remains of the old bridge.

This view, looking east, shows the current route of the road. The old bridge was to the right.

Milestone 3 is the first one extant in the city.

Just across the road is Loudon Park National Cemetery. Immediately to its west is Loudon Park Cemetery, whose tens of thousands of graves include H. L. Mencken and Ottmar Mergenthaler, inventor of Linotype.

This marker, on the north side of the road, commemorates those from Irvington who served in World War I.

As we head west, we pass through the Irvington neighborhood, and the accompanying marker, installed by American's Byways.

One can almost spot milestone 4, hidden in the stone wall and brush on the north side of the road.

Kim's Carryout and Grocery, a former service station, is on the north side of Frederick Avenue, just east of South Rock Glen Road.

Baltimore National Cemetery sits on the south side of the National Road.

In front of Baltimore National Cemetery sits milestone 5 M to B, the only original milestone on the south side of the road. I strongly suspect that it may have been moved with the widening of the road.

This brings us to the western border of the city of Baltimore.

Historical Markers, News, and Photographs

2008-01-29T01:30:00.000-05:00

I haven't posted much in the past few days. This is due to two factors.

I've been playing around some over at the Historical Marker Database, which is interesting - you can even see a map of the markers I've added or contributed to - though I think I like the historic sites more than the markers. I am going to try to figure out how to map the historical markers within a mile or so of the National Road.

I discovered that the photograph collectionMaryland Department of the Enoch Pratt Free Library includes hundreds of photographs from the State Highway Administration. These images document the replacement of bridges, the straightening of roads to reduce dangerous curves, as well as images that simply show construction techniques. I spent the day today (I'm taking a little vacation time) going through the tens of thousands of photographs, to make sure I found everything that might be of interest. In addition to the Highway Administration, I found good photographs from the Historic American Buildings Survey, the Works Progress Administration, and some photographs from non-governmental sources which should be in the public domain. Thursday, I'll spend the day scanning them. After that, I'll start making them available as soon as I can.

The Antietam and its Bridges

2008-01-25T09:43:00.001-05:00

I had the pleasure recently to check out, from the Washington County Free Library a copy of Helen Ashe Hays' 1910 book, The Antietam and its Bridges, which contains 17 excellent photogravures by John C. Artz of stone bridges along the Antietam Creek as it meanders its way to the Potomac.

This copy had been quite well loved, and the binding was so well worn that I realized I'd be able to scan it without damaging the book. Given the publication date, the work is in the public domain, so I offer you the aforementioned photogravures. Unfortunately, one of the plates was missing, but that does not significantly impact the work as a whole.

Only one of the bridges is actually on the National Road - the Turnpike Bridge, at Funkstown, shown above, before the 1930s widening, but several are within a mile of the Road, and would make an excellent diversion for the traveller following the route.

Funkstown Bridge Number 2 just a short distance downstream from the Funkstown Turnpike bridge.

The bridge at Rose's Mill

Claggett's Mill

The bridge at Claggett's Mill

The photographic potential of a cold day

2008-01-22T23:54:00.000-05:00

Milestone 3 M to B

I took advantage of having Monday off and did a little photography. I didn't stray too far - it was cold - but I did get some nice photographs of the National Road, in the Catonsville / Ellicott City area.

I've also been working to document the sites National Road milestones to make it easier for the tourist to locate them.

Milestone 4 M to B (hiding in the far right of the picture).

A better photograph of milestone 7 M to B and the accompanying historical marker.

An old alignment, between Catonsville and Ellicott City.

Looking toward Ellicott City. This is the location of the stone culvert below.

Another perspective on the National Road, with more history and less rambling!

2008-01-18T11:20:00.001-05:00

I came across Ryan's History and Education Site Blog this morning. He presents the history of his area, West Virginia and western Pennsylvania, utilizing historic photographs.

Ryan has a few entries that might be interesting: Traveling the National Road - Taverns and Wagon Stands; The Old National Road and Early Politics; and The S Bridge.

Fitting the Data to the Theory - the McFarland Road Bridge

2008-01-18T10:16:00.000-05:00

This bridge, seen here from the north, sits on the west side of Sideling Hill, just east of Sideling Hill Creek, at the very western edge of Washington County, Maryland. A couple hundred feet down the road, crossing Sideling Hill Creek, is a concrete arch bridge, built in the 1930s, and the stone abutments of a bridge built in the early 19th century - I'll address them in a future entry. I've written about this bridge before, and will probably do so again at some point.

A plaque on the western abutment reads: "This modern timber bridge was erected in 1995 in cooperation with the USDA Forest Service. This first of its kind glued laminated yellow poplar structure was constructed with native hardwood."

This description completely neglects the stone abutments, which are clearly much older.

I've been unable to find any documentation mentioning this bridge - all the statements and photographs have been with regard to the bridge a couple hundred feet down the road. Even the Maryland Historic Trust Historic Sites Survey, usually a repository of information about even the smallest structures, has nothing. I'm reasonably sure that this is a 19th century bridge, but I want to know more! There should be a reference in Bridges: Our Legacy in Stone, the catalogue of the 1965 exhibit at the Washington County Art Museum, but I haven't obtained a copy of it as of this writing.

Yesterday I came across this postcard over on the Historical Marker Database. I grabbed the PDF original for a closer look. It appeared that the postcard showed the McFarland Road Bridge!

I noted the old alignment on the five mile map for driving that section of the National Road, working in the twists and turns so clearly evidenced in the photograph. The roads in this area have been straightened considerably, removing many dangerous curves - it seemed quite possible that the curving road in the postcard was the relatively straight one I'd driven several times before.

This is the road as it is today, looking east, as in the postcard. The bridge begins just behind the utility pole. In the full size version of the photograph, the rock outcroppings show evidence of having been cut for the straightening of the road. The path of the road on the postcard could fit the landscape here without too much difficulty.

When you look closely at the bridge, you realize it isn't the same structure. The south side, shown here, isn't the same as what is seen in the postcard. The shape isn't right. The road is too high above the water. The far (eastern) abutment is completely different.

I now have a new puzzle - where is (or was) the bridge in the postcard?

A stone culvert, hidden in plain view

2008-01-16T15:17:00.000-05:00

I was using local.live.com, tracing the National Road in Catonsville, Maryland, looking for old alignments and other things that might catch my eye. I was using the high resolution aerial photographs, following the course of the National Road along the Patapsco River, when I came across a curious structure.

It looked like a stone culvert, carrying some stream under the National Road, into the Patapsco River. This seemed impossible - surely I would have noticed it on the many times that I've driven by - right?

If you are on the National Road, heading west, following the Patapsco River, you'll get to a gas station. Park in the parking lot of the gas station. You won't be able to see anything obvious from the road. Just after the gas station is a concrete culvert:

The culvert is taller than the photograph suggests - the water level is usually very low - such that I had no trouble walking (albeit rather bent over) down the culvert to the other side. It's also possible to just cross the road, but it's a five or six foot drop, and there's a fair amount of brush.

About halfway through the culvert, it goes from concrete to stone:

When you emerge on the other side and step back, a double arch stone culvert is revealed:

When the road was widened, the culvert was widened to accomodate the road. This is rather common for stone culverts on the National Road in Maryland. One can also find several bridges in Washington County, Maryland that have been treated similarly.

Casselman River Bridge

2008-01-16T13:47:00.000-05:00

The Casselman River Bridge, east of Grantsville, Maryland, carried the National Road over the Casselman River, beginning in 1815. At the time it was built, it was the largest bridge of its type.

The bridge had fallen into considerable decay by the early 20th century.

It was restored in 1911 to carry automobile traffic and remained in operation until 1933, when a steel truss bridge on a newer alignment of US Route 40 replaced it.

The bridge was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1963. It is operated by the state of Maryland as a state park.

This illustration, from the Historic American Buildings Survey, shows the location of the bridge relative to the new alignment of Route 40.

The Wilson Bridge, at sunrise

2008-01-16T13:45:00.001-05:00

One last photo of the Wilson Bridge.

The Wilson Bridge

2008-01-15T09:36:00.000-05:00

The Wilson Bridge carried the National Road over the Conocoheague Creek, west of Hagerstown, Maryland. The five arch stone bridge, spanning 215 feet, was built by Silas Harry in 1819, at a cost of $9,100. This photo, from the Historic American Buildings Survey, shows the bridge in use, in the 1930s.

It was superceded in 1937 by this concrete arch bridge.

The stone arch bridge remained in use until June, 1972, when it was damaged by Hurricane Agnes.

A flood damaged one arch of the bridge in 1982. It was scheduled for demolition, due to safety concerns and the high cost of restoration - estimated to be $300,000-$400,000. However, due to public concern, the bridge was restored and made into a public park.

It's interesting to note the rubble filled interior construction of the bridge.

Silas Harry completed the restoration work in 1984.

The bridge now stands in excellent condition, ready to last another 150 years.

The area leading up to the bridge, from the east, includes several picnic tables and a historical marker.

The remains of some old guard rails remain, hinting at a time when the road didn't dead-end into a parking lot.

Aside from the first image, black and white images are by William Edmund Barrett, for the Historic American Buildings Survey.

For additional photographs, see my set of images of the bridge over on Flickr.

Driving Route Maps Updated!

2008-01-14T12:41:00.000-05:00

View Larger Map

Over the course of the past week, I've gone through all of the small (5 mile segment) driving maps of the National Road in Maryland and completely updated them. Driving routes are correct for the entirety of the state. Virtually all old alignments have been noted, to the extent that the aerial photographs allow me to see. The driving route is shown in blue, the eastbound driving route, if different, in light blue, drivable old alignments, in green, and undrivable old alignments, in red. Points of interest will be added in coming weeks.

Concrete arch bridge over the Monocacy River

2008-01-14T12:01:00.001-05:00

In my previous posts, I discussed the jug bridge over the Monocacy River, near Frederick, Maryland, both as it was in the past and as it is today. This post addresses the concrete arch bridge that replaced the stone arch bridge - which has since been replaced by a steel bridge.

The north side of the bridge, as seen from the edge of the Monocacy River.

The deck of the bridge, which seems quite servicable, save for the plants growing in the cracks.

Finally, the newest bridge, as seen from the concrete arch bridge.

The Jug Bridge as it is today

2008-01-14T11:33:00.000-05:00

In my last post, I shared some photographs of the historic jug bridge that carried the National Road over the Monocacy River, near Frederick, Maryland, for more than 130 years. In this post, I'll share some photographs of the site as it is today. In my next post, I'll have some photographs of the beautiful concrete arch bridge which replaced the stone one, and which has, in turn, been replaced.

Above, the location of the jug bridge in the Monocacy River, as seen from the concrete arch bridge - the stone arch bridge crossed the river a bit above the cable line running through the water.

No remains of the bridge are visible on the eastern bank of the river, though more investigation is warranted.

The western abutment and approach have survived.

Interior structure of the bridge.

On top of the western abutment, one encounters this wall and sign, preventing further travel - at the present, this is a somewhat moot point, as the road becomes private before it gets here.

This is the view from the "Road Closed" sign, looking west, toward Frederick.

The jug from the bridge has been preserved in a park in Frederick.

Jug Bridge, Frederick, Maryland

2008-01-13T18:11:00.000-05:00

A four arch stone bridge was built over the Monocacy River in 1808 at the cost of $55,000. It was destroyed in 1942 after half of one of the arches collapsed - though at the time, it was probably repairable. It was replaced by a rather nice concrete arch bridge, which has since been replaced by a steel bridge, though most of the traffic passes over I-70 and avoids these bridges entirely.

These photos are from the Historic American Buildings Survey. The bridge, if it survived today, would be a National Historic Landmark. See my next entry for what little survives of the bridge today.

This entry was inspired by this one by Pete East.

East of Cumberland, Maryland

2008-01-13T16:33:00.001-05:00

I shot, from a little cemetery, this photo, which includes the cemetery, the historic National Road, and a semi truck driving by on I-68, which replaced the National Road.

A curious structure, in Howard County, Maryland

2008-01-12T14:33:00.000-05:00

I found this small stone structure on the south side of the National Road, east of Lisbon, Maryland. At first I thought it might just be an ordinary springhouse, but it seems that there must be more to it than that.

Though the four stone walls are essentially square, the roof extends to one side, covering a doorway with nothing behind it, and with no evidence of a wall having every been there. Curious.

I welcome your thoughts on this matter.

Cumberland

2008-01-12T12:08:00.000-05:00

The National Road goes through Cumberland in such a way that one misses a lot of the history of the city. It's really worth getting out of your car and wandering the city a bit. One of my favorite parts of the Road in Cumberland is Frederick Road. Frederick Road leads east out of downtown Cumberland. The National Road is split into two one way streets here - Bedford Street is the other half of the road. Perhaps it has something to do with the gorgeous late afteroon light, but I think the architecture of this neighborhood has considerable merit.

These photographs show the gradual transition out of the city.

Engine Company No. 3

A row of houses

St. Lukes Lutheran Church

House with water tower in background

The case of the missing service station

2008-01-12T11:58:00.000-05:00

When I first saw this rusty old sign, on an old alignment, on the western side of Sideling Hill, in Washington County, Maryland, I couldn't figure out what it was. I later suspected that it might be an early speed warning sign. However, after considerable research as well as assistance from the members of the American Road Magazine forums, the conclusion that it was a sign for a Cities Service station - the text of the sign read "Cities Service Ahead".

Stalking the elusive alignment

2008-01-12T11:51:00.000-05:00

It can often be difficult to figure out extactly where a given road used to run, especially given the huge changes made so easily to the landscape by modern earthmoving equipment. A little while ago, I stumbled upon something so obvious that I can't believe I didn't think of it sooner: utility poles.

Utility poles often follow roads. However, when roads are rerouted, utility poles often remain in the same location. By looking for utility poles, one can often find fugitive older alignments.

Town Hill

2008-01-12T11:33:00.000-05:00

Town Hill, in Allegany County, Maryland, was once marketed as the "beauty spot of Maryland". The views from the top of the hill are truly spectacular - it is one of the few places in the area where one can see the valleys that make up this part of the state - the views are definitely better than what one finds from the cut at Sideling Hill.

There is a hotel at the summit, built to house automotive travelers in the early 20th century. An awning was even constructed so that the weather might not bother those who had stopped to enjoy the view.

A curious milestone

2007-11-07T18:14:00.000-05:00

National Road milestone 4 (4 M To B) is rather well hidden, almost part of a stone wall, often hidden by vines and brush. The content and style also distinguish it from many other milestones along the Road.

The M is rather small - about half the height of the numeral 4, and level with the top of that number. More interestingly, and unique to this stone, is, below the text, an arrow pointing in the direction of Baltimore. I only noticed this recently, but it is quite obvious, especially if you look at the detail below.

Old service stations and gas stations on the National Road in Maryland

2007-10-28T16:04:00.000-04:00

The following are a few old gas and service stations on the old National Road, generally Route 40 or MD 144, in Maryland. In addition to the rather distinct architectural style, they can usually be identified by the concrete island in front of the building where the gas pumps would have been.

This one is on the north side of the road, on the east side of Sideling Hill.

Also on Sideling Hill, on the south side of the road, a bit farther east.

This building, on the west side of Sideling Hill, on Hixon Road, an old National Road alignment, was probably a service station.

Between Hagerstown and Clear Spring.

At the top of Big Savage Mountain, just west of Frostburg.

At the top of Fairview Mountain, west of Clear Spring, Maryland.

A forgotten National Road Inn - the Harvey House

2007-10-28T15:51:00.001-04:00

The Harvey House, a former inn on an old alignment on the east side of Sideling Hill, was built in the first quarter of the 19th century. The oldest wing is behind the house, followed by the central part of the house, after which the builder / owner expanded outward. This initially made me wonder if the house had been split into a triplex at some point - I later realized that it was merely how the house had been constructed.

Please excuse the slightly strange color of the photographs - this is what happens when you accidentially leave the white balance on your camera set to "tungsten" and then try to correct the color later.

The property was cataloged by the Maryland Historical Trust (Historical Sites Survey) - it is site number WA-VI-001. The following text is excerpted from ther report:

"The house is a long, nine-bay, two-story structure built of logas and frame and covered with shingle siding. A four-bay, one-story wing projects at the rear or west side of the main structure. Fieldstone chimneys are located at the exterior of the north gable end and inside between second and third bays and between the sixth and seventh bays from the south end. An exterior stone chimney was located at the west end of the one story wing which has since been removed and replaced with a double window."

"...the west wing and central section of the main structure were in use in 1815 as a tavern and wagoners' stop. The north end containing three ways was said to have been addded in 1859, while the south end, containing two bays was reportedly added in 1869."

"Although the building dates have not yet been established, the oldest parts of the house do indeed appear to date from the first quarter of the 19th century."

"An important architectural feature of the house is its closed string main stairway."

The view from Town Hill

2007-10-28T15:42:00.000-04:00

A week ago, I spent the day photographing the old National Road, between Hagerstown and Frostburg. As always, I stopped to enjoy the view from the top of Town Hill. Much to my surprise, there were quite a few others doing the same thing - perhaps 15 or so cars - more than I've ever seen there before. The leaves were just starting to turn, and the view was truly spectacular.

These photographs are really best viewed large - click on the thumbnail for a larger version.

I-68 and a church, with the Sideling Hill cut in the background.

Not a milestone

2007-10-27T10:09:00.000-04:00

On the east side of Sideling Hill, while following Route 40, I came upon the scene shown above. It looked almost like a slightly displaced milestone, sitting in the middle of an exurban lawn.

Upon closer inspection, I realized that it was not a milestone, but rather, a pair of gravestones. There were not any obvious house remains in the area, so I am curious as to what two graves would be doing in such a location. This seems like an opportunity for more research.

Better photographs of the "Reciprocity Bridge"

2007-10-26T16:38:00.000-04:00

I'm disappointed with the photographs that I took of this important National Road bridge in Ohio - there was simply too much greenery to get decent photographs of it.

Lady Lepere has a set of photographs of the bridge on her Flickr account. There is also a very nice set of photographs of it over on the blog Borrowed Beauty.

Another reason to visit Scenery Hill, Pennsylvania

2007-10-26T11:46:00.000-04:00

If the prospect of a cute, historic town on a hilltop isn't sufficient reason to convince you to visit Scenery Hill, Pennsylvania, perhaps a wonderful burger, as reviewed over on Travel with a Beveridge is. The burger in question was served at Kenny’s Grocery. Go on. Check it out.

A plea to other drivers

2007-10-26T11:35:00.001-04:00

I found this Eastern Box Turtle in the middle of the road on MD 144 in Western Maryland. I didn't have enough time to stop, and my vehicle passed over him, though fortunately without making contact with it. The turtle was very scared and remained pulled up into its shell for a considerable period of time afterward. It appeared to be uninjured - there was no sign of blood anywhere or new scuffing on its shell. I placed it a bit off the road, in the direction that it appeared to be traveling. I returned a half hour later, and it was still there, sealed in its shell. When I returned several hours later, it seemed to have moved on - it was not to be found anywhere in the surrounding area.

Please, when you are driving, watch out for wildlife, especially slow moving animals.

A most curious use for an old National Road alignment

2007-10-26T11:25:00.000-04:00

About two miles west of Flintstone, Maryland, I discovered a most curious use for an old National Road alignment. The road, now named West Wilson Road, splits off from MD144, and continues for a little while, providing access to a couple farms. Eventually, one is forced to stop, confronted by the sight above, a pile of ground up asphalt, ten or fifteen feet high, completely covering the old road surface. This continues for a while, before returning to the old road surface, a short distance before it ends, well below the grade of the current alignment of Maryland 144, as seen below.

To provide some sense of scale, the white speck at the end of the asphalt pile is my minivan:

The McFarland Road Bridge - a stone structure with a modern surface

2007-10-26T11:03:00.000-04:00

The McFarland Road Bridge sits just to the east of Sideling Creek, on the west side of Sideling Hill, at the border of Allegany and Washington Counties. The current road surface was built from Yellow Poplar, in 1995, as indicated by the plaque below.

The rest of the bridge, however, appears to be considerably older - from the style of the construction and patina, I would assume that it was built during the first third of the 19th century, contemporary with the early construction of the road. Though the structure was modified heavily for the new wood surface, it is relatively unmodified. For more photographs of it, see my McFarland Road Bridge set on Flickr.

Two more National Road milestones found!

2007-10-23T10:22:00.000-04:00

I had been informed that the Allegany County Museum, in Cumberland, Maryland, had one National Road milestone. To my surprise, when I called this morning, I learned that they have two - 125 M to B and 9 M to C!

These two make an interesting pair - 125 M to B is the last milestone that counts the distance to Baltimore and 9 M to C is the first to count the distance to Cumberland.

If you know of any milestones lurking in basements or museums, I'd love to hear about them.

The Five Dollar Milestone - 116 M to B

2007-10-23T10:05:00.000-04:00

I found this milestone, 116 Miles to Baltimore, in the Queen City Transportation Museum, in Cumberland, Maryland. If you know of any other National Road milestones in non-original locations, I'd love to hear about them.

Preparing for the weekend

2007-10-17T12:23:00.000-04:00

I'm preparing to spend Saturday driving on the National Road, in western Maryland, photographing some things that I either missed or simply don't have the level of detail that I'd like. I'll probably spend the night with my in-laws in Hagerstown, then get up early and drive west, possibly as far as Frostburg. I'd like to do a better job of documenting the architecture and landscape. The current list of items to document includes:

Milestone 87
Milestone 95 - sitting in the middle of I-70
A bit more attention to Hancock
Old alignments leading to and from Sideling Hill
Flintstone
National Register of Historic Places sites along the route
Finding more stone bridges

I'm welcome to other suggestions as well.

The least stone stone bridge

2007-10-16T09:27:00.000-04:00

The Landis Spring bridge, which is on the National Road, south of Hagerstown, Maryland, between Thomas Drive and Cool Hollow Road, is a curious structure. It began life as a stone bridge, but was later covered with concrete and boxed in with steel. The only visible stone part that remains is a small section of stone on the right end of the bridge in the photograph. If you look under the bridge, the characteristic arch remains.

See more photographs.

Another mile closer to Baltimore

2007-10-13T13:37:00.000-04:00

It seems that I've had to change the name of this blog again - the last milestone listing a distance toward Baltimore is now number 125. I'd forgotten about some material that I found in my research in the library of the Washington County Historical Society. They documented the existence of milestones "9 M To C" and "7 M To C" in the Western Maryland Railway Station and Western Maryland Railway Depot boiler room, in Cumberland, which I assume are the same building. The people I talked to in the National Park Service visitor center there didn't know about them, so perhaps they have been moved elsewhere.

If you have any information about the location of these milestones, I'd love to hear about it.

The station also appears to have housed a milestone in rather poor condition, with the number 32 on it - perhaps this is the missing 32 M To B?

Addison, Pennsylvania - a National Road town

2007-10-13T12:03:00.000-04:00

Addison(formerly Petersburgh), is one of my favorite National Road towns. Located in southwest Pennsylvania, just a couple miles north of the Maryland border, it was completely bypassed by Route 40, leaving the town and a bit of the rural area around it less changed than they would have been. All in all, it is two miles of beautiful road, which include a tollhouse, a watering trough, some farmland, and a strip of historic houses. It's an easy turn off Route 40, but at the same time, it's easy enough to miss.

This is the west end of Addison - the historic National Road is the fork to the right.

Farmland, with Route 40 running through it, as seen from the Historic National Road.

This watering trough, for horses, sits toward the west end of the old alignment.

Just a nice older house.

Note the early guard rail on the right side of the road.

The toll house.

The toll house - a detail.

The war memorial.

The town.

The edge of town.

Driving the National Road in Pennsylvania, the mostly sane way

2007-10-12T11:33:00.000-04:00

After I finished my previous post, I thought that I'd continue on the same train of thought. Thus, I present, in two parts, a mostly sane way to drive the National Road in Pennsylvania.

Maryland border to Brownsville
Brownsville to the West Virginia Border

Driving the National Road in Maryland, the mostly sane way

2007-10-12T10:38:00.000-04:00

The following are a set of maps that I created to suggest a reasonable way for driving the general route of the Historic National Road in the state of Maryland. These general driving directions illustrate a route that covers most of the scenery without extensive backtracking. At a future date, there will be maps that cover the route in exhaustive detail, with descriptions of the various sites along the way.

Baltimore to Frederick
Frederick to Clear Spring
Clear Spring to Hancock
Hancock to Cumberland
Cumberland to the Pennsylvania border

Stone bridges on the National Road in Maryland, Part II

2007-10-09T17:13:00.000-04:00

The more I research, the more I'm surprised by the number of stone bridges hiding in plain view on the National Road. I've made a map of all the bridges I've been able to find so far, but I know that this list isn't complete - I welcome any input you may have. Once I have a reasonably exhaustive list, I will reorder the points in the description of the map to display in proper east to west order.

The sheer number of extant stone bridges and culverts has really surprised me. I can't wait to see how many more can be found.

View Larger Map

Nice, well hidden two arch stone culvert

2007-10-09T14:28:00.000-04:00

I found this stone culvert on the historic National Road, just east of historic Elicott City, Maryland. It takes Frederick Road, as the National Road is call there, over a small tributary to the Patapsco River. The road has been widened, so only one face of the culvert remains - the one facing the Patapsco. The culvert is just west of the gas station - once you start looking for a small culvert, it shouldn't be hard to miss.

There are at least four other stone bridges and culverts on the National Road in Howard County. They've all been modified, some moreso than others, but it's still exciting to see them in use. I'll deal with them more at a later date.

A few newly located National Road milestones

2007-10-09T14:16:00.000-04:00

Three original milestones have been added to the maps.

113 to Wheeling / 18 to Cumberland is in the Smithsonian American History Museum.

120 to Wheeling / 11 to Cumberland is in the Frostburg Museum, at the corner of Hill and Oak Streets, in Frostburg, Maryland.

79 to Wheeling / 52 to Cumberland is in the visitor center at Fort Necessity National Battlefield.

If you have information about National Road milestones in places other than along the National Road, I'd love to hear about it. I'm especially curious as to the location of all the Hagerstown milestones, 69-74.

Stone bridges and culverts

2007-10-07T09:36:00.000-04:00

Everybody loves a nice old stone bridge. Recently, I learned that there are dozens of great stone bridges in Washington County, Maryland, including a few that I had missed, literally in plain view. These National Road bridges had been widened, such that only one side of the bridge is still stone. Also, with modern railings, the historic stone bridges may be all but invisible to the modern driver.

These include the bridge over Antietam Creek:

as well as the bridge over Beaver Creek:

The stone arch bridge on the National Pike on the north end of Boonsboro is even more hidden:

Also, there are those features that one just doesn't see, like the Cool Hollow culvert:

Numbering

2007-10-04T23:50:00.000-04:00

You may have noticed that the title of this blog has changed slightly - this is due to certain milestones counting towards Cumberland instead of Baltimore. The title was based on the (presumed) highest numbered milestone on the road. I do not anticipate the need for any additional changes.

These milestones are also pesky when you try to list all of the ones in Maryland, as I have on my maps. You have 1-126 to Baltimore, 8-1 to Cumberland, and then those that count toward Wheeling. If you have a better solution than the titles I've given my maps over on the sidebar, do let me know, especially if it doesn't involve lots of extra work.

Pennsylvania Milestones

2007-10-02T19:33:00.000-04:00

The Pennsylvania milestones are now on the map. There are still more milestones to find, and I suspect that some might be found at the tops of some hills that have been cut into.

Milestones 96 3/4 - 77
Milestones 76 - 57
Milestones 56 - 37
Milestones 36 - 17

Peacock Road

2007-09-28T16:35:00.000-04:00

Peacock Road is a section of the Historic National Road between Old Washington and Cambridge, Ohio. It has been bypassed by faster routes, so it has been changed less over time. It retains the early 20th century brick paving, and it makes for a beautiful drive.

Stone bridges on the National Road in Maryland

2007-09-26T17:07:00.000-04:00

I was somewhat surprised when I learned about a stone bridge, just west of Grantsville, Maryland - all I knew about in Grantsville was Casslemans River bridge. This other bridge is a bit worse for the wear, with its single arch partially collapsed, but is still quite presentable.

A couple miles down the road, a stone National Road bridge spans Puzzley Run. This bridge is on private property, but can be viewed without trespassing.

These finds led me to make a map of all the stone National Road bridges in Maryland:

View Larger Map

All those maps

2007-09-18T15:56:00.000-04:00

I've just added links to all of my National Road maps. Note that the ones for Pennsylvania and westward are based purely on sattelite photographs and maps - I have not yet had the opportunity to field check this data.

Before too long, I'm going to draw a list of maps, with driving directions, on how a reasonable person might drive the National Road.

Replacement milestones

2007-09-18T11:34:00.001-04:00

I was going to post about how to identify old alignments today, but I've been having trouble with the maps I've embedded from Google Maps actually working, so instead, I'll deal with the issue of replacement milestones.

Milestones 1-40 are solid, heavy affairs, not the sort of thing that is easily damaged or moved - thus, these stones have mostly remained in their original locations, undamaged - even if through weathering they have become unreadable. West of milestone 40, however, the stones are smaller, cut of softer sandstone, which lead to easier carving, but also lead to being damaged more easily. The stones were placed along the edge of the road, which, in the automobile age, has lead to many suffering damage in automobile accidents.

52 M to B is the most easternly replacement stone.

56 M to B is identical in style to milestone 52.

58 is a bit less stout than the two preceding it.

I just don't know what to say about milestone 75. Someday I'll talk to the inhabitants of the house and ask them if they know anything.

The text on 82 M to B appears to have been sandblasted.

This rather nice replacement is in Hancock, Maryland.

97, along with its twin, 96, appear to be relatively recent replacements.

Illinois and Indiana

2007-09-17T12:24:00.000-04:00

I was fortunate enough to stumble across Jim Grey's documentation of his journeys on the National Road in Indiana, from Indianapolis to the Illinois border and Illinois.

He documents the journey with photographs and maps, illustrating historic alignments and interesting things he saw along the way. I hope to take a similar approach to the eastern chunk of the Road.

National Road in Maryland - Milestones 51-75

2007-09-15T16:23:00.000-04:00

View Larger Map

The blue line indicates the original alignment of the road.

Blue flags indicate milestones that I've been able to locate and photograph - click on a flag for a photograph of the milestone. Light blue flags indicate replacement milestones. Red flags indicate milestones that I have not been able to locate or photograph.

I'm not sure why all the stones in Hagerstown are missing. I need to look harder in that area. Perhaps some research in the Western Maryland Room of the Hagerstown branch of the Washington County Library will provide an answer.

National Road in Maryland - Milestones 26-50

2007-09-15T16:13:00.000-04:00

A Traveler's Guide to the Historic National Road in Ohio

2007-09-15T09:18:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, I recieved a copy of A Traveler's Guide to the Historic National Road in Ohio. It's a quite impressive production - 45 pages, glossy, full color, and is available free for the asking from the Ohio Historical Society, by sending an email to info@ohiohistory.org or by calling them, or can be picked up in person at the visitor centers at the ends of the state on I-70.

In addition to a more extensive backstory, the pamphlet includes full driving directions for following the extant portions of the Road in Ohio - the directions which are included in much briefer format at ohionationalroad.org.It identifies, from what I can tell, every extant stone bridge on the Road in Ohio.

Highly recommended.

Missing milestone sighting!

2007-09-15T09:09:00.000-04:00

Thanks to the illustrious rmcgervy, a fugitive Pennsylvania milestone has been found. The (cast iron) stone indicates 78 miles to Wheeling and 53 miles to Cumberland, and is located at Friendship Hill National Historic Site, in Pennsylvania.

If you know of any other National Road milestones in locations other than on the road proper, I'd love to hear about them.

National Road in Maryland - Milestones 1-25

2007-09-12T15:53:00.000-04:00

Introduction

2007-09-11T11:09:00.000-04:00

This blog is my attempt to describe and share my journeys on the National Pike, as it winds its way from Baltimore to Cumberland, Maryland, as well as the National Road, from Cumberland, Maryland, to Vandalia, Illinois. I plan to include plenty of photographs, maps to describe the journey.