In a message dated 98-03-28 16:20:02 EST, pgordon7@gte.net writes: << Date: 98-03-28 16:20:02 EST From: pgordon7@gte.net (Peg Gordon) Reply-to: pgordon7@gte.net (Peg Gordon) To: SCFAIRFI-L@rootsweb.com Hello Listers Could someone tell me which highway or road of today follows what was known as The Great Wagon Road? It ran thru Fairfield & Chester Counties. This road ran thru the property of our ancestors, John LEE & Alexander GORDON, who lived near the county line of Fairfield & Chester Counties. I have seen the road on old maps, but would like to know how it is on todays map! I do know it was near Little River and close to LEE's Old Mill on LEE's Creek. Thanks in advance. A Texan searching for our Deep South Roots! Peg Peggy Pike Gordon pgordon7@gte.net SURNAMES: ~~ BEUHRING/BUHRING, BILLINGSLEY, DAVIS, FLUKER, GAMMAGE, ALE/HAIL, HANCHER, HARRELL, HARTLEY, HOUGLAND, LAW, LEWIS, MAXEY, cGINNIS, NEAL/NEIL, PIKE, SAXON, ROBERSON/ROBINSON, WHITAKER, YANCEY ~~ BARBEE, GIPSON, GORDON, KELLEY, LEE (MD, SC, GA), McALILLEY, McKEOWN, PAXSON, PITTS, RAGSDALE, REED/REID, YOUNG, WYLIE>> I am sending this information to the list since others might be interested in knowing the location of the road that some of their ancestors may well have traveled. I have been looking for this information ever since I read Peg's message. I knew I had seen something on an old wagon road but could not remember where. I finally found it. I hope this is the road you had in mind, Peg. In the March 1998 issue of National Geographics, there is an article about "America's First Highway". It begins on page #82 & covers the topic very well. According to this article, the old National Road is part of present day U.S. Route 40, beginning in Cumberland, MD. As well as I could tell from the article, the old National Road was used for a guide in building the new road so there may be places where U.S. 40 strays from the old National Road. There is also about a 5 mile span of the old National Road that was bypassed & exists as a country road which is located between Claysville & West Alexander, PA. Just to give the highlights of the article... It states that in its heyday, this road teemed with loaded wagons & livestock from dawn to dusk. The article mentions places where the travelers stopped to rest, ect. The old road was also known as: The National Road, The Cumberland Road, The Great Western Road, The Old Pike & The National Trail. Where the road passed through a town, it was commonly called Main Street. The road began in Cumberland, MD & ended in Vandalia, IL, according to the article's map on page #88. The old National Road also went through PA, WV, OH & IN. (When considering the present day location, also consider the boundary changes that have taken place over time.) The old National Road "grew" in stages over time. It seems this old road had it's first beginnings as an Indian trail (of sorts). In 1751, the Ohio Company of Virginia hired a Delaware Indian, Nemacolin, to make a path for them to Brownsville, PA. The trail was used by others beside the Ohio Company. When George Washington built Fort Necessity, he widened the trail. Later, he would make more improvments on this trail/road. Because of Washington's concern over the nations western territories after the Revolutionary War, he decided that a wide corridor which would make travel & trade easier for these areas would help offset any problems. After he presented the idea of building the road, a bill was passed by Congress in 1806 & signed by Thomas Jefferson. Until July, 1825, Wheeling, WV (along the Ohio River) was the end of the old National Road. It was at this time that construction resumed westward. It reached Vandalia, IL ( which was the IL capitol city at the time) in 1838. Although there were plans to extend the old National Road to the Mississippi River there were already roads leading from Vandalia to the Mississippi River & given the fact that the railroads had done such a good job at linking the nation's east & west, it seemed no longer necessary to continue the old National Road. However, the article does mention that the original route for the highway ended in East St. Louis near the Mississippi River & gives reference to thousands who traveled that far by wagon. The map shows the old National Road as ending in Vandalia. ( Just speculation .... Perhaps the section from Vandalia to East St. Louis was an extension of the old trail used by our ancestors in their travels westward but was not included in the "upgrade" in 1806.....the upgraded trail came to be known as the old National Road.) This is just a "tidbit" from the article: The word "stogie" comes from the era of the old National Road. Conestoga wagon drivers enjoyed cigars rolled from OH tabacco. This article contains much more information including the map & some pictures. I have mentioned only a small amount of the information from the text as it is too lengthy to send. The article is well worth reading. If you can get your hands on an issue, you would definitely enjoy it. If you can't find a copy at the library or from an acquaintance, maybe you can still get the issue from National Geogrphics. If you need the address or telephone number, email me. N. Grubbs Smith