Driving the National Road & Route 40 in Ohio Then and Now

Ohio s stretch of the National Road is part of a National Scenic Byway spanning more than 700 miles across six states. Commissioned by Thomas Jefferson, construction of the National Road began in Maryland in 1811 and by the 1830s reached almost to St. Louis. In 1912, the National Road was incorporated into the National Old Trails Ocean-to-Ocean Highway, a transcontinental route from New York to Los Angeles. That road helped lay the foundation for another coast-to-coast highway U.S. Route 40 which in 1926 became one of the first roads in the numbered U.S. highway system. Part history and part travelogue, Driving the National Road and Route 40 in Ohio: Then and Now is a roadie s treasure map for experiencing Ohio s slice of this very important route. The book takes you on a westward visual journey through the entire 228 miles of the combined National Road and Route 40 in Ohio, along the Main Streets of tiny villages, small Ohio cities, and even through the modern capital. Along the way, juxtapositions of historic and modern images depict the route s evolution pages spotlight everything from original segments of brick roadway to old restaurants and motels still welcoming guests, to buildings still standing but living a new life, and sadly places lost to time and development. In short, you will come to know what the road was and what it has become. Driving the National Road and Route 40 in Ohio: Then and Now is for readers drawn to old roads and scenic byways, who truly understand the journey is more important than the destination. If you are a history lover, old stone bridges and original stretches of road that existed when Ohio was part of the Northwest Territory await you. If nostalgia is your thing, meandering open stretches of Route 40 and visiting hamlets frozen in time will have you reminiscing about summer vacations packed in the family station wagon. Most of all, you ll be encouraged to do more than just read the pages will beckon you to drive the route, park your car, and enjoy the communities first-hand.