National Road bridge postcard   Save
National Road Photograph Collection
Description: Postcard showing the bridge where the National Road crossed the White River in Indianapolis, Indiana. A history of the bridge is provided on the reverse side. The National Road was one of the first paved roads (constructed of compacted gravel) to cross the Appalachian Mountains. Congress authorized construction of the National Road in 1806, and in 1811, awarded contracts to private builders to begin construction. The War of 1812 prevented work from beginning until 1815, when construction began in Cumberland, Maryland, and the contractors completed the road to Wheeling, Virginia (modern-day West Virginia), in 1817. Eventually, the federal government extended the road to near St. Louis, Missouri. Modern-day U.S. Route 40 follows the National Road's original route. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: NationalRoadpostcard,front
Subjects: National Road; Ohio Economy--Transportation and Development; Cumberland Road--History; Roads--United States--History; Bridges
Places: Indianapolis (Indiana);