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Written by Dan Whetzel New Photography by Lance C. Bell

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ThesmalltownofCumberland,Maryland,becameanationalnewsstorywhenPresidentThomasJeffersonsignedanactofCongresstolayouttheNationalRoad,America’sfirstfederallyfundedhighway.TheNationalRoadwouldeventuallystretchfromwesternMarylandtoVandalia,Illinois,andprovideamajorcorridorforwestwardexpansionduringthenineteenthcentury.Cumberlandbecameagatewaytothewestandamajortransportationcenterasthousandsoftravelersmadetheirwaythroughtowntolinkwiththecorridorthatwouldprovidethemostconvenientwaytomovetheirgoods.Coachescarryingpassengersandfreight,smallwagonsfullofhouseholdgoods,andhardyindividualsonfootcontinuedtousetheroaduntilrailroadtransportationreducedtraffic.TheNationalRoadinfluencedthedevelopmentoftheUnitedStatesandnootherAmericanhighwayequalsitinpoliticalandeconomicimportance.OnceagaintheNationalHighwayisnewsworthyasitcelebrates200yearsofservicetowesternMarylandand

theUnitedStates.SuchacelebrationiscauseforreflectionontheoriginsoftheroadanditsroutethroughthecityofCumberlandandwesternMaryland.

TheNationalRoadwasoneofseveraltransportationcorridorsthatliterallyplacedwesternMarylandontimeperiodmapsduringthenineteenthcentury.Railroads,highways,andtheChesapeakeandOhioCanalallhadasignificantpresenceinwesternMarylandinthe1800s,butitwasaseriesofcommercialandmilitaryeventsdecadesearlierthatestablishedtheareaasatransportationcenter.

EuropeancommercialinterestinwesternMarylandcanbetracedtoentrepreneurswhoestablishedthemselvesinlandsformerlyoccupiedbytheShawneetribe.In1749,agroupofVirginiansreceivedalandgrantfromtheKingofEnglandtosettletheOhiocountrywithinsevenyears;themencalledtheirorganizationtheOhioCompany.ChristopherGist,renownedfrontiersmanandsurveyor,wasdispatchedtopresentdaywesternMarylandtochooseasiteforatradingpostwhileColonelThomasCresap,

Christopher Gist (portrayed by Bob Bantz), was an American frontiersman, commissioned by the Ohio Company to explore their western lands. He accompanied George Washington in 1753–54 on his historic trip to order the French out of the Ohio Valley and on the journey twice saved Washington’s life. On Gen. Edward Braddock’s expedition (1755) against

Fort Duquesne, Gist served as a guide. A light tint in this photo shows the original Colonial trail sunken pathway. At this point it parallels the National Road (Rt. 40), as well as Interstate 68 between Cumberland and LaVale, MD.

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pioneerandearlysettler,wasemployed“tolayoutandmarkaroadfromCumberlandtoPittsburgh,”thusestablishinganimportantlinktotheOhioterritoriesandfacilitatingEnglishcontrolofthewesternregion.In1750,theOhioCompanybuiltastorehouseonabluffoverlookingthePotomacRiverinRidgeley,WestVirginia,attheconfluenceofWill’sCreek;thiswasthefirstEuropeancommercialestablishmentintheCumberlandarea.

In1751,CresapandGistwereaidedbyNemacolin,afriendlyDelawareIndian,whodirectedthefrontiersmenalongacenturiesoldpathleadingoverHaystackMountainandpointswestwardtowardPittsburgh,Pennsylvania.Althoughthepathwouldhavebeennomorethanafewfeetwide,CresapandGistcertainlywelcomedatrailthroughthewildernessastheyclearedlogsandotherobstructionstomakeitsuitableforpackhorses.TheenhancedNemacolin’sPathwasthefirstrudimentaryroadheadingwestfromCumberland.

Nemacolin’sPathbecameapoliticalandmilitarycorridorasFranceandEnglandescalatedtensionsintheOhioValleyduring1753.VirginiaGovernorRobertDinwiddiedispatchedColonelGeorgeWashingtontowarntheFrenchcommanderinPittsburghtoleavethevalley,aregionclaimedbyEngland.InNovember,1753,WashingtonenlistedtheservicesofGistandseveralothersastheywalkedNemacolin’sPathintoPennsylvaniacarryingDinwiddie’smessagetoFrenchCommanderSaintPierre.Afterbeingrebuffedbythecommander,WashingtonreturnedviaNemacolin’sPathtotheOhioCompanystorehouseatWill’sCreekbeforereportingtoDinwiddieinVirginia.

Notacceptingtherejectionlightly,GovernorDinwiddieenlistedvolunteersunderColonelJoshuaFry’scommandforthepurposeofpersuadingtheFrenchtoleavetheOhioValley.GeorgeWashingtonservedassecondincommandandarrivedatWill’sCreekinApril1754.ColonelFrywasfatallyinjuredafterbeingthrownfromhishorseatalocationnearthestorehouse,thusleadingtoWashington’sfirstmilitarycommand.WashingtononceagainmarchedoverHaystackMountainintoPennsylvaniawherehismenskirmishedwithFrenchforcesnearUniontown,killingtheFrenchcommander.Thisincident,knownasJumonville(aftertheFrenchcommander’sname),isconsideredtobetheopeningshotoftheFrenchandIndianWar.NolessaphilosopherandhistorianthanVoltairestated:“AcannonshotfiredinthewoodsofAmericasetallEuropeinablaze.”

AstheFrenchandEnglishheadedtowardfullscalewar,GeneralEdwardBraddockwasorderedtoWill’sCreek(andthenPittsburgh)forthepurposeofprojectingEnglishmilitaryinfluenceintotheOhioValley.Inpreparationfortheimpendingconflict,thesmallWill’sCreekstorehousewasaugmentedbyalargermilitarystructureontheoppositesideofthePotomacRiverbuiltduringthewinterof1754-1755thatbecameknownasFortCumberland.

WhenGeneralBraddockarrivedatFortCumberlandin1755hewasfacedwithdauntinglogisticalproblems.TravelingwestwardfromCumberlandwouldbeadifficulttaskbecauseNemacolin’sTrail,althoughpreviouslywidenedbyWashington’smen,wassteep,rugged,andnotsuitableforheavyartilleryandgoodscarriedbywagons.Sixhundredmenwieldingaxeswereassignedthetaskofenlargingthetrailtoawidthof12feet.AmemberofBraddock’sexpe-ditionrecordedthefollowingincidentuponcompletionoftheupgradedtrail:

Frontiersman, D. Gordon Oester, an admired figure at the Springs Folk Festival (Springs, PA), will be sadly missed at the festival this year. He passed away in July 2010.

“ThedetachmentofsixhundredmencommandedbyMajorChapmanmarchedthe30thdayofMayatdaybreak,anditwasnightbeforethewholebaggagehadgotoveramountainabouttwomilesfromthecamp.Theascentanddescentwerealmostaperpendicularrock;threewagonswereentirelydestroyed…andmanymoreextremelyshattered.”

“TheGeneralreconnoiteredthismountainanddeter-minedtosettheengineersandthreehundredmoremenatworkuponitashethoughtitimpassablebyHowitzers.”

OneofGeneralBraddock’sofficersiscreditedwithrecommendinganalternativeroadbeconstructedthroughtheNarrowsatWill’sCreekthatwouldprovideforeasiermovementofwagons.Onehundredmencompletedworkthroughthegapintwodays,asaroadwascut,dug,andblastedbetweenWill’sCreekandtherockledges.Sub-sequently,thebulkofBraddock’sArmymarchedfromFortCumberlandthroughtheNarrowsonitstrektowardPittsburgh.AnimpressivearrayofmilitaryhardwarepassedthroughthegaponJune8-9,1755,including:200wagons,1,500packhorses,atrainofartillery,and2,100men.

DespiteGeneralBraddock’sconfidence,hisforcesuffereddefeatonJuly9,1755,atBraddock’sField,havingbeenforcedintoaguerillastylebattleforwhichheandhistroopswereunsuited.RemnantsofhisshatteredforcereturnedtoFortCumberlandweekslateramidmuchdisorder;thegeneraldiedafterthebattleandwasburiednearUniontown,Pennsylvania.

EventhoughBraddock’smenblazedtheNarrow’sroutein1755,itwasapparentlyabandonedthereafter.IncreasingsettlementaroundFortCumberlandfollowingtheFrenchandIndianWarmeanttheoriginalNemacolin-Cresap-Gist-Washington-BraddockmilitaryalignmentoverHaystackMountainwasthepreferredwesternrouteintoPennsylvania.Washingtonmadeadditionaltripsovertheroad,asdidMeriwetherLewisin1803onthefirstlegofhisjourneytothePacificOcean.

AtsomepointintimeaftertheFrenchandIndianWar,themilitaryrouteoverHaystackMountainwasaugmentedbyasecondroadthatcouldbetermedcolonial.Itislikely

thatbothBraddock’smilitaryroadandtheunnamed

French soldiers during a reenactment of the French and Indian War.

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Wrought Iron, hand forged artifacts recovered along Braddock’s Trail/Colonial Road/National Road.

1. Chain, wagon wheel spikes and pins, horseshoe nails, and a broken bolt.

2. Three horse bits, horseshoes, wagon tongue support, large wagon staple and a chain lock.

3. Hammer head, large tent spikes, carriage step, musket trigger guard, broken musket barrel and belt buckles.

4. Broken kettle and kettle leg, Colonial spoon (Copper), possibly a military fork, and a hand iron.

5. Cannon balls.

andfieldwork.HiscollectionofartifactsfoundalongthenorthernrouteprovidesevidenceofmilitaryoperationsfromtheFrenchandIndianWartimeperiod.Cannon

balls,musketballs,musketparts,militaryutensils,andanarrayofothermorecommonitemsfoundalongthenortherncoursecorrespondtoWashingtonandGist’smaps.Artifactslocatedalongthesoutherncolonialroadprovideevidenceofdomesticgoodsbutnotmilitaryhardware.Importantly,thesunkenpathwaysofbothroadsarestillvisibleinafewsectionswhichprovideadditionalevidenceoftheirdirections.ThemostinterestingviewofbothroadsiswheretheyintersectnearLaVale.The

colonialroad’sgentledescentcontrastssharplywithNemacolin-Cresap-Gist-Washington-Braddock’salignment,therebyprovidinganobviousandvisiblereasonforthenewerroad’sexistence.

WestwardexpansionaftertheFrenchandIndianWar(1756-1763)andRevolutionaryWar(1775-1783)placed

demandsonarudimentaryroadsystemthatstretchedalongtheeasternseaboardtotheAppalachianMountains.Recognizingtheneedforroadimprovementsthatwould

facilitatecommerceandbindwesternterritorieswitheasternpopulationcenters,theUnitedStatesCongressactedtoappropriatemoneyfora

NationalRoad.CumberlandwasrecognizedasalogicalstartingpointtobeginthefederalprojectsbecauseofitsconnectiontotheportofBaltimoreandinfrastructureestablishedinaneast-westdirectionduringpreviousdecadesofpublicizedmilitarycampaigns.

WhilepreliminarypaperworkmayhavefollowedPresidentJefferson’sautho-

rizationofthecongressionalactin1806,actualroadbuildingdidnotbeginuntil1811whena

colonialroadservedtravelersconcurrently.Thelaterroadwasnotdocumentedliketheearlierandmorefamousroute,butdidexist,andwaslikelyconstructedandmaintainedbyresidentsonanasneededbasis.Theloca-tionsofBraddock’smilitaryalignmentandcolonialroadoverHaystackMountainhavebeendebatedovertheyearsandarestillsubjecttodiscussion.SeveralwrittenaccountsofBraddock’sRoadthroughCumberlandareinaccuratebuthavebeenrepeatedmanytimessoastobecomehistoricalfact.Thecolonialroadisrarelynotedatall.Anexami-nationofthehistoricalrecordandartifactsfoundalongbothroutesprovidesconvincingevidenceoftheirlocations.

GeorgeWashington’smanuscriptsketchofFortCumberlandandsurroundingareaclearlynoteshiswesternrouteheadedinthedirectionofpresentdayFayetteStreet.AsecondmapdrawnbyChristopherGistmarksthesamepathfromtheforttowardHaystackMountain.NeithermapdisplaysmarksalongpresentdayGreeneStreet.

JohnKennedyLacockconductedasurveyofBraddock’sRoadin1908andnotedthatnotraceofitexistedfromthefortsitetoHaystack.WhileLacockbelievedthatGreeneStreetwasthelikelyroute,healsoconcludedthatSulphurSpringHollow(FayetteStreet)couldhavebeenusedtoreachtheeasternslopeofthemountain.

EvidencepointstoaFayetteStreetalignmentfortheBraddockmilitaryroutefromFortCumberland.Theunnamedcolonialroadranparalleltothemilitaryroadbutfurthersouthandatalowerelevation;theroadsweretypicallysepa-ratedby500to1,000feet.

AlleganyCountyresidentandhistorian,BobBantz,hasbecomeoneoftheforemostauthoritiesontheFrenchandIndianWartimeperiodintheregion,andhisworkencompassesdecadesofresearch

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contractwasawardedforthefirstten-milesection.Workbeganat“thecornerofLotNo.1inCumberlandnearthecenteroftheconfluenceofWill’sCreekandtheNorthBranchofthePotomacRiver”andproceededwestwardalongthealignmentofpresentdayGreeneStreettotheeasternslopeofHaystackMountain.Thestonemarkercommemoratingthestartingpointwasmovedbyengineersin1908andplacednearRiversidePark.Today,thesmallmonumentisinconspicuouslylocatedwithinatrafficislandonGreeneStreetnearWashington’sHeadquarters.

Planscalledfora32footwideroadsurfaceareaanda20footproperroadbedthatwastohaveamaximumgradeoffivedegrees.Astonebaseof18inchescomprisedtheroadcenterwhichtaperedto12inchesonbothsides.Stonesweretobeuniforminsizeandweremadetopassthrougha7-inchringfortheroadbasewhilesmalleroneswerebrokenandpassedthroughathreeinchringforsurfaceuse.Backbreakingworkrequiredroadgangstohammerstonestotherequiredsize,pullstumps,andleveltheroadbedwithpicks,shovels,rakes,andmattocks.Wageswerevaluedaccordingtotaskandskilllevels.Onthelowendofthepayscaleworkersreceived$6.00permonthwhileafewskilledlaborerscommanded$1.00perday.

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Top: A 1907 photo of a Toll House on the National Road near LaVale, MD, courtesy of Al Feldstein.

Bottom: Today the Toll House has been restored and can be seen along the National Road on Rt. 40, just

west of LaVale.

TheoriginalNationalRoadoverHaystackMountainconstructedin1811-1812paralleledboththeNemacolin-Cresap-Gist-Washington-Braddockalignmentandthecolonialroad.TheNationalRoadsectionoverthemountainwasnamedtohonorGeneralBraddock,therebycausingsomeconfusionoverwherehisoriginalroadwaslocated.AtnopointinthecityofCumberlandoronHaystackMountaindidtheNationalRoad(presentdayBraddockRoad)followBraddock’soriginalmilitarypathorthecolonialalignment.Threeparallelroads,typicallyseparatedbymorethanathousandfeetanddecadesoftime,crossedthemountainanddescendedtoLaVale.AfterexitingLaVale,theNationalRoadgenerallyfollowedBraddock’scoursethroughGarrettCountyintoPennsylvania.

TheofficialBraddockRoadmarkeratDingleCirclecommemoratingthegeneral’smilitarycampaignismorethan1,000feetfromwhereheactuallyascendedtheeasternslopeofHaystackMountainonthewaytoFortDuquesne,Pittsburgh.

Whenthemilitaryandthecolonialroadsceasedbeingusedisunknown,butitcouldbespeculatedthatthebuild-

ingofahardsurfaceNationalRoadin1811-1812wouldhavecausedtheformercorridorstofallintodisrepair.

Notuntil1833,afterthesteeperwayoverHaystackMountainhadbeenusedfortwodecades,wastheNationalRoadoutofCumberlandre-routedthroughNorthMechanicStreettoentertheNarrows.ThelongerbutmucheasierrouterequiredthebuildingofasubstantialstonebridgeacrossWill’sCreek;evidenceoftheabutmentsmaystillbeviewedatthelocation.AfterexitingtheNarrows,theroadcontinuedtowardatollhouseconstructedin1836,theonlyonestillstandinginthestateofMarylandandatouristattraction.

TheNationalHighwayhasmadehistoryfortwohun-dredyearsandisreadytopauseandcelebrate.DaveUmling,cityofCumberlandplanner,hasbeenbusycoordinatingabicentennialcommemorativeeventsscheduleforMay,2011,andbeyondthatwillfeatureaparadeindowntownCumberland,atimecapsuleceremony,specialmuseumexhibits,trainrides,bustours,artexhibits,afireworksdisplay,andmusicalperformances.ForacompletelistingoftheNationalRoadBicentennialevents,contactDaveUmlingat301-759-6503.

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Clarysville Inn along the National Road between LaVale and Frostburg, Maryland. Photo courtesy of Al Feldstein.

The Casselman Bridge is located within a four acre Maryland State Park along United States Route 40 just east of Grantsville, Maryland. When completed in 1813, it was the largest single span stone arch bridge in the United States. The Casselman Bridge served travelers on the National Road from 1813 to 1933 when a second span was constructed to withstand the increased use of vehicles. The original bridge remains open to pedestrians.

The Casselman Inn (above), built in 1824, was one of numerous inns along the National Road to serve stage coaches, covered wagons, drovers and riders. It is located one-half mile west of the Casselman Bridge at 113 Main Street, Grantsville, MD. Today, it remains an inn with a restaurant open Mon – Sat.

The author would like to express appreciation to Bob Bantz for his time and expertise in preparation of this article.

The Editor and staff would like to thank Charlie Glover and his granddaughter Madison Glover (right) for their help with wagon and horse photos for this story.

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