Historic US Roads and Highways Quiz

Answer: Historic American Highway Association - HAHA

The National Park Service maintains its Register of Historic Places. The American Society of Civil Engineers places roads on its NHCEL. The Federal Highway Administration maintains a list of All-American Roads as well as National Scenic Byways.

Answer: US 66

Running from Chicago to Santa Monica, CA, Route 66 first became noteworthy as the route traveled by Americans escaping the Dust Bowl of the 1930s by migrating to California. The Interstate Highway System stole much of the traffic from Route 66 and finally in 1985 it ceased to be supported by the Federal Highway System. Recently, interest has grown in the highway as a historical site. Stretches of the road are supported as part of state highway systems and many original roadside businesses such as service stations, restaurants, motels and tourist attractions have been renovated. Many portions of the highway are on the National Register of Historic Places and several are listed as National Scenic Byways.

Baby Boomers were introduced to Route 66 by the eponymous TV show and by Bobby Troop's song "(Get Your Kicks On) Route 66" first recorded by Nat King Cole in 1946 and later covered by dozens of performers, notably Perry Como, The Rolling Stones, Chuck Berry, John Mayer, Aerosmith, Bing Crosby, Brad Paisley, Them (Van Morrison) and George Maharis (star of the TV show}.

Answer: El Camino Real

El Camino Real isn't actually a single road, but any of several major trade routes used by the Spanish during the 300 years when they controlled South and Central America. Sorry, California, but the famous El Camino Real paralleling the Pacific coast and pioneered by Spanish priests traveling between missions is not on any of the national registries (it is a California Historical Landmark).

But the New Mexico portion of a royal route from Mexico City to Santa Fe is both a National Scenic Byway and a Civil Engineering Landmark.

In Texas, El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro, a route that went from Mexico through Texas to Louisiana, is on the NHCEL. There are Camino Real road remains in Mexico, Cuba, Guatemala and one in Panama which crossed the Isthmus near the current Panama Canal.

In the days of New Spain, this road carried unimaginable amounts of gold and silver from the conquered Inca lands in Peru and Bolivia to Panama City for shipment to Spain.

Answer: National Road

The Braddock Road was built in 1751 as a trade link between the upper Potomac River and Ft. Duquesne (modern Pittsburgh). It was named for the unfortunate British general who attempted to attack the French at the fort. Thomas Jefferson extended the re-named Cumberland road to the Ohio River at Wheeling, WV. Further extension was planned to Jefferson City, MO but budget issues and the growth of railroads left it incomplete, ending in Illinois.

Much of the original route is still in use as US Highway 40.

Answer: Natchez Trace Parkway

The Parkway extends from Natchez, MS to near Nashville, TN. The two lane road was built with limited access and the Park Service enforces a 50 mph speed limit and bans commercial traffic. Construction began as a Civilian Conservation Corps project during the Great Depression. The final gaps in the road weren't finished until 2005.

Native Americans began using the paths of migrating animals in pre-historic times and over the centuries the Natchez, Choctaw, and Chickasaw tribes all used it for hunting, trade and migration. Early white settlers used it as a trade and migration route. The Parkway passes sites such as Indian burial mounds and Civil War battlefields.

Answer: The Alaska Highway

As World War II approached, the US military saw the need for a highway to link the contiguous states to Alaska. Canada first refused to allow the road's construction fearing that its use might pull Canada into a war between the US and Japan. After Japan attacked Britain and the Commonwealth followed by the occupation of Attu and Kiska in the Aleutians, construction began in March of 1942. Working from both the northern and southern ends of the road, crews met and completed the road just over eight months later.

At that time, the Alaska Highway was 1700 miles long and unpaved. As of 2012, it measured 1387 miles. The shrinkage is due to changes in the route which have straightened the road considerably. It is now paved, as well. These days the highway is officially designated as British Columbia Highway 97, Yukon Highway 1 and Alaska State Route 2.

Answer: Colonial mail delivery

Early colonists appropriated Indian paths for use by post riders delivering mail. King Charles II ordered the building of a post road from Charleston, SC to Boston to facilitate mail service in the colonies. The Boston Post Road became part of the larger road which was completed in 1735. Parts of US Highways 1 and 20 follow the path of the Post Road.

Answer: Corduroy Road

A corduroy road consists of split logs laid perpendicular to the line of travel and covered with sand, usually in wet or swampy areas. They've been used for thousands of years. Since the wood rots fairly rapidly, a corduroy road old enough to be historical probably wouldn't exist any more. Court Avenue in Bellefontaine, Ohio was the first street in the US to be paved with concrete. Nicolson Pavement (treated wooden blocks) enjoyed a brief popularity in the US during the early 19th century. Wood was cheap and available compared to stone, its main competitor. Of course it didn't last long in the elements.

Hessler Court in Cleveland, Ohio retains Nicolson Pavement and is listed on the National Register. Portions of streets in other cities also retain small areas of wooden pavement. Delavan, WI laid down three blocks of brick pavement on Walworth Avenue in 1913.

In 1996, it was re-paved with funding from a historical grant. Amazingly, a third of the original bricks were still usable.

The street is still in daily use by vehicular traffic.

Answer: Pennsylvania

The first stretch of the Turnpike from Irwin to Carlisle was completed in 1940, two years after groundbreaking. The road was modeled after the German autobahns with four lanes of traffic, on-off ramps and rest stops. The Turnpike now extends across Pennsylvania from the Ohio Turnpike to the New Jersey state line. Prior to the Turnpike, limited access roads in the US had covered short distances, moving traffic at speed across town or between adjacent towns.

Answer: Colorado

Trail Ridge Road is part of US Highway 34. It's an All-American Road as well as being on the Registry of Historic Places. Don't plan to drive it during the winter, though. It's closed until the snowpack thaws in the spring or early summer. Travelers have to pay the park's entrance fee even if just passing through.