The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1921-04-21
THE OLD NORTHWESTERN PIKE
Its Route, Champion by Washington,
Was Built as Competitor of the
National Road.

IN a general westward course TO Park
ersburg on the Ohio, is a historic
highway which deserves more mention
than it has ever received as factor
related to the American westward
movement and to the problem of COM
munication between the east and the
west. 1t was the inevitable result of
the call of the west and the need of
Virginia state road.
Perhaps it's first suggestion was re-
corded by Washington, who in 1888
had been the champion of the Brad,
dock road mot then supposed to lie
in Pennsylvania and VINO in 177l
sought route located wholly in Vir-
ginia. Returning from visit to his
western land, after following McCul-
/ loh's path (then the most important
route across the ragged ridges be-
tween the Valleys, he crossed the
North Branch on the future route of
the great Virginia highway which was
the first partially realized in the
state road" authorized from Win
chester via Romney to Morgantown
before 1886, and extended westward
in 1856 by branch road from near
Cheat to Clarksburg, from which the
/ first road was marked to the mouth
of the Little Kanawha between 1888
and 1889.
The later turnpike was planned and
constructed by Virginia partly as a
result of rival activities of New York,
Pennsylvania and Maryland to secure
the advantage in transportation facil-
tiles for the trade of the west, and
was especially regarded as a rival
of the National Road which was open
ed from Cumberland to Wheeling in
1913, and with which parts of Vir-
GINA obtained better connection in
1880 by stage line established from
Winchester to Cumberland. Il was
built across the Appalachian divide
with the hope Of securing commercial
superiority and was the main thor.
oughfare between east and wes1
through Nothern Virginia.
The act OF incorporation of 1927 au-
thorizing subscriptions at 'Winches
ter, Romney, Moorefeld, Beverly,
Kingwood, Pruntytown, Clarksburg
and Parkersburg, made the mistake
Of arbitrarily locating the route thru
important towns without proper con.
sideration of the physical features Of
the country. After finding way
/ through Hampshire Via Mill Creek
Gap in Mill Greek Mountain, and
pushing on into Preston, the engi.
neers encountered insurmountable OBJ
stacles to the Kingwood route, caus-
ing the stock to anguish.
The enterprise was saved by the
remarkable act of 1881, which organ
lied q road company, with the govern
or as president and one of the board
of directors, with power to borrow
money ($125,000) on the credit Of the
state to construct a turnpike road of
minimum width Of twelve feet from
I Winchester to some point on the
Ohio River 10 be situated by the prin.
cipal engineer" and with the right
TO erect bridges or to regulate ferries
already in existence and to establish
toll gates on each twenty mile section
completed.
The chief engineer was Col. Clau-
dius Crozet, a French officer of artil-
lery under Napolean Bonaparte in the
Russian campaign, and later professor
of engineering in the United States
Military Academy from 1916 to 1928.
He was assisted by Charles B. Shaw.
The route chosen was through Min
eral, Hampshire, Grant, Garrett, Pres
ton, Taylor, Harrison, Doddridge,
Richie and Wood-all in Virginia
except Garrett, which is in Maryland.
In Hampshire county it was etsab-
lished via Capon Bridge, Hanging
Rock, Pleasant Dale and Augusta to
Romney. west of which it crossed
the South Branch Through Mineral
it passed via Burlington, thence west
ward across Patterson's Creek, and
through Ridgeville on the divide to
new Creek, which it crossed at Reese
Tannery. Then turning toward the
southwest of the present town of Cor
mania, it entered the southwest cor
ner of Maryland through which it
passes for eight and thrre-quarters
of a mile, crossing the Alleganies
and emerging into Preston east of the
German settlement known later as
Aurora). 1t passed across the pic
turesque Cheat valley considerably
south of Rowlesburg and via Macom-
Der, Fellowsville, Evansville, Thorn
ton, Grafton, Pruntytown and Bridge
port to Clarkesburg, thence over the
summit via the head of Ten Mile
Creek to Salem, thence across Middle
Island Creek to West Union and via
Tollgate, Pennsboro, Ellensboro lear
lier Shumley, the head of Goose Creek
and MurnhvtOwn To Parkershuro