The Columbia evening Missourian., 1922-11-14
FOURTH BRIDGE
OVER MISSOURI
NOW UNDER WAY
$500, 900 Boonyilles Structure
Connects Boone's Lick and
Old Santa Fe High
ways.
FIRST FINISHED IN 1868
Only Continuous Road From
St. Louis to Washington Is
Old Trails-Famous
in Early DAYS.


The new S500000 free bridge under
construction over the Missouri River al
Boonville on the National Old Trail:
road is the fourth bridge in Missouri te
span the river. according to E. W, Ste
phens. president Of the Old Trails As
sociation for the last ten years
''The first bridge was built over the
Missouri at Kansas City in about 1869,
Mr.. Stephens said.
The next bridge was built in about
1882 by the NJ, K & T. Railroad, and
the next in 1895 at Jefferson City by
the citizens Of Cooper County, The
Jefferson City bridge was the first high
way bridge to be built in this part Of
the state. Three other bridges are being
planned: one at Lexington, one at Clas-
gov and the other at Miami.
''The Old Trails road got its name
from two trails: the Boone's Lick Trail
from St. Charles TO Old Franklin, op-
posite where Boonville is now, and from
The Santa Fe Trail which ran from Old
Franklin to Westport Landing. now Kan
sas City. This historic old road is at
present the only real, continuous road
from ST. Louis TO Washington, d. C.
know, because have just returned from
trip in the East by automobile" Mr..
Stephens said.
The Old Trails road is tise highway of
history. Along this line more than a
hundred years ago the hardy pioneers
led by Daniel Boone penetrated into the
western wilderness and blazed Boone's
Lick Trail in about 1910. Later the
Santa Fe Trail was made. These pion-
eers from the bluegrass regions OF Ken
tucky, from Tennessee and Virginia
started the tide of emigration along
the newly blazed road to Missouri. The
first settlement was made at Old Frank
lin, midway between St. Louis and Kan
sas City, on the present line Of the Old
Trails road.
The Old Trails road outside of Mis- |
souri, dates back to the days following
the American Revolution. Immediately |
after the adoption Of the American Con-
siitution, steps were taken by President
Washington to inaugurate the building
OF a great nationa, highway beginning at |
Tidewater on the Potomac and extend |
ing westward to the Ohio at Wheeling.
Va. The financing Of the road was be- |
gun al the time Of the admission of Ohio
TO the Union.
Afterward Henry Clay urged its ex-
tension across the continent and the de.
velopment Of this great enterprise un.
der his leadership was the direct cause
OF the system of roads in Kentucky TO-
day. John C. Calhoun gave his influ.
ence in the same measure and declared /
ii would cement the state and preserve
the nation" i
The present Old Trails road through |
Missouri" said Mr.. Stephens, is a con.
tinuance Of the road projected in those
early days"
The road was first established by act
OF Congress in 1906. 1t was then known
as the National or Cumberland road. Ii
was built and maintained by the gov.
eminent until 1887. 1t was extended by
Congress from Tidewater on the Potomac
to the Mississippi at ST. Louis. 1t was
again extended by act Of Congress in
bill brought forward in the Senate by
Thomas H. Benton Of Missouri and ap-
proved March 8, 1925, from Fort Usage
in Missouri to Santa Fe in New Mexico.
then part Of Mexico. In 1927 it was
surveyed from St. Louis to Fort Usage
under the direction Of President John
Quincy Adams.
In Jefferson City August IL, 1911, the
portion Of the Old Trails road in Mis-