CATAWBA-WEST-L Archives

From: RolMir <>
Subject: 1st colonial highway
Date: Fri, 16 Jan 1998 14:38:15 EST

I thought some of you would find this interesting -

The Great Wagon Road
by - Ray Ebbett

The principl north-south artery of back-country Colonial times. It stretched
from Phiadelphia to Georgia. In those times, the Big Lick portion (Roanoke,
VA, to the NC border) was known to Virginians as the Carolina Road.

Principal events along the road

Pre-Colonial times: Used by the powerful Iriquois nation as a footpath for
hunting,trade route, or to make war on the southern tribes. In early Colonial
times the Road is refered to as The Appalachian Warrior's Path, the Great
Indian Path and the Shenendoah Hunting Path

1728: William Byrd, surveying in Henry County, was alert to Indian attack from
the trail.

1744: Treaty of Lancaster- Iriquois ceded the trail but retained the right to
use it. VA, MD, PA and NY governor's were signers. Friction reduced, the trail
became the principal highway into the southern interior.

1748: Morgan Bryan takes the first wagon down the trail. It took 3 months to
get from the Shenendoah River to Yadkin Valley, SC.

1753: Morovian Group travel thru the Roanoke area and are assisted by a Mr.
Evens, a "miller" , who lived near the river. Cherokee Indians used the trail
frequently at this time. George Washington and others met them on the trail.

Mid century: The Road developed into the Great Wagon Road, it branches at
Roanoke (Big Lick), VA, with one segment leading to Cumberland Gap and west
(Daniel Boone's Wilderness Road). The other branch leads south (the Carolina
Road).

Late Colonial times: 10,000 people a year are traveling southward on the Road.

Revolutionary War: Used as troop road and supply route for the rebel armies.

1760-1835: Stagecoach stops, taverns appeared, Andy Jackson uses the road for
his travels, the one lane road is maintained well by local goverments. But
still, 30 miles takes about 12 hard hours of travel.Commercial traffic
thrives. Conestoga wagons and pack trains use the road..

1835: Railroads begin to take the place of the commercial wagons and pack
trains. As the south becomes populated, the traffic pattern shifts from the
south to the west.

Civil War: Heavily used by troops.

After the Civil War: The highway fell into disrepair, and by the early 1900's
was largely forgotten. But when I was a college student,I walked a portion of
it that was still intact in Hiwassee, Va. This was a portion of the western
arm.

Roland Miracle

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• 1st colonial highway by RolMir <>