National Road
Also known as: Peacock Road, Center Township Road 650Center Township Rd. 650, Cambridge, Ohio
The National Road, built in the 1st part of the 1800s, runs between Cumberland MD and Vandalia IL
Photos
Peacock Road
Peacock Road was paved with bricks in 1918, the last section of the National Road to be paved.
Photo taken by Jim Allen in July 2008
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Map
Coordinates:
+40.02684, -81.5022040°01'37" N, 81°30'08" W
Quadrangle map:Cambridge
Description
Peacock Road is a ¾ mi section of the National Road, which runs from Cumberland MD to Vandalia IL. The National Road was the first federally funded interstate highway in America. Congress approved funds for the road in 1806 and construction started at Cumberland in 1811. It was completed to Vandalia in the early 1840s. In the 1920s the road became US-40.
There are many historic structures along the road. Among them are 3 tollhouses: LaVale, Petersburg, & Searight, all octagon buildings with 2 wings and all listed on the NRHP. The road also has 5 remaining stone arch “S” bridges, 4 in Ohio and one in Pennsylvania, all listed on the NRHP.
National Register information
- Status
- Posted to the National Register of Historic Places on August 23, 1985
- Reference number
- 85001842
- Areas of significance
- Engineering; Transportation; Politics/Government
- Level of significance
- State
- Evaluation criteria
- A - Event; C - Design/Construction
- Property type
- Structure
- Historic function
- Road-related
- Current function
- Road-related
- Period of significance
- 1900-1924
- Significant year
- 1918
Update Log
- January 4, 2021: New photo from Bill Eichelberger
- March 3, 2020: New Street View added by Michael Miller
- February 7, 2013: Updated by Jim Allen: Expanded Description
- February 6, 2013: Updated by Jim Allen: added description