Authorized by an Act of Congress in 1806, the National Road used mile markers placed at regular intervals to reassure travelers they were on the correct route and to show distance traveled and distance to destinations. This practice traced back to the Roman Empire, where stone obelisks served as mile markers on the Appian Way in the fourth century B.C. National Road markers stood at 1 mile intervals along the north side of the road, and although each state's markers differed in design, they carried the same information. In Ohio, the markers were square with round heads and made of an early form of concrete, sandstone, or limestone, while Pennsylvania used cast iron. Ohio's 5-foot markers were set 2 feet into the ground with 3 feet exposed. Each one showed the distance from the road's beginning at Cumberland, Maryland, along with the names and mileages of the nearest cities and villages for eastbound and westbound travelers. Their standard pattern placed the total miles from Cumberland at the top, the next big town and its distance on the next row, the next big town to the east on the left side, the next big town to the west and its distance on the right side, and usually an initial and small number at the bottom to indicate the nearest town. By the 1920s, a uniform highway numbering system and standardized road signs had replaced the old mile markers, though many still remain along the road.

Photo: Rev. Ronald Irick

Photo: Rev. Ronald Irick

Photo: Rev. Ronald Irick

Photo: Rev. Ronald Irick

Norwich, Ohio · USA