An Act of Congress in 1806 authorizing construction of the National Road required mile markers at regular intervals to reassure travelers they were on the correct route and to show distance traveled and distance to destinations. The practice of using mile markers began in the Roman Empire with stone obelisks, and the first Roman mile markers appeared in the fourth century B.C. on the Appian Way from Rome to Brindisi. Along the National Road, mile markers were set at one-mile intervals on the north side of the road. Each state used a different design but displayed the same information. In Ohio, the markers were square with round heads and made of an early form of concrete, sandstone, or limestone, while in Pennsylvania they were cast-iron obelisks. Ohio’s five-foot-tall markers were set two feet into the ground with three feet exposed. Each marker gave the distance from Cumberland, Maryland, where the road begins, and the names and mileage of the nearest cities and villages for eastbound and westbound travelers. At the top was the number of miles from Cumberland, followed by the next large town and its distance. The left side showed eastbound travelers the next large town to the east, and the right side showed westbound travelers the next large town to the west and the miles remaining. On the lowest level, an initial and a small number usually identified the nearest town, recognizable to local people. By the 1920’s, 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

Norwich, Ohio · USA