In the eighteen hundreds, a major road passed this point as a more direct route from Delaware than the more indirect #36. This was a four-corner crossing with Atkinson Lane and a lane leading north to one of the McClure plantations, the Jones farm, and the Smith farm. Just south stood the Wirtz Atkinson farm complex, and farther south were a farm and some dwelling places including a log schoolhouse. Atkinson Lane also connected with the Owen plantation complex. In the adjoining field just south of this location was an orchard that originated with plantings by the famous John Chapman, or Johnny Appleseed, who was on occasion a guest of the McClure family. The orchard was removed around 1917 and 1918 because it was no longer particularly productive and the land was thought to be needed for cropping.