The Baird area stood at the midpoint of the first all-weather two-lane highway from Savannah, Georgia, to San Diego, California, while the Naval Division Branch connected Washington, D.C., to Norfolk, Virginia. Named for Alabama Senator John Hollis Bankhead, the project involved fourteen states from coast to coast, provided badly needed employment in the 1920s and 1930s, and created a dependable route for military convoys. Known as the “Broadway of America,” it became an important lifeline for towns along its 3,000-mile route and opened a new cross-country automobile adventure to travelers. In Texas, the main route paralleled the Texas and Pacific Railroad from Texarkana to El Paso. In Baird, the road passed the courthouse, went down Market Street one block, and continued west on present-day Farm Road 18 to Callahan County’s western boundary. Today, the Bankhead Highway remains a thriving main street in many Texas towns.