National Road Mile Marker 84 or 47 Traditional Cache

1806
The Congress passes and President Thomas Jefferson signs enabling legislation to construct the nation's first multi-state, federally funded highway - the Cumberland Road (National Road). The legislation is nothing short of "revolutionary", in that it sets the precedent for all future, federal, public works projects.

Mile Markers
Between 1811 and 1818 Stone mile markers were placed on the South side of the National Road at 5 mile intervals. In 1835 cast iron obelisk mile markers were installed every mile along the National Road. The mile markers were cast in Brownsville, PA at the Snoden Foundry and in Connellesville, Pa by Major James Francis.
The Connellsville-produced markers are located along the North side of the National Road between Cumberland, MD and Brownsville, PA.
The markers fabricated in Brownsville are located on the North side of the National Road between that town and Wheeling, WV. Each marker notes the distances to Wheeling and Cumberland as well as other nearby towns.
Since 2003 the "Friends Of The National Road" have helped recondition the remaining cast iron markers and replace missing ones with newly cast synthetic replicas.

Mile Markers






Pioneers used them to measure typical daily progress of only 10-15 miles. The obelisks still mark off the miles along the National Road (US Route 40) today. Nearby is a Historical Marker entitled "Braddock Camp Twelve Springs Camp" which is part of the "Braddock's Road and Major Braddock" Historical Marker series. If you have time stop at Ft. Necessity National Historic Site to learn more about Braddock's March and the National Road.