The Belmont County Explore More GeoTour will take you on a journey across the beautiful and scenic landscapes of Belmont County, Ohio where a total of 35 geocaches await to be found. Participants who find 30 out of 35 caches will be rewarded with an official Belmont County Geocaching coin.
Historic National Road has been designated an All-American Road by the Federal Highway Administration, which administers the National Scenic Byways Program. The National Road holds a special place in Belmont County Ohio’s history as well as the nation.
The National Road was the first federally planned and funded interstate highway. Crossing six states (Maryland, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois), the road linked older eastern communities with the emerging frontier settlements of the Northwest Territory. Two-hundred and twenty miles of the National Road runs through Ohio and a stone marker on the north side of every mile told travelers how many miles they were from Cumberland, Maryland, the beginning point of the highway. To date, over 83 of these mile markers remain along the original route.
The National Road became U.S. Route 40 in 1926. This federal route did not strictly follow the old road, but was frequently realigned and redirected to bypass small towns or to straighten and level the roadbed for faster and safer travel. Route 40 turned its attention to the automobile, and with all of its truck stops, diners, and motor courts, soon became known as the “Main Street of America.”