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Eastern Illinois' Historic National Road

Road Trip

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flickr/Sean Loyless
81.1 miles: 1 hours, 47 minutes
Dreamed up by George Washington, signed into law by Thomas Jefferson and built between 1811 and 1834, the Historic National Road is celebrated as the nation’s first federal highway. Head west into the Land of Lincoln on eastern Illinois’ section of the road. You’ll see countryside, covered bridges and a few small towns from the National Road’s heyday along the way.
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flickr/Drew Tarvin
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Indiana state line to Effingham
81.1 miles: 1 hours, 47 minutes
From the Illinois state line to Effingham, you’ll spend most of your time on US 40, which closely follows the original alignment of the National Road. A welcome center in Marshall offers information about the history of the road. In downtown Casey, snap a photo with the “World’s Largest Rocking Chair.” You’ll pass a covered bridge just west of Greenup.