Historic trails and roads in the United States

There are many historic trails and roads in the United States which were important to the settlement and development of the United States including those used by American Indians.

This article is about historical paths. For recreational trails, see Long-distance trails in the United States. For modern transportation routes, see List of roads and highways.

The lists below include only those routes in use prior to the creation of the American Highway System in 1926. Many more local routes are discussed at entries for the relevant town.

Settlement routes

Indian routes

Mail and passenger routes

Gaps and passes

Minor routes
  • San Antonio Trace
  • Trammel's Trace
  • Phillip Nolan's Trace

Cattle trails

Early motor routes

The Good Roads Movement established in May 1860 agitated for better roads for bicyclists. At the turn of the 20th Century, interest in the bicycle began to wane in the face of increasing interest in automobiles. In 1913 the Lincoln Highway Association was formed to plan and promote and sign a highway suitable for automobiles using existing roads from Times Square in New York City to San Francisco, California. This was a success and was followed by the development of named auto trails throughout North America. Most of these were subsequently been converted to numbered Interstate highways.

See also

Notes
  1. Daughters of the American Revolution Magazine, January 1917, Vol. 50, page 386,
  2. A History of the Old Town of Stratford and the City of Bridgeport, Connecticut, Reverend Samuel Orcutt, Fairfield County Historical Society, 1886, Vol. II, page 1039
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