Oct 21, 2019
As was common practice in Europe at the time, mile markers were placed along the National Road to denote distances to towns along the route. The marker above, located in Grantsville, Maryland, displays the distance to Wheeling, West Virginia (then Virginia), a major hub at the time for travelers heading west. Behind the marker is the Casselman Inn, one of the many inns and taverns that sprung up along the National Road in the first half of the nineteenth century to cater to travelers. Stagecoach taverns were high-end establishments and served wealthy travelers. Most of those heading west were poor, however, and were served by wagon stands, the equivalent of modern-day truck stops.