Take A Drive Down One Of Tennessee's Oldest Roads For A Picture Perfect Day
By Meghan Kraft|Published July 08, 2022
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Meghan Kraft
Author
Meghan Kraft loves to travel the world, but she makes her home right here in Nashville, Tennessee. She holds a degree in English, and has worked in the digital marketing realm with companies such as Apartments.com, USA Today and HarperCollins Publishing.
The history of the American South is expansive, epic, and complex. The beauty of the area goes unmatched, and the stories hidden in the cities and forests and along the waterways are deep. As the area evolved from its initial natural element to a fully-fledged state, roads were built to carry visitors and locals from one city to the next. The oldest road in Tennessee, however, may just surprise you. Do you know where it is?
The oldest road in Tennessee is the Walton Road, and it hails from an early iteration as the Tahlonteeskee’s Trail. It was the first road ever built by the state of Tennessee, and it was initially constructed in 1799.
The original road ran from Knoxville to Kingston, eventually through both Carthage and Gallatin, and ended in Nashville. The cost to build it was $1,000 then, which would be just a smidge under $24,000 in today's dollars. Nowadays, if you're looking to ride the early Walton Road you just need to follow US-70.
The Walton Road was influential in the settlement of Tennessee, especially in the geographical area between the Cumberland River and Plateau. The road followed older paths, most likely created by the Indigenous Peoples of the area, that helped create a safe roadway through the early state. The road itself was named after William Walton of Carthage for his support of early travel through Tennessee.
The Walton Road may not be extensively traveled in its original form any longer, but you can experience the old road by following the highway through Putnam County and east Smith County. The historic stretch helped create a baseline for contemporary road structures and remains one of the most prevalent elements of Tennessee's transportation history.
US-70 has evolved significantly from its earliest run, and now it extends through Tennessee and Arkansas, through 21 counties and all three divisions of the Volunteer State. It also connects each of the state's three major cities: Knoxville, Nashville, and Memphis.
Have you ever driven US-70? Did you know that it evolved from the early Walton Road?
What a fascinating history! If you’ve driven down US-70 in Tennessee, chances are you had no idea that it carries such a strong historic reputation. If you’re looking for more fun discoveries about and around the state of Tennessee, take a look at our archives!
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