Troy

Troy. Cabins, Coaches and Coal Mines. , "It looks like home." That's what Frederick Mersinger might say if he could see the cabin in this park. The building was reconstructed from photos of a log home purchased by Mersinger in 1859. Generations of Mersingers grew up in the house, south of Troy, adding to and adapting it to suit their needs. , Journals and county histories speak to the prevalence of log homes near the National Road, and the vital part they played in Illinois' settlement. , Today, buildings serve as a timeline. Architectural styles and building materials offer insight into a community's history and heritage. In Troy, they recall an economy fueled by coal, rail, and the National Road. , Photo captions:, Not A One-Horse Town, Before railroads connected the Midwest, stagecoaches moved mail and passengers between Terre Haute, Ind., and St. Louis, Mo. As a stop on the stage line, Troy benefitted from the traffic., Cabins and Country Homes, As they followed the National Road through Illinois, travelers would have found architecture ranging from one-room cabins to Greek Revival farmhouses. This illustration shows the 150-acre farm of Troy resident Julius Barnsback as it appeared about 1863. , In the 1850s, railroads replaced the National Road as the preferred means of moving people and freight across the country. , Affordable automobiles renewed the nation's interest in a cross-country highway. US 40, which extended the National Road from New Jersey to California, brought new life to communities on the path. , Oil and coal fed the economies of many National Road communities in Illinois., (aside:), A Road of Dirt, Rock, And Dreams, In 1806, President Thomas Jefferson signed legislation to provide federal funding for a National Road. Surveyed from Cumberland, Md., to the Mississippi River, the National Road was a highway for pioneers eager to settle the West., Today, as US 40, the National Road in Illinois spans 164 miles. From Indiana to East St. Louis, you can still see how the ambitions and accomplishments of early Illinois immigrants shaped our communities. You'll find their influence in our art and architecture, our industry and agriculture, and in our way of life. Enjoy your time on the Road.