Where Two Roads Converge

Where Two Roads Converge. Military roads to cruising roadsters. From wagon trails to rivers, railroads to highways, the ease of transporting people and goods has shaped the settlement of Kansas. At Riverton, two paths from different eras, now Historic Byways, cross. The Old Military Road passes along Kansas' eastern border, celebrated along the Frontier Military Historic Byway. Meanwhile, the Kansas portion of the famed Route 66 or "Mother Road" from Chicago, Illinois to Santa Monica, California passes through fewer than 14 miles of the southeast corner of the State. Despite each having unique identities and differing local circumstances, their physical intersection signifies their often-overlapping history., Old Military Road, The Frontier Military Historic Byway travels along conflicting edges of American history: westward migration and Native Americans; settlement and wilderness; and slavery and freedom. As history played out at the military bases, battlegrounds, cemeteries, westward trails, and stagecoach stations, this crucial path connected frontier forts throughout the turmoil. , Originally, the Frontier Military Road marked the "Permanent Indian Frontier" that eventually formed the border between the slave state of Missouri and free state of Kansas. Along this border, conflict erupted between these incompatible ideas, leading to the violence of "Bleeding Kansas." This conflict soon escalated into the Civil War, but as America emerged through war, cross-continental connections were sought, first from the railroad and later the automobile. , Over time, communities surrounded by the route's immense beauty formed and flourished. Today the Byway travels through vibrant towns and a thriving metropolitan area in which the visitor can become immersed in the history and culture of Kansas. , Historic Roads Converge, Early in the 20th century, the mass production of automobiles led to the widespread adoption of this new form of transportation. It soon became apparent the old system of trails and roads were inadequate, and the motoring public demanded a network of highways. Often, these "new" highways followed older paths, which made part of the Old Military Road a perfect connection along the new Route 66's path through Kansas in 1926. Like the settlers traveling west before them, Route 66 carried innumerable people: farming families heading west for California during the Dust Bowl; military units during World War II; and today's travelers exploring the "Main Street of America." Route 66's use declined with the development of the Interstate Highway system in the late 1950s, but many still enjoy the charm of Route 66 communities.