West Friendship in Howard County, Maryland — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Moving Goods on the National Road
The Road That Built The Nation
"Open a wide door, and make a smooth way for the produce of that Country to pass to our Markets." George Washington, 1784
America's founders looked west for the future success of the new country. The United States needed good roads and canals to open up frontier settlements. Baltimore was one of the first eastern cities to build a "smooth way" to the interior. Soon after 1800, this "Great Western Turnpike" became the first leg of a National Road that eventually reached St. Louis.
By the mid 1830s, western farmers were shipping their crops and goods to Baltimore on the National Road. There, local merchants used the growing port of Baltimore to reach a world market. The result was a revolution in "community-based" agriculture that soon became national and international.
Livestock, grains, fruits and vegetables were linked to customers by an ever improving transportation system. Freight wagons were followed by the railroad, then the automobile. Today's ever present eighteen-wheeled trucks are direct descendants of the Conestoga Wagons pulled by six-horse teams on the old National Road.
[Captions:]
Local farmer Thomas Selby is seen here in front of a 24-45 Case Tractor in 1954. In order to avoid the expense of having to buy their own equipment,
this page online
Erected by America's Byways; Maryland Heritage Areas Authority.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Agriculture • Industry & Commerce • Roads & Vehicles. In addition, it is included in the The Historic National Road series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1784.
Location. 39° 18.299′ N, 76° 57.891′ W. Marker is in West Friendship, Maryland, in Howard County. It can be reached from Frederick Road (Maryland Route 144) 0.2 miles east of Fairground Road, on the left when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 12985 Frederick Road, West Friendship MD 21794, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Central Maryland. It is also in the American Mid-Atlantic. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once one of the original Thirteen Colonies and also the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 4 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Simpson & Mount Gregory United Methodist Churches (approx. 3 miles away); Mount Gregory United Methodist Church Bell (approx. 3 miles away); Dr. Charles Alexander Warfield (approx. 3 miles away); Cooksville High School (approx. 3 miles away); Cooksville
Other markers no longer nearby. Moving Goods on the National Road (has been replaced with this marker); a different marker also named Gettysburg Campaign (was approx. 3.1 miles away but has been replaced with another marker now near it).
Related marker. Click here for another marker that is related to this marker. This marker has replaced the linked marker. There are differences in the subtitle and attributed erecting organizations.
Credits. This page was last revised on July 21, 2024. It was originally submitted on July 21, 2024, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 182 times since then and 11 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on July 21, 2024, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
