Near Cambridge in Guernsey County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Peacock Road

The Historic National Road in Ohio

Photographed by Rev. Ronald Irick, October 7, 2016

1. Peacock Road Marker

Inscription. Named for the peacocks that once lived on a neighboring farm, this narrow brick road was on the National Roads original alignment when it was built through Guernsey County in 1828. Peacock road is typical of the steep grades and sharp curves that were built when the road followed the typography of the rough hilly terrain of eastern Ohio. As automobiles became more popular in the twentieth century, Ohio’s newly established Department of Highways began adapting the Road for modern vehicles. Sharp curves were eliminated where possible and hills were flattened. Sections of the National road were bypassed to make the road straighter so that the trip from place to place could be faster. Hills were removed in some areas to reduce the effort of traveling up and down steep grades. When you see a roadside building that seems to be sitting above the road, you are probably seeing a place where the hill has been dug away and the road has been re-built on a flatter grade.

In 1985 this brick-paved portion of the old National Road was listed in the National Registry of Historic Places for its significance as a surviving section of

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the National Road’s original location and because of a six-week event in 1918 that supported the Allies in World War I. World War I’s manpower demands resulted in a lack of road maintenance, and many roads were therefore impassible. The War Department placed orders with Midwestern manufacturers and then began to review the most expedient methods and routes for delivering these supplies. Railroads were already overburdened with war shipments, so overland truck routes were closely examined. The National Road was the clear choice except for the two small, unimproved sections. Federal officials contacted Ohio Governor Cox with the urgent need to repair the two sections. Lack of manpower necessitated the use of prisoners from the Ohio Penitentiary and the Mansfield Reformatory who worked night and day for six weeks to open the road for trucks on their way to Baltimore ports.

When U.S. Route 40 was improved across Ohio in 1936, this section of the National Road was bypassed, and Peacock Road became a county road. With a few residents, it is still a usable road. It also provides an opportunity to “drive back in time” and

Photographed by Rev. Ronald Irick, October 7, 2016

2. Peacock Road Marker

Full view of marker at intersection

experience the National Road as it appeared in the 1920s, with its brick surface and width of 17 feet.

Erected 2010 by The Ohio National Road Association, Inc.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Roads & Vehicles • War, World I. In addition, it is included in the The Historic National Road series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1828.

Location. 40° 1.624′ N, 81° 30.117′ W. Marker is near Cambridge, Ohio, in Guernsey County. It is at the intersection of Old National Road (U.S. 40) and Peacock Road (County Route 650), in the median on Old National Road. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 12800 E Pike Rd, Cambridge OH 43725, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in the American Midwest,

in Appalachia,

and specifically in Northern Appalachia. Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy,

the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

and the

Photographed by Rev. Ronald Irick, October 7, 2016

3. Peacock Road Marker

Marker can be seen at a distance; National Road to the left, Peacock Road to the right

Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 5 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Old Washington (approx. 3.1 miles away); The Bodies of Three Confederate Cavalrymen (approx. 3.1 miles away); Morgan’s Raid in Old Washington (approx. 3.1 miles away); Morgan’s Raiders (approx. 3.3 miles away); a different marker also named Old Washington (approx. 3.3 miles away); Lore City (approx. 3.7 miles away); Lore City Honor Roll (approx. 3.7 miles away); Cambridge (approx. 4.3 miles away).

Additional keywords. Old National Road

Photographed by Rev. Ronald Irick, October 7, 2016

4. Peacock Road Marker

The old brick road, heading southeast, "The Peacock Road"

Photographed by Rev. Ronald Irick, October 7, 2016

5. Peacock Road Marker

Picture on the marker of the Peacock Road

Credits. This page was last revised on October 11, 2016. It was originally submitted on October 10, 2016, by Rev. Ronald Irick of West Liberty, Ohio. This page has been viewed 1,158 times since then and 73 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on October 10, 2016, by Rev. Ronald Irick of West Liberty, Ohio. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.