Roscoe in Nolan County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)
The Bankhead Highway
Photographed By Duane Hall, January 20, 2015
1. The Bankhead Highway Marker
Inscription.
The Bankhead Highway. . The Bankhead National Highway, from Washington, D.C. to San Diego, California, was the nation’s first all-weather, coast-to-coast highway. The southern road skirted the western mountains and was largely free from ice and snow, so it could be used reliably year-round. It was named for Alabama Senator John H. Bankhead, author of the Federal Highway Act of 1916, which provided federal aid to states for highway construction. , An “All Texas” route from Texarkana to El Paso was approved when the Bankhead Highway Association met at Mineral Wells in April, 1919. A few branches were also approved. The primary route coincided with Texas Highway No. 1. About 900 miles long, the Texas 1 Bankhead comprised nearly one-third of the total length of the national road. , The Texas Bankhead became part of the route known as the “Broadway of America.” After numbers replaced names on national highways in 1926, the Bankhead route from Texarkana became part of US-67 to Dallas, where it joined US-80. Those federal highways were often realigned and by the 1960s gave way to Interstates 30 and 20 (which merged with I-10 in far West Texas). , Despite the changes, most of the early Bankhead in Texas remains as state and county roads that connect the towns which the interstates by-passed. The Bankhead name lives on in public memory, as do miles of Bankhead pavement from the 1920s.
The Bankhead National Highway, from Washington, D.C. to San Diego, California, was the nation’s first all-weather, coast-to-coast highway. The southern road skirted the western mountains and was largely free from ice and snow, so it could be used reliably year-round. It was named for Alabama Senator John H. Bankhead, author of the Federal Highway Act of 1916, which provided federal aid to states for highway construction.
An “All Texas” route from Texarkana to El Paso was approved when the Bankhead Highway Association met at Mineral Wells in April, 1919. A few branches were also approved. The primary route coincided with Texas Highway No. 1. About 900 miles long, the Texas 1 Bankhead comprised nearly one-third of the total length of the national road.
The Texas Bankhead became part of the route known as the “Broadway of America.” After numbers replaced names on national highways in 1926, the Bankhead route from Texarkana became part of US-67 to Dallas, where it joined US-80. Those federal highways were often realigned and by the 1960s gave way to Interstates 30 and 20 (which merged with I-10 in far West Texas).
Despite the changes, most of the early Bankhead in Texas remains as state and county roads that connect the towns which the interstates by-passed. The Bankhead name lives on
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in public memory, as do miles of Bankhead pavement from the 1920s.
Erected by Bankhead Highway Association.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Roads & Vehicles. A significant historical month for this entry is April 1919.
Location. 32° 26.753′ N, 100° 32.303′ W. Marker is in Roscoe, Texas, in Nolan County. Marker is at the intersection of Broadway Street and Cypress Street, on the right when traveling west on Broadway Street. Marker is located in Memorial Park at the northeast corner of the intersection. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Roscoe TX 79545, United States of America. Touch for directions.
3. Looking Down the Bankhead Highway, now Broadway Street
View to the west. The Bankhead Highway was known as the "Broadway of America".
Photographed By Duane Hall, January 20, 2015
4. Markers and Memorials in Memorial Park
Park is located at the northeast corner of the intersection of Broadway Street and Cypress Street
Photographed By James Hulse, November 22, 2020
5. Closeup of the Bankhead Highway Map
Credits. This page was last revised on December 11, 2020. It was originally submitted on January 28, 2015, by Duane Hall of Abilene, Texas. This page has been viewed 755 times since then and 65 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on January 28, 2015, by Duane Hall of Abilene, Texas. 5. submitted on December 7, 2020, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.