Staunton and Parkersburg Turnpike
Encyclopedia
The Staunton and Parkersburg Turnpike was built in the U.S. state of the Commonwealth of Virginia during the second quarter of the 19th century to provide a roadway from Staunton
and the upper Shenandoah Valley
to the Ohio River
at present-day Parkersburg
. Engineered by Claudius Crozet
through the mountainous terrain, it was a toll road
partially funded by the Virginia Board of Public Works
. Control of this road became crucial during the American Civil War
.
In the 20th century, much of it became U.S. Route 250
. Often also called the "Staunton-Parkersburg Turnpike" in modern times, it includes the only covered bridge
in the U.S. Primary Highway System, on the Tygart River at Philippi, West Virginia
. Most of the West Virginia
portion of this historic 19th century roadway was designated as a National Scenic Byway
in 2005.
was much larger during the Colonial Period, extending west to include much of the other current states of Kentucky
, Indiana
, and Illinois
, as well as parts of Ohio
and Pennsylvania
before the American Revolutionary War
. During the next 75 years, as part of the United States, the area which is now West Virginia
had also been part of Virginia. During the American Civil War, on June 20, 1863, West Virginia officially became a separate state.
Jamestown
was selected for establishment of the first permanent English settlement in the Colony based upon its strategic location on the James River
. This priority ignored swampy and inhospitable conditions of the land which nearly wiped out the settlement during is first five years, especially during the Starving Time
in 1609-10. However, after colonist John Rolfe
cultivated a successful strain of tobacco
, the product emerged beginning in 1612 as a profitable export crop for the colony. Soon plantation
s with wharfs were located along both sides of that river and others in the coastal plain region of the eastern part of the state. As development spread westward, above the fall line
, early turnpikes and canals were built to cross areas where waterways and areas were not navigable. This was easier done in the less rugged coastal plain of the Tidewater region and Piedmont terrain east of the Blue Ridge Mountains, which formed a formidable barrier to the west.
Settlement of the Shenandoah Valley
, between the Blue Ridge Mountains and the eastern edge of the Appalachian plateau, was done by pioneers who migrated south from Maryland and Pennsylvania via the head of the Potomac River
and the valley of the Shenandoah River
, rather than across the Blue Ridge. The Valley Turnpike ran along part of this corridor, chiefly following the route of an old Native American trail.
and the Ohio River
led to the Mississippi River
, and thence to the Gulf of Mexico. After the Louisiana Purchase
from France
in 1803, an acquisition by the United States
of most of the land along the Mississippi and Missouri River
s, about 530,000,000 acre
s (828,000 sq mi or 2,100,000 km²) of territory, the portions of this area along navigable waterways were settled by Americans moving west and immigrants, mostly English and other northern Europeans, gradually squeezing out the Native Americans in the process.
Although the eastern Virginians often were not supportive of infrastructure improvements in the Trans-Allegheny region, many easterners all along the coastal areas of the Atlantic Ocean and points inland wanted transportation for commerce as this area was developed. However, the regions with mountains were the biggest area where navigable waterways were unavailable and canals impractical. Wheeled vehicles in the form of wagons and later railroads and motor vehicles needed to pass through with passengers as freight. This support for improvements could gain the broad support needed in the state government.
s had long been established as ways to cross obstacles such as waterways, and recover from user fees. The investments needed to build the infrastructure and operating expenses to maintain them Turnpikes were among the earlier solutions to crossing the land areas where canals where not practical, such as the mountains. Turnpikes
followed the same basic financial model as canals and toll bridges by collecting tolls for passage. Such facilities were totally or partially privately funded by private individuals or groups.
was created in 1816 to oversee state investments in transportation infrastructure. It was a governmental agency that helped finance the development of Virginia's internal transportation improvements. In that era, it was customary to invest public funds in private companies, which were the forerunners of the public service and utility companies of modern times.
Of the many people who helped build Virginia's transportation infrastructure
, the most important individual may have been French-born civil engineer
Claudius Crozet
(1789–1864). Crozet served in the military forces in France under Napoleon and emigrated to the United States with his wife. Also an educator, he helped found Virginia Military Institute
(VMI).
During two periods of major development, Crozet served as Principal Engineer and later Chief Engineer for the Board of Public Works. He was involved with the planning and construction of many of the canal
s, turnpikes
, bridge
s and railroads in Virginia
, including the area that is now West Virginia
. Almost all potential projects were carefully planned and surveyed for feasibility and cost estimates by Crozet and his staff. This work is well documented in the archives of the Library of Virginia
in Richmond
, with some items including maps available for viewing online.
Of his many projects, Crozet is probably best remembered for his engineering in the mountains, especially the famous Blue Ridge Tunnel
complex which carried the Virginia Central Railroad
(later the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway
) through the Blue Ridge Mountains at Rockfish Gap
.
Most of the projects of the Board of Public Works occurred before the American Civil War, which decimated Virginia financially. It split into two separate states, when West Virginia seceded and joined the Union. The Staunton and Parkersburg Turnpike was one of the projects completed before the war, with engineering and financial investments from the Board.
in the Shenandoah Valley to Parkersburg in Wood County
on the Ohio River.
There was considerable interest among communities in the region between these points to be included along the route. Some communities authorized financial contributions to the cost to help influence a favorable location.
However, years passed before the state authorized proceeding. Finally, during the Acts of Assembly in 1838, the Virginia General Assembly
authorized the Board of Public Works to invest in and assist with construction of the road.
Among the specifications set forth were:
Crozet settled on a route that passed west of Staunton through the tiny village of Monterey
, in Highland County
. Virginia's least-populated county, it is called "Virginia's Switzerland," in reference to the steep mountains and valleys. The route crossed into what is now Pocahontas County, West Virginia
at Allegheny Mountain
. As the route winds through the mountainous terrain, there are many switchbacks and loops designed by Crozet as he attempted to meet the 4% maximum grade standard. In this area, the road passes near modern attractions such as the Green Bank National Radio Astronomy Observatory and Cass Scenic Railroad
, and the communities of Bartow
, Frank, and Durbin
.
West of Bartow, it crossed the West Fork Greenbrier River
, and wound up the eastern slope of Back Allegheny Mountain
. At the top, it crossed the nearly flat plateau typical of the region's mountaintops. (In the 21st century, much of this land is part of the Monongahela National Forest
). The turnpike descended Cheat Mountain
into the valley of the Tygart Valley River
and followed it northerly to the town of Beverly
, the original county seat
of Randolph County
.
At Beverly, the turnpike turned almost due west once again, crossing Rich Mountain and the site of the 1861 Battle of Rich Mountain
. Continuing west, it passed through Buckhannon
, Weston
, Troy, and Burnt House. The final western stretch generally followed the route of the Little Kanawha River
to reach its goal of Parkersburg on the western bank of the Ohio River.
A number of bridges along the turnpike were built by Lemuel Chenoweth
. The best known of these us the Philippi Covered Bridge
, which survives into modern times after several rebuilding projects, and continues to carry U.S. Route 250
. It is the nation's only covered bridge serving a federal highway.
s, always manned, were established at intervals, so as to collect from both types of traffic. Toll house sites were placed where it would be difficult for travelers to take an alternate routing and escape paying the toll.
was the biggest issue of conflict in the United States which led to the American Civil War
(1861-8165). Then the largest and most populous state, Virginia had dramatic differences among its regions. The social conditions in western Virginia were unlike those in the eastern portion of the state. Most immigrants had come from Pennsylvania in the 18th century and included Germans; Protestant Ulster-Scots
, the largest group by far from the British Isles before the American Revolution; and settlers from states farther north.
As early as the American Revolution
, there was movement to create a state beyond the Alleghenies. In 1776, settlers presented a petition for the establishment of "Westsylvania" to Congress
, on the grounds that the mountains made an almost impassable barrier on the east. The rugged nature of the country and poverty of the settlers meant that most became yeomen subsistence farmers. Since few held slaves, their ethnic and cultural differences from the Tidewater and Piedmont planters became stronger with economic considerations. Time increased the social, political and economic differences between the two sections of Virginia.
However, the conflicts between regions were never resolved within Virginia, nor separate state formed, until the American Civil War broke out. Eastern Virginians voted to secede and join the Confederate States of America
. However, almost all western counties wanted to remain in the Union. An act for the reorganization of the government was passed on June 19, 1861 and a provisional government loyal to Union was set up initially based at Wheeling. The pro-northern government authorized the creation of the state of Kanawha
, consisting of most of the counties that now comprise West Virginia. A little over one month later, Kanawha was renamed West Virginia. These actions were formally approved by the West Virginia public by wide margins.
The state was admitted to the Union effective June 20, 1863; officers for the new state were chosen. Governor Pierpont moved his capital to Alexandria
from which he asserted jurisdiction over the counties of Virginia within the Federal lines, since the disposition of eastern Virginia as part of the Confederacy or Union had yet to be resolved. Following the end of hostilities, most of the portion which had considered itself part of the Confederacy Virginia rejoined the Union, with the exception of two northern counties which chose to join West Virginia in 1866.
(B&O).
The Battle of Rich Mountain
took place on July 11, 1861. The Union victory at Rich Mountain gave the Union Army control of the S-P turnpike, of the Tygart's Valley, the covered bridge
at Philippi
, and of all of the territory of western Virginia to the north and west, including the B&O railroad.
The harsh winter conditions in the mountain climate convinced the leaders of both armies to move on, and they were soon involved in Stonewall Jackson
's Shenandoah Mountain campaign. The region essentially remained under Union control for the remainder of the War.
The recovering state did not have adequate revenues to pay all these debts. Sharp political divisions in Virginia on this issue resulted in creation of a new major political group in the late 1870s, the Readjusters, a coalition of Democrats, Republicans
, and African-Americans seeking a reduction in Virginia's prewar debt by allocating an appropriate portion to the new State of West Virginia
. .
For several decades, Virginia and West Virginia disputed the new state's share of the Virginia government's debt. The issue was finally settled in 1915, when the United States Supreme Court ruled that West Virginia owed Virginia $12,393,929.50. The final installment of this sum was paid off in 1939.
industries, bringing with them new jobs and prosperity. While through traffic along the turnpike became less important than in the past, to local needs it remained an important thoroughfare.
Beginning primarily in the boom years of the 1920s, the state paved many highways to provide for automobiles. Although the state made some re-routing improvements, considerable sections of the original turnpike remained the best available route through the state. Much of it east of Beverly to Staunton became U.S. Route 250
.
in 2005. The state and local communities have developed resources to assist travelers and tourist attractions to appeal to a wide range of interests. The best news for shunpikers
, in addition to many local amenities close by, there are no tolls on the turnpike these days.
Staunton, Virginia
Staunton is an independent city within the confines of Augusta County in the commonwealth of Virginia. The population was 23,746 as of 2010. It is the county seat of Augusta County....
and the upper Shenandoah Valley
Shenandoah Valley
The Shenandoah Valley is both a geographic valley and cultural region of western Virginia and West Virginia in the United States. The valley is bounded to the east by the Blue Ridge Mountains, to the west by the eastern front of the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians , to the north by the Potomac River...
to the Ohio River
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
at present-day Parkersburg
Parkersburg, West Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 33,099 people, 14,467 households, and 8,767 families residing in the city. In 2006 the U.S. Census Bureau estimated that Parkersburg's population had decreased 4.4% to 31,755. The population density was 2,800.5 people per square mile . There were 16,100 housing...
. Engineered by Claudius Crozet
Claudius Crozet
Benoit Claudius Crozet was an educator and civil engineer.Crozet was born in France. After serving in the French military, in 1816, he immigrated to the United States. He taught at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York, and helped found the Virginia Military Institute at Lexington,...
through the mountainous terrain, it was a toll road
Toll road
A toll road is a privately or publicly built road for which a driver pays a toll for use. Structures for which tolls are charged include toll bridges and toll tunnels. Non-toll roads are financed using other sources of revenue, most typically fuel tax or general tax funds...
partially funded by the Virginia Board of Public Works
Virginia Board of Public Works
The Virginia Board of Public Works was a governmental agency which oversaw and helped finance the development of Virginia's internal transportation improvements during the 19th century. In that era, it was customary to invest public funds in private companies, which were the forerunners of the...
. Control of this road became crucial during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
.
In the 20th century, much of it became U.S. Route 250
U.S. Route 250
U.S. Route 250 is a route of the United States Numbered Highway System, and is a spur of U.S. Route 50. It currently runs for from Sandusky, Ohio to Richmond, Virginia. It passes through the states of Virginia, West Virginia, and Ohio. It goes through the cities of Richmond, Virginia,...
. Often also called the "Staunton-Parkersburg Turnpike" in modern times, it includes the only covered bridge
Covered bridge
A covered bridge is a bridge with enclosed sides and a roof, often accommodating only a single lane of traffic. Most covered bridges are wooden; some newer ones are concrete or metal with glass sides...
in the U.S. Primary Highway System, on the Tygart River at Philippi, West Virginia
Philippi, West Virginia
Philippi is a city in — and the county seat of — Barbour County, West Virginia, USA. The population was 2,870 at the 2000 census. In 1861, the city was the site of the Battle of Philippi, known as "The Philippi Races"...
. Most of the West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
portion of this historic 19th century roadway was designated as a National Scenic Byway
National Scenic Byway
A National Scenic Byway is a road recognized by the United States Department of Transportation for its archeological, cultural, historic, natural, recreational, and/or scenic qualities. The program was established by Congress in 1991 to preserve and protect the nation's scenic but often...
in 2005.
Colonial Virginia and antebellum period
The area which was once considered VirginiaVirginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
was much larger during the Colonial Period, extending west to include much of the other current states of Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
, and Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, as well as parts of Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
and Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
before the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
. During the next 75 years, as part of the United States, the area which is now West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
had also been part of Virginia. During the American Civil War, on June 20, 1863, West Virginia officially became a separate state.
Early transportation
For the settlers in the Virginia Colony which preceded statehood (1607–1776), commerce and travel followed navigable waterways and traditional Native American (American Indian) trails. The natives had long sought the routes of greatest ease, and the newcomers did likewise.Jamestown
Jamestown, Virginia
Jamestown was a settlement in the Colony of Virginia. Established by the Virginia Company of London as "James Fort" on May 14, 1607 , it was the first permanent English settlement in what is now the United States, following several earlier failed attempts, including the Lost Colony of Roanoke...
was selected for establishment of the first permanent English settlement in the Colony based upon its strategic location on the James River
James River (Virginia)
The James River is a river in the U.S. state of Virginia. It is long, extending to if one includes the Jackson River, the longer of its two source tributaries. The James River drains a catchment comprising . The watershed includes about 4% open water and an area with a population of 2.5 million...
. This priority ignored swampy and inhospitable conditions of the land which nearly wiped out the settlement during is first five years, especially during the Starving Time
Starving Time (Jamestown)
The Starving Time at Jamestown in the Colony of Virginia was a period of forced starvation initiated by the Powhatan Confederacy to remove the English from Virginia. The campaign killed all but 60 of the 500 colonists during the winter of 1609–1610....
in 1609-10. However, after colonist John Rolfe
John Rolfe
John Rolfe was one of the early English settlers of North America. He is credited with the first successful cultivation of tobacco as an export crop in the Colony of Virginia and is known as the husband of Pocahontas, daughter of the chief of the Powhatan Confederacy.In 1961, the Jamestown...
cultivated a successful strain of tobacco
Tobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
, the product emerged beginning in 1612 as a profitable export crop for the colony. Soon plantation
Plantation
A plantation is a long artificially established forest, farm or estate, where crops are grown for sale, often in distant markets rather than for local on-site consumption...
s with wharfs were located along both sides of that river and others in the coastal plain region of the eastern part of the state. As development spread westward, above the fall line
Fall line
A fall line is a geomorphologic unconformity between an upland region of relatively hard crystalline basement rock and a coastal plain of softer sedimentary rock. A fall line is typically prominent when crossed by a river, for there will often be rapids or waterfalls...
, early turnpikes and canals were built to cross areas where waterways and areas were not navigable. This was easier done in the less rugged coastal plain of the Tidewater region and Piedmont terrain east of the Blue Ridge Mountains, which formed a formidable barrier to the west.
Settlement of the Shenandoah Valley
Shenandoah Valley
The Shenandoah Valley is both a geographic valley and cultural region of western Virginia and West Virginia in the United States. The valley is bounded to the east by the Blue Ridge Mountains, to the west by the eastern front of the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians , to the north by the Potomac River...
, between the Blue Ridge Mountains and the eastern edge of the Appalachian plateau, was done by pioneers who migrated south from Maryland and Pennsylvania via the head of the Potomac River
Potomac River
The Potomac River flows into the Chesapeake Bay, located along the mid-Atlantic coast of the United States. The river is approximately long, with a drainage area of about 14,700 square miles...
and the valley of the Shenandoah River
Shenandoah River
The Shenandoah River is a tributary of the Potomac River, long with two forks approximately long each, in the U.S. states of Virginia and West Virginia...
, rather than across the Blue Ridge. The Valley Turnpike ran along part of this corridor, chiefly following the route of an old Native American trail.
Trans-Allegheny region of Virginia
The area now known as West Virginia was referred to in antebellum times as Virginia's Trans-Allegheny region. It presented much greater challenges to transportation than did less rugged portions of the state. However, there was a goal on the western side. There, at and beyond the western edge of the Appalachian plateau, the terrain became less hilly. In addition, navigable waterways like the Kanawha RiverKanawha River
The Kanawha River is a tributary of the Ohio River, approximately 97 mi long, in the U.S. state of West Virginia. The largest inland waterway in West Virginia, it has formed a significant industrial region of the state since the middle of the 19th century.It is formed at the town of Gauley...
and the Ohio River
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
led to the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
, and thence to the Gulf of Mexico. After the Louisiana Purchase
Louisiana Purchase
The Louisiana Purchase was the acquisition by the United States of America of of France's claim to the territory of Louisiana in 1803. The U.S...
from France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in 1803, an acquisition by the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
of most of the land along the Mississippi and Missouri River
Missouri River
The Missouri River flows through the central United States, and is a tributary of the Mississippi River. It is the longest river in North America and drains the third largest area, though only the thirteenth largest by discharge. The Missouri's watershed encompasses most of the American Great...
s, about 530,000,000 acre
Acre
The acre is a unit of area in a number of different systems, including the imperial and U.S. customary systems. The most commonly used acres today are the international acre and, in the United States, the survey acre. The most common use of the acre is to measure tracts of land.The acre is related...
s (828,000 sq mi or 2,100,000 km²) of territory, the portions of this area along navigable waterways were settled by Americans moving west and immigrants, mostly English and other northern Europeans, gradually squeezing out the Native Americans in the process.
Although the eastern Virginians often were not supportive of infrastructure improvements in the Trans-Allegheny region, many easterners all along the coastal areas of the Atlantic Ocean and points inland wanted transportation for commerce as this area was developed. However, the regions with mountains were the biggest area where navigable waterways were unavailable and canals impractical. Wheeled vehicles in the form of wagons and later railroads and motor vehicles needed to pass through with passengers as freight. This support for improvements could gain the broad support needed in the state government.
Building and funding improvements: tolls
Toll ferries and toll bridgeBridge
A bridge is a structure built to span physical obstacles such as a body of water, valley, or road, for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle...
s had long been established as ways to cross obstacles such as waterways, and recover from user fees. The investments needed to build the infrastructure and operating expenses to maintain them Turnpikes were among the earlier solutions to crossing the land areas where canals where not practical, such as the mountains. Turnpikes
Toll road
A toll road is a privately or publicly built road for which a driver pays a toll for use. Structures for which tolls are charged include toll bridges and toll tunnels. Non-toll roads are financed using other sources of revenue, most typically fuel tax or general tax funds...
followed the same basic financial model as canals and toll bridges by collecting tolls for passage. Such facilities were totally or partially privately funded by private individuals or groups.
Virginia Board of Public Works
The Virginia Board of Public WorksVirginia Board of Public Works
The Virginia Board of Public Works was a governmental agency which oversaw and helped finance the development of Virginia's internal transportation improvements during the 19th century. In that era, it was customary to invest public funds in private companies, which were the forerunners of the...
was created in 1816 to oversee state investments in transportation infrastructure. It was a governmental agency that helped finance the development of Virginia's internal transportation improvements. In that era, it was customary to invest public funds in private companies, which were the forerunners of the public service and utility companies of modern times.
Of the many people who helped build Virginia's transportation infrastructure
Infrastructure
Infrastructure is basic physical and organizational structures needed for the operation of a society or enterprise, or the services and facilities necessary for an economy to function...
, the most important individual may have been French-born civil engineer
Civil engineer
A civil engineer is a person who practices civil engineering; the application of planning, designing, constructing, maintaining, and operating infrastructures while protecting the public and environmental health, as well as improving existing infrastructures that have been neglected.Originally, a...
Claudius Crozet
Claudius Crozet
Benoit Claudius Crozet was an educator and civil engineer.Crozet was born in France. After serving in the French military, in 1816, he immigrated to the United States. He taught at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York, and helped found the Virginia Military Institute at Lexington,...
(1789–1864). Crozet served in the military forces in France under Napoleon and emigrated to the United States with his wife. Also an educator, he helped found Virginia Military Institute
Virginia Military Institute
The Virginia Military Institute , located in Lexington, Virginia, is the oldest state-supported military college and one of six senior military colleges in the United States. Unlike any other military college in the United States—and in keeping with its founding principles—all VMI students are...
(VMI).
During two periods of major development, Crozet served as Principal Engineer and later Chief Engineer for the Board of Public Works. He was involved with the planning and construction of many of the canal
Canal
Canals are man-made channels for water. There are two types of canal:#Waterways: navigable transportation canals used for carrying ships and boats shipping goods and conveying people, further subdivided into two kinds:...
s, turnpikes
Toll road
A toll road is a privately or publicly built road for which a driver pays a toll for use. Structures for which tolls are charged include toll bridges and toll tunnels. Non-toll roads are financed using other sources of revenue, most typically fuel tax or general tax funds...
, bridge
Bridge
A bridge is a structure built to span physical obstacles such as a body of water, valley, or road, for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle...
s and railroads in Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, including the area that is now West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
. Almost all potential projects were carefully planned and surveyed for feasibility and cost estimates by Crozet and his staff. This work is well documented in the archives of the Library of Virginia
Library of Virginia
The Library of Virginia in Richmond, Virginia, is the library agency of the Commonwealth of Virginia, its archival agency, and the reference library at the seat of government. The Library moved into a new building in 1997 and is located at 800 East Broad Street, 2 blocks from the Virginia State...
in Richmond
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
, with some items including maps available for viewing online.
Of his many projects, Crozet is probably best remembered for his engineering in the mountains, especially the famous Blue Ridge Tunnel
Blue Ridge Tunnel
The Blue Ridge Tunnel, also known as the Crozet Tunnel, was the longest of four tunnels built on the Blue Ridge Railroad to cross the Blue Ridge Mountains at Rockfish Gap near Afton Mountain in central Virginia...
complex which carried the Virginia Central Railroad
Virginia Central Railroad
Virginia Central Railroad was chartered as the Louisa Railroad in 1836 by the Virginia Board of Public Works and had its name changed to Virginia Central Railroad in 1850. It connected Richmond with the Orange and Alexandria Railroad at Gordonsville in 1854, and had expanded westward past the Blue...
(later the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway
Chesapeake and Ohio Railway
The Chesapeake and Ohio Railway was a Class I railroad formed in 1869 in Virginia from several smaller Virginia railroads begun in the 19th century. Led by industrialist Collis P...
) through the Blue Ridge Mountains at Rockfish Gap
Rockfish Gap
Rockfish Gap is a wind gap located in the Blue Ridge Mountains between Charlottesville and Waynesboro, Virginia, United States, through Afton Mountain, which is frequently used to refer to the gap....
.
Most of the projects of the Board of Public Works occurred before the American Civil War, which decimated Virginia financially. It split into two separate states, when West Virginia seceded and joined the Union. The Staunton and Parkersburg Turnpike was one of the projects completed before the war, with engineering and financial investments from the Board.
Gaining authorization and funding to build the Turnpike
Some residents believed the Board of Public Works ignored requests for projects in the Trans-Allegheny region in favor of eastern projects. However, politicians and local authorities succeeded in getting the State to authorize a study for a road from Staunton to Parkersburg by the Board of Public Works. Beginning around 1826, Crozet was given the formidable task of determining a potential route for a turnpike from Staunton in Augusta CountyAugusta County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 65,615 people, 24,818 households, and 18,911 families residing in the county. The population density was 68 people per square mile . There were 26,738 housing units at an average density of 28 per square mile...
in the Shenandoah Valley to Parkersburg in Wood County
Wood County, West Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 87,986 people, 36,275 households, and 24,884 families residing in the county. The population density was 240 people per square mile . There were 39,785 housing units at an average density of 108 per square mile...
on the Ohio River.
There was considerable interest among communities in the region between these points to be included along the route. Some communities authorized financial contributions to the cost to help influence a favorable location.
However, years passed before the state authorized proceeding. Finally, during the Acts of Assembly in 1838, the Virginia General Assembly
Virginia General Assembly
The Virginia General Assembly is the legislative body of the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the oldest legislative body in the Western Hemisphere, established on July 30, 1619. The General Assembly is a bicameral body consisting of a lower house, the Virginia House of Delegates, with 100 members,...
authorized the Board of Public Works to invest in and assist with construction of the road.
Among the specifications set forth were:
- "It shall no where exceed a grade of four degrees, nor shall be more than twenty feet wide, nor less than fifteen feet."
Building the turnpike
The original planning had been done in 1826. After funding was authorized to build the turnpike 12 years later, Crozet reviewed the earlier plans and revised some portions. The following year, after some adjustments in the routing, Crozet estimated that the "distance from Staunton to Parkersburg will be probably between 220 and 230 miles."Crozet settled on a route that passed west of Staunton through the tiny village of Monterey
Monterey, Virginia
Monterey is a town in Highland County, Virginia, United States. The population was 158 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Highland County.-Geography:Monterey is located at ....
, in Highland County
Highland County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,536 people, 1,131 households, and 764 families residing in the county. The population density was 6 people per square mile . There were 1,822 housing units at an average density of 4 per square mile...
. Virginia's least-populated county, it is called "Virginia's Switzerland," in reference to the steep mountains and valleys. The route crossed into what is now Pocahontas County, West Virginia
Pocahontas County, West Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 9,131 people, 835 households, and 527 families residing in the county. The population density was 10 people per square mile . There were 7,594 housing units at an average density of 8 per square mile...
at Allegheny Mountain
Allegheny Mountain (West Virginia-Virginia)
Allegheny Mountain is a major mountain ridge in the southern range of the Allegheny Mountains, part of the Appalachian Mountains...
. As the route winds through the mountainous terrain, there are many switchbacks and loops designed by Crozet as he attempted to meet the 4% maximum grade standard. In this area, the road passes near modern attractions such as the Green Bank National Radio Astronomy Observatory and Cass Scenic Railroad
Cass Scenic Railroad State Park
Cass Scenic Railroad State Park is a State Park located in Cass, Pocahontas County, West Virginia.It consists of the Cass Scenic Railroad, an long heritage railroad that is owned by the state of West Virginia...
, and the communities of Bartow
Bartow, West Virginia
Bartow is an unincorporated census-designated place in Pocahontas County, West Virginia, USA. As of the 2010 census, its population was 111.Bartow is situated along U.S. Route 250 and West Virginia Route 92 and on the East Fork Greenbrier River about east of Durbin. It has a post office with ZIP...
, Frank, and Durbin
Durbin, West Virginia
Durbin is a town in Pocahontas County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 262 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Durbin is situated in the northern part of Pocahontas County at the confluence of the East and West Forks of the Greenbrier River. It is thus the starting point of the...
.
West of Bartow, it crossed the West Fork Greenbrier River
Greenbrier River
The Greenbrier River is a tributary of the New River, long, in southeastern West Virginia, USA. Via the New, Kanawha and Ohio Rivers, it is part of the watershed of the Mississippi River, draining an area of...
, and wound up the eastern slope of Back Allegheny Mountain
Back Allegheny Mountain
Back Allegheny Mountain is a long mountain ridge in eastern West Virginia. It is part of the Shavers Fork Mountain Complex in the Allegheny Range of the Appalachians.- Geography :...
. At the top, it crossed the nearly flat plateau typical of the region's mountaintops. (In the 21st century, much of this land is part of the Monongahela National Forest
Monongahela National Forest
The Monongahela National Forest is a national forest located in the Allegheny Mountains of eastern West Virginia, USA. It protects over of federally-owned land within a proclamation boundary that includes much of the Potomac Highlands Region and portions of 10 counties.The MNF includes some...
). The turnpike descended Cheat Mountain
Cheat Mountain
Cheat Mountain is an exceptionally high and rugged ridge situated in the Allegheny Mountains of eastern West Virginia, USA. It is about long and more than five miles wide at its widest. Its highest point is at its southernmost end at Thorny Flat, which has an elevation of...
into the valley of the Tygart Valley River
Tygart Valley River
The Tygart Valley River — also known as the Tygart River — is a principal tributary of the Monongahela River, approximately long, in east-central West Virginia, USA...
and followed it northerly to the town of Beverly
Beverly, West Virginia
Beverly is a small town in Randolph County, West Virginia, USA. It is situated along the Tygart Valley River and had a population of 651 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Beverly is located at ....
, the original county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Randolph County
Randolph County, West Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 28,262 people, 11,072 households, and 7,661 families residing in the county. The population density was 27 people per square mile . There were 13,478 housing units at an average density of 13 per square mile...
.
At Beverly, the turnpike turned almost due west once again, crossing Rich Mountain and the site of the 1861 Battle of Rich Mountain
Battle of Rich Mountain
The Battle of Rich Mountain took place on July 11, 1861, in Randolph County, Virginia as part of the Operations in Western Virginia Campaign during the American Civil War.-Background:...
. Continuing west, it passed through Buckhannon
Buckhannon, West Virginia
Buckhannon is the only incorporated city in, and the county seat of, Upshur County, West Virginia, United States, and is located along the Buckhannon River. The population was 5,725 at the 2000 census. Buckhannon is home to West Virginia Wesleyan College and the West Virginia Strawberry Festival,...
, Weston
Weston, West Virginia
Weston is a city in Lewis County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 4,317 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Lewis County, and home to the West Virginia Museum of American Glass.-History:...
, Troy, and Burnt House. The final western stretch generally followed the route of the Little Kanawha River
Little Kanawha River
The Little Kanawha River is a tributary of the Ohio River, 169 mi long, in western West Virginia in the United States. Via the Ohio, it is part of the watershed of the Mississippi River, draining an area of 2,320 mi² on the unglaciated portion of the Allegheny Plateau...
to reach its goal of Parkersburg on the western bank of the Ohio River.
A number of bridges along the turnpike were built by Lemuel Chenoweth
Lemuel Chenoweth
Lemuel Chenoweth was a carpenter, legislator and self-educated architect. He is best-known as one of nineteenth century America's master covered bridge builders....
. The best known of these us the Philippi Covered Bridge
Philippi Covered Bridge
The Philippi Covered Bridge, on the Tygart River, is the main local landmark and historical icon of Philippi, West Virginia, USA.The celebrated bridge was commissioned by the General Assembly of Virginia and constructed in 1852 by Lemuel Chenoweth, a well-known Appalachian bridge builder, to...
, which survives into modern times after several rebuilding projects, and continues to carry U.S. Route 250
U.S. Route 250
U.S. Route 250 is a route of the United States Numbered Highway System, and is a spur of U.S. Route 50. It currently runs for from Sandusky, Ohio to Richmond, Virginia. It passes through the states of Virginia, West Virginia, and Ohio. It goes through the cities of Richmond, Virginia,...
. It is the nation's only covered bridge serving a federal highway.
Operation on the turnpike
Turnpike operations included through and local traffic. Toll houseToll house
A tollhouse or toll house is a building with accommodation for a toll collector, beside a tollgate on a toll road or canal. Many tollhouses were built by turnpike trusts in England, Wales and Scotland during the 18th and early 19th centuries...
s, always manned, were established at intervals, so as to collect from both types of traffic. Toll house sites were placed where it would be difficult for travelers to take an alternate routing and escape paying the toll.
Regional conflicts divide Virginia
Most historians are in agreement that slaverySlavery
Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...
was the biggest issue of conflict in the United States which led to the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
(1861-8165). Then the largest and most populous state, Virginia had dramatic differences among its regions. The social conditions in western Virginia were unlike those in the eastern portion of the state. Most immigrants had come from Pennsylvania in the 18th century and included Germans; Protestant Ulster-Scots
Ulster-Scots
The Ulster Scots are an ethnic group in Ireland, descended from Lowland Scots and English from the border of those two countries, many from the "Border Reivers" culture...
, the largest group by far from the British Isles before the American Revolution; and settlers from states farther north.
As early as the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
, there was movement to create a state beyond the Alleghenies. In 1776, settlers presented a petition for the establishment of "Westsylvania" to Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
, on the grounds that the mountains made an almost impassable barrier on the east. The rugged nature of the country and poverty of the settlers meant that most became yeomen subsistence farmers. Since few held slaves, their ethnic and cultural differences from the Tidewater and Piedmont planters became stronger with economic considerations. Time increased the social, political and economic differences between the two sections of Virginia.
However, the conflicts between regions were never resolved within Virginia, nor separate state formed, until the American Civil War broke out. Eastern Virginians voted to secede and join the Confederate States of America
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
. However, almost all western counties wanted to remain in the Union. An act for the reorganization of the government was passed on June 19, 1861 and a provisional government loyal to Union was set up initially based at Wheeling. The pro-northern government authorized the creation of the state of Kanawha
State of Kanawha
Kanawha was a proposed name for what later became the U.S. state of West Virginia, formed on October 24, 1861. It consisted of most of the northwestern counties of Virginia, which decided to secede from Virginia after Virginia joined the Confederate States of America on April 17, 1861 at the...
, consisting of most of the counties that now comprise West Virginia. A little over one month later, Kanawha was renamed West Virginia. These actions were formally approved by the West Virginia public by wide margins.
The state was admitted to the Union effective June 20, 1863; officers for the new state were chosen. Governor Pierpont moved his capital to Alexandria
Alexandria, Virginia
Alexandria is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2009, the city had a total population of 139,966. Located along the Western bank of the Potomac River, Alexandria is approximately six miles south of downtown Washington, D.C.Like the rest of northern Virginia, as well as...
from which he asserted jurisdiction over the counties of Virginia within the Federal lines, since the disposition of eastern Virginia as part of the Confederacy or Union had yet to be resolved. Following the end of hostilities, most of the portion which had considered itself part of the Confederacy Virginia rejoined the Union, with the exception of two northern counties which chose to join West Virginia in 1866.
American Civil War
During the American Civil War, some of the earliest campaigns of the Civil War were fought for control of the Staunton and Parkersburg (S-P) Turnpike, as well as the adjacent portion of the Baltimore and Ohio RailroadBaltimore and Ohio Railroad
The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was one of the oldest railroads in the United States and the first common carrier railroad. It came into being mostly because the city of Baltimore wanted to compete with the newly constructed Erie Canal and another canal being proposed by Pennsylvania, which...
(B&O).
The Battle of Rich Mountain
Battle of Rich Mountain
The Battle of Rich Mountain took place on July 11, 1861, in Randolph County, Virginia as part of the Operations in Western Virginia Campaign during the American Civil War.-Background:...
took place on July 11, 1861. The Union victory at Rich Mountain gave the Union Army control of the S-P turnpike, of the Tygart's Valley, the covered bridge
Philippi Covered Bridge
The Philippi Covered Bridge, on the Tygart River, is the main local landmark and historical icon of Philippi, West Virginia, USA.The celebrated bridge was commissioned by the General Assembly of Virginia and constructed in 1852 by Lemuel Chenoweth, a well-known Appalachian bridge builder, to...
at Philippi
Philippi, West Virginia
Philippi is a city in — and the county seat of — Barbour County, West Virginia, USA. The population was 2,870 at the 2000 census. In 1861, the city was the site of the Battle of Philippi, known as "The Philippi Races"...
, and of all of the territory of western Virginia to the north and west, including the B&O railroad.
The harsh winter conditions in the mountain climate convinced the leaders of both armies to move on, and they were soon involved in Stonewall Jackson
Stonewall Jackson
ຄຽשת״ׇׂׂׂׂ֣|birth_place= Clarksburg, Virginia |death_place=Guinea Station, Virginia|placeofburial=Stonewall Jackson Memorial CemeteryLexington, Virginia|placeofburial_label= Place of burial|image=...
's Shenandoah Mountain campaign. The region essentially remained under Union control for the remainder of the War.
Conflict over debt of Virginia Board of Public Works
Following the end of the Civil War, and the Reconstruction period, Virginia faced a massive debt problem. Much of this had originated in investments made by the Board of Public Works, including improvements such as the turnpike by then located chiefly in West Virginia. In addition, Virginia residents owed money for debts on infrastructure which had been destroyed during the war and had to be replaced.The recovering state did not have adequate revenues to pay all these debts. Sharp political divisions in Virginia on this issue resulted in creation of a new major political group in the late 1870s, the Readjusters, a coalition of Democrats, Republicans
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
, and African-Americans seeking a reduction in Virginia's prewar debt by allocating an appropriate portion to the new State of West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
. .
For several decades, Virginia and West Virginia disputed the new state's share of the Virginia government's debt. The issue was finally settled in 1915, when the United States Supreme Court ruled that West Virginia owed Virginia $12,393,929.50. The final installment of this sum was paid off in 1939.
Past its heyday
By the end of the 19th century, virtually every hollow in West Virginia was reached by railroad lines. These served the lumbering and coalCoal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
industries, bringing with them new jobs and prosperity. While through traffic along the turnpike became less important than in the past, to local needs it remained an important thoroughfare.
Beginning primarily in the boom years of the 1920s, the state paved many highways to provide for automobiles. Although the state made some re-routing improvements, considerable sections of the original turnpike remained the best available route through the state. Much of it east of Beverly to Staunton became U.S. Route 250
U.S. Route 250
U.S. Route 250 is a route of the United States Numbered Highway System, and is a spur of U.S. Route 50. It currently runs for from Sandusky, Ohio to Richmond, Virginia. It passes through the states of Virginia, West Virginia, and Ohio. It goes through the cities of Richmond, Virginia,...
.
National Scenic Byway
A portion of the Staunton and Parkersburg Turnpike was named a National Scenic BywayNational Scenic Byway
A National Scenic Byway is a road recognized by the United States Department of Transportation for its archeological, cultural, historic, natural, recreational, and/or scenic qualities. The program was established by Congress in 1991 to preserve and protect the nation's scenic but often...
in 2005. The state and local communities have developed resources to assist travelers and tourist attractions to appeal to a wide range of interests. The best news for shunpikers
Shunpiking
The term shunpiking comes from the word shun, meaning "to avoid", and pike, a term referring to turnpikes, which are roads that require payment of a toll to travel on them...
, in addition to many local amenities close by, there are no tolls on the turnpike these days.