The Great Wagon Road: The Principal North / South Artery of Back Country Colonial Times.

It stretched from Philadelphia to Georgia, the Big Lick (Roanoke) ,VA to NC border portion was known to Virginians as the Carolina Road in those times.

Principal events along the road:

Prehistoric: Used by the powerful Iroquois nation as a footpath for hunting, trade routes, or to make war on the southern tribes. In early Colonial times, the Road is referred to as The Appalachian Warrior's Path, the Great Indian Path and the Shenendoah Hunting Path.

1728: William Byrd, surveying in Henry County, was alert to Indian attack from the trail.

1744: Treaty of Lancaster- Iroquois ceded the trail but retained the right to use it. VA, MD, PA and NY governor's were signers. Friction reduced, the trail became the principal highway into the southern interior.

1748: Morgan Bryan takes the first wagon down the trail. It took 3 months to get from the Shenendoah River to Yadkin Valley, SC.

1753: Morovian Group travel thru the Roanoke area and are assisted by a Mr. Evens, a "miller," who lived near the river.
Cherokee Indians used the trail frequently at this time. George Washington and others met them on the trail.

Mid century: Road developed into the Great Wagon Rd., it branches at Roanoke (Big Lick) VA and one segment leads to Cumberland Gap and west. (Daniel Boone's Wilderness Road) The other branch leads south (the Carolina Road).

Last years of Colonial times: 10,000 people a year travel southward on the Road.

Revolutionary War: Used as a troop road and supply route for the rebel armies.

1760-1835: Stagecoach stops, taverns appeared, Andy Jackson uses the road for his travels, the one lane road is maintained well by local goverments. But still, 30 miles takes about 12 hard hours of travel. Commercial traffic thrives. Conestogas and pack trains use the road.

1835: Railroads begin to take the place of the commercial wagons and pack trains.. The south being populated, the traffic shifts to the west.

Civil War: Heavily used by troops.

After the War: The highway broke up, and by the early 1900's was largely forgotten. But I walked a portion of it when I was a college student that was still intact in Hiwassee, VA. This was a portion of the western arm.

Written and Submitted by Ray Ebbett