The Historic National Road was the nation's first federally funded interstate highway. It opened the nation to the west and became a corridor for the movement of goods and people. Today, visitors experience a physical timeline, including classic inns, tollhouses, diners and motels that trace 200 years of American history.

Getting to the Byway:

Cleveland, OH

• Take I-77 south to Cambridge.
• Get onto US-40 to enter the byway.

Navigating the Byway:

• Beginning in Bridgeport, follow US 40 west to Morristown.
• At Morristown, follow Main Street west through town, then follow US 40 west again.
• US 40 dead-ends at Stillwater Creek approximately 2.5 miles west of Morristown.
• Turn left to get onto I-70 west.
• Take the next exit (Exit 202) to get onto State Route 800 west, just east of Hendrysburg.
• Follow State Route 800 west to Township Route 807 west through Hendrysburg.
• Return to State Route 800 west, which bears to the right (north). Leave this for the Old National Road (County Road 40A) which diverges to the left (west).
• Follow Old National Road 40A west to Fairview, then turn left to get onto I-70 west.
• Follow I-70 west to Exit 193, State Route 513 north.
• Immediately turn left onto County Route 690 west.
• Veer right onto County Route 6764 and cross the Salt Fork over the S-Bridge.
• Return to County Route 690 west by turning right after the bridge.
• Turn left onto County Route 75 south, crossing under I-70, then turn right onto County Route 670 west.
• Follow County Route 670 west. Turn right onto County Home Road north, crossing over I-70.
• Turn right onto Fairground Road east, then left onto Old National Pike west into Old Washington.
• Follow Old National Pike west through Old Washington. Turn right onto US 40 west.
• Turn right onto County Route 450 west, then right onto US 40 west again.
• Follow US 40 west through Cambridge, crossing over Wills Creek.
• Turn right onto County Route 430 west through Fairdale. Turn right to return to US 40 west.
• Follow US 40 west through New Concord. Turn right on Norwich Drive north, then veer left onto Main Street west through Norwich.
• Turn right onto Brick Road west. Turn right to return to US 40 west at the end of the road.
• Follow US 40 west to just east of Zanesville. Turn left onto County Route 604 south, then immediately right onto Wheeling Avenue west.
• Veer left onto East Main Street west into downtown Zanesville. Main Street becomes US 40 downtown.
• Follow US 40 west. Turn right onto County Route 415 west through Mt. Sterling.
• Turn right onto US 40 west. Turn right onto County Route 1 (Main Street) west through Gratiot.
• Stay straight onto County Route 26 west, then turn right onto US 40 west.
• Follow US 40 west through Bexley. Where US 40 turns right in Bexley, stay straight, following Main Street west into Columbus.
• Turn right onto Grant Street north, then left onto Broad Street west through Columbus.
• Broad Street is US 40 in Columbus. Stay on US 40 west to Summerford.
• Turn right onto Old US 40 west through Summerford, then right to return to US 40 west.
• Follow US 40 west to South Vienna. Veer right onto Main Street, proceed west through town, then return to US 40 west where Main Street intersects it.
• Follow US 40 west into Springfield. Veer left onto Main Street west and follow Main Street through Springfield.
• Turn left onto US 40 west. Follow US 40 west to the state line, which is the end of the Ohio section of the Historic National Road.