James River and Kanawha Turnpike: Difference between revisions
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The '''James River and Kanawha Turnpike''' was built to facilitate portage of shipments of passengers and freight by water between the western reaches of the [[James River (Virginia)|James River]] via the [[James River and Kanawha Canal]] and the eastern reaches of the [[Kanawha River]]. |
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Originally proposed by a young [[George Washington]] in his surveyor days prior to the [[American Revolution]], the canal and turnpike combination was seen as the key for [[Virginia]] to compete with northern states for rich trade to the west. However, the canal portion was an expensive project which failed several times financially, was frequently damaged by floods, and was never fully completed, although sections served for many years. It was largely financed by the [[Virginia Board of Public Works]]. After the [[American Civil War]], when funds for continued financial help were not available from the worn-torn state or private sources. In 1871, [[Collis P. Huntington]] completed the [[Chesapeake and Ohio Railway]] (C&O) from the [[head of navigation]] at [[Richmond, Virginia]] to the [[Ohio River]] at [[Huntington, West Virginia]] (named in his honor), and the canal finally succumbed to the competition and the advancing transportation technology of the railroads. In the 1880s, the canal was bought and dismantled by one of the railroads, which built along the towpath and soon became part of the C & O. |
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The Turnpike portion of the combination envisioned by Washington remained a major roadway much longer, and was only supplanted by the completion of [[Interstate 64]] in West Virginia in 1988. Much of the route of the James River and Kanawha Turnpike through [[West Virginia]] is today the [[Midland Trail]], a [[National Scenic Byway]], and is signed as [[U.S. Route 60]]. Ironically, while the historic road was long a [[Toll road|turnpike]] financed through collection of tolls, today it is a toll-free favorite of [[shunpiker]]s seeking either an avoidance of tolls on the [[West Virginia Turnpike]], a scenic and [[wikt:bucolic|bucolic]] interlude, or both. |
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[[Category:Turnpikes in West Virginia]] |
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Revision as of 15:50, 8 January 2012
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