From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Yellowstone Trail
Yellowstone Trail
had expanded to include a good road to a popular tourist
destination, Yellowstone National Park.[1]
The automobile was just becoming popular, but there
were few good, all weather roads, no useful long distance
roads and no government marked routes.[1] The federal
government was not interested in building roads, except
for the National Pike from Washington D.C. to the Mis-
Map of trail sissippi River in the nineteenth century.[citation needed] In
other cases, detractors felt that “internal improvements”
were unconstitutional.[2] The Yellowstone Trail devel-
oped in parallel with the nationwide effort for internal
improvements, which included building and improving
roads, as did 250 other named roads. All but two of those
other routes were smaller and non-transcontinental in
length.[citation needed]
Route marker
Original red brick section of the Yellowstone Trail in Redmond,
Washington.
The Yellowstone Trail Association had small town
chapters and state chapters to oversee routing. Local
"routing committee men" went out into their counties to
find the best roads available and then talk county gov-
ernments into spending tax dollars on that route. They
then persuaded little towns to join the organization and
to pay a small fee to be included on the route publicity.[1]
Commemorative sign at Yellowstone Trail Park in North Fond The Yellowstone Trail Association persisted acted
du Lac, Wisconsin much as the AAA does today. They published maps and
brochures, established information bureaus in busy ho-
The Yellowstone Trail was the first transcontinental au- tels, and set up tents along busy places on the Trail to
tomobile highway through the upper tier of states in the hand out these materials. People telephoned the Trail As-
United States. It ran from Massachusetts to Seattle. It sociation before they planned a trip to see what roads
was conceived by J.W. Parmley of Ipswich, South Dakota were passable. These bureaus also provided local infor-
in 1912. Originally, Parmley and his business colleagues mation, much as Convention and Visitors Bureaus do to-
wanted a good road from Ipswich to Aberdeen, South day.[1]
Dakota, 25 miles (40 km) away. In a few weeks the intent In June 1915, a relay race against time was held on the
Trail from Chicago to Seattle in 97 hours. There were no
1
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Yellowstone Trail
deaths in those 2,445 miles (3,935 km), but one of sever-
al accidents happened in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. George
See also
Murphy was driving his Mitchell 6 from nearby Chippewa • Good Roads Movement
Falls, speeding recklessly at 26 mph (42 km/h), when he • Lincoln Highway, the first transcontinental auto
skidded coming around the corner and down the hill route
from Germania Street to Madison Street. He crashed into
a tree but survived. The backup or “trailer” car finished
George’s allotted distance to Menomonie.[citation needed]
References
After the Great Depression, the Yellowstone Trail and [1] ^ The Yellowstone Trail Assoc., History
other named trails lost their allure. Its major influence [2] "Internal Improvements Acts". Answers.com.
died in 1929-30 with the original Yellowstone Trail Asso- http://www.answers.com/topic/internal-
ciation. A replacement organization, Yellowstone High- improvements-acts. Retrieved 2007-06-08.
way Association, operated marginally until about 1939.[1]
In the eastern United States, the Yellowstone Trail
Association had little influence on road building and
External links
functioned primarily as a travel bureau, enticing tourists • Yellowstone Trail Association
west along the Trail. A few streets and roads in the East • History
retain the Yellowstone Trail name, and some sections of • The Yellowstone Trail Across Washington State
the Trail are still gravel roads, but the road markers and
the Yellowstone Trail Garages are gone.[citation needed]
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellowstone_Trail"
Categories: Auto trails in the United States, Transportation in Gary, Indiana, Roads in Wisconsin
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