Us 40 through eastern Ohio traverses a changing landscape.  It enters the state at Bridgeport, a town with a strong industrial background.  It continues west into smaller cities like St. Clairsville and then onto the rural towns of Fairview and Old Washington.  This segment of the old National Road and US 40 has a little bit of everything from old alignments containing original brick pavement,  stone 'S' Bridges, and a dead end at the foot of a modern Interstate 70.  US 40 is truly a backroad as it parallels and ultimately forgotten by the hustling traffic on the Interstate. St. Clairsville is one of these towns that the old highway serves as 'Main Street.'  St. Clairsville serves as the Belmont County seat and the historic Belmont County Courthouse (shown below) is located on US 40.  St. Clairsville also has the National Road Bikeway.  The bikeway is a 7.7 mile rail-trail that runs north-south and tunnels underneath route 40.  It opened in 1998.

(Doug Kerr)

Throughout Belmont County, there are numerous old alignments of the National Road and Route 40.  One of these old paths bears off the highway near Ohio University's Belmont Campus.  Known as Belmont County Route 40W, this narrow and forgotten road leads to Lloydsville, a town younger than the road that runs by it.  Lloydsville was incorporated in 1962.  However, Lloydsville was at least known as far back as 1920. (1)  To reach this old alignment of US 40, leave I-70 at Exit 213  and head west on route 40.  About 1/4 mile past the OU-Belmont Campus, turn left towards Lloydsville, and you'll be on County Route 40W, former US 40!

(Mike Austing)

Just west of Morristown, the original US 40 is literally stopped by a hillside and a pond.  When Interstate 70 was completed in the area in the 1960s, US 40 was moved onto the freeway from this location to Old Washington. 
1964 Rand McNally showing an incomplete I-70.  Where the proposed I-70 meets US 40 west of Morristown is where US 40 dies into I-70.

The four-lane US 40 is immediately disrupted by the hillside that carries the Interstate.  This Terraserver image shows I-70, US 40, the retaining pond that sometimes floods the old alignment, and the old road ending into the embankment.  Below, a photo of the old and partially abandoned 4-lane US 40 ending at the hillside that carries I-70.

Old US 40 Eastbound (Belmont County 102) at I-70. (Mike Austing)

The Interstate was built directly on top of I-40 to just east of the OH 800/Hendrysburg interchange.  It is that point where the original US 40 can be found on the south shoulder (see photo on left) of I-70 arching its way to OH 800 where route 800 meets I-70.  This Terraserver photo shows the old four lane US 40 just east of Hendrysburg.  The eastbound lanes still remain usable; however, the old westbound highway has been reduced to gravel or weeds and is used as a parking area for local residents and trailer loads. Old US 40 follows OH 800 on a two lane bypass of Hendrysburg.  The original National Road runs through the town.  Hendrysburg was founded in the 1820's by Charles Hendry, whose parents settled near the town in 1797.  William Boyd, better known as Hopalong Cassidy was born in Hendrysburg in 1895.

A Quiet National Road through Fairview. (Mike Austing)

If you were to exit of the Interstate at Exit 198, you are able to access the village of Fairview.  Because of the heritage of the National Road, Fairview survives in spite of the hustling super highway near by.  The main thoroughfare through Fairview is the original National Pike and what once was Route 40. It is easy to trace the National Road out of Fairview, east or west.  Continuing east, follow County Route 40-A.  County Route 967 takes you out of town to the west.  County Road 967 varies from gravel to paved.

County Road 967 a true country  gravel back road.  (Mike Austing)

The National Road in Ohio is full of various road, historical, and Americana features.  From the famous 'Y' Bridge in Zanesville to the Zane Grey Museum and through the numerous farming towns, some of the most colorful stories along this road are found in Ohio.  If you would like to assist in this project, please e-mail me at canesfan27@yahoo.com.

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Page Created: April 1, 2002
Last Updated: March 5, 2005

(C) 2002-05 William Lawson