| While the easiest way to find old alignments of the Seminole Trail or US 29 is via the numerous Business US 29's within the state, there are a few other alignment changes that usually go unnoticed. Some prior alignments may be lengthy others may be short. If you are able to help with either photos, information, or stories about the prior alignments of the Seminole Trail, please contact me. | ||
| Amherst
- Piney River - Colleen
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| Until the late 1940s, US 29 from Amherst to Colleen follows a more indirect route by way of the small rail village of Piney River. The route follows modern day VA 151 to just north of Piney River where it bears right (photo right) on to VA 56. The old route is a quick 13 mile/20 minute detour from the modern highway that replaced it. |  |
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| Charlottesville
- Earlysville - Ruckersville
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Along Route 743 in Advance Mills, the road crosses the North Fork of the Rivanna River over a narrow, wooden plank deck, through truss bridge. The nineteenth-century bridge was moved to this location in 1943. The bridge replaced a washed out wooden bridge that carried The Seminole Trail a decade earlier. The two-span bridge contains one Pratt truss and a pony truss. The original location of this bridge is not known. (1) In 2006, the bridge was closed for two months when a routine inspection discovered damage to numerous structural elements. The bridge is slated for replacement, although there is not a planned date at this time. There is a three ton weight limit on the bridge. (2) |
Photos by Mike Roberson, Jan 2006 |
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| Culpeper
- Jeffersonton - Warrenton
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 As
mentioned in the history of the Seminole
Trail, the auto trail may have ran on an alignment from Culpeper to
Warrenton through Jeffersonton. Today, that route can easily be traced
from Culpeper via VA 229 and then a left onto Secondary Route 802 (Springs
Road) into Warrenton. SR 802 is also a Virginia Byway. In Jeffersonton,
SR 802 intersects SR 621. The signs at the rural crossroads are well
marked (See photo at right). |
Taken by Mike Roberson; Feb. 2006 |
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