Day 2: March 25, 2006
Two Capitals
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On the way out of town, I paused briefly in front of the Adams County court house. That let me take a picture of the building and of the big fluffy flakes that were falling. The morning would be a hodge-podge of snow, rain, sleet, sun, and grey colored nothing.
The stone monument is about a mile south of Dunkinsville. It's been there since 1933 honoring the trace, Treber Inn, and Asahel Edgington. Edgington was the first white man killed in Adams County.

In 1957, Peebles was the site of the World Plowing Contest and this Cairn of Peace was erected to mark the event. Don't know what a cairn is? Why, it's "a mound of stones piled up as a memorial". Apparently bricks count, too. A plaque lists thirteen participating countries with most represented by two man teams. Poor Bobby Heeman was the only man turning furrows for New Zealand.

This cabin was a couple of miles south of Sinking Springs. I know absolutely nothing about it but just thought it deserved a picture.
Chillicothe was the last capital of the Northwest Territory and the first capital of Ohio. The state was formed in 1803 and the capital stayed here until 1810. It then moved to Zanesville for a couple of years and returned in 1812. In 1816 it moved to Columbus; the purpose built city at the state's center. I wanted to check out the museum but that would have meant a two hour wait. I'll catch it some other time.
Perhaps living on Zane's Trace instilled some military skills since two of the Civil War's more successful generals were born along it. William Sherman was from the town of Lancaster and Phil Sheridan was from just up the road in Somerset.
This is Zanesville, Ohio's second capital. US-22, today's Zane's Trace, crosses the Muskingum on the first bridge shown here and passes the outdoor sculptures within a block or two. From some tourist literature, I'm guessing that the sculptures are the work of Alan Cottrill but I don't know that. A few blocks more, and US-22 connects with US-40. I'll eventually take US-40 east out of town but I first turn west to cross the Y-Bridge and head up to Putnam Hill Park for a good view of the bridge. I return to the bridge and turn left in the middle of it (i.e., Cross the bridge but stay on the same side of the river!) to reach Tom's Ice Cream Bowl. I knew of Tom's by reputation but had never been there. Now that I've had a taste (I tried the butter pecan.) it's on my list of "must stops". There is a small house next to Tom's with a gnarled but friendly tree in the front yard. Something to do with growing up next to this magical place of ice cream, candy, and nuts, I'd guess.
East of Zanesville, Zane's Trace was used as the path of the National Road. Today's counterparts, US-22 and US-40, become one in Zanesville then split some twenty-five miles east of town. Since the road lead to Wheeling, that was often used as its name. Between Zanesville and Norwich, two drivable sections of the Wheeling Road survive. The two were once one but the Zanesville Airport put a gap in the middle. The first pictures are from the section marked as Old Wheeling Road where it leaves US-40. It's a little over two miles long and ends at an Ohio Air National Guard gate. It's easy to find because there is an Ohio Air National Guard sign on Route 40.

The second section is reached by turning on Moose Eye Road just east of the National Road Museum. This section is more than six miles long. Most of it is labeled East Wheeling Road although the most western bit is signed as Park Lane. No gate here. Just a fade to grass. I don't know how much farther I could have explored on foot but temperature and soggy ground convinced me to save that for another day.

ADDENDUM: Oct 9, 2008 - An online conversation made me realize that I hadn't even mentioned the motel where I stayed this night let alone post any photos. It was Baker's Motel directly across the road from the museum. It's not a great motel but was clean, reasonably well maintained, and properly priced at about $40. A view of my room is here.

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