Expansion of Early Roads in the US West

On Tuesday October 14, Dr. E. F. Cater, Director of the Douglas County Historical Museum in Waterville, will present a talk, “Expansion of Early Roads in the US West.” The program starts at 7:00 PM, at the Wenatchee Valley Museum and Cultural Center, 127 South Mission, in Wenatchee. Zoom link for those who cannot attend in person: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/8185554795 Meeting ID: 818 5554 7958

Western roads developed by push and shove. Business people and shippers built some of the first usable roads. They needed to get wares to market. Others built ways to get to town to buy those goods.

Building new roads, and connecting roads, was difficult and expensive. No entity wanted to do that. Not the Federal government, nor the states, not the counties. They got pushed into road-building. What happened?

Around 1912, the introduction of the automobile, especially the Model T, spurred the United States into building auto-routes adequate for travel. There were no transcontinental highways. Many states didn’t even connect with one another.

Locally, the Yellowstone Trail eventually passed through Waterville, Wenatchee, Monitor, Cashmere, and over Blewett Pass. We will learn about that road.

Click the link below to see the first 3 minutes of the presentation:
https://youtu.be/Htov6YXW6L8?si=ixgoJkN63zfs1mWi

The program is free and open to the public.

Switchbacks on Blewett Pass, 1910

Contact information:
Ken Lacy
Wenatchee Valley Erratics’ Program Chair
1geospiracle2@gmail.com
(509) 787-9755