Many families used the National Road to travel west and start a new life. Most of the people did not record their travels. But a few diaries were written about the National Road and the experiences people had traveling it. Below is a make believe diary that shows what it may have been like for a child to travel the Road with a wagon. Read the diary and then consider the Thought Questions.
June 20, 1840
Today we finally started our trip west traveling the National Road. Mother and
Father packed the wagon with all our possessions. I was very excited when we
started. It was sad to leave our farm outside Cumberland, but Father wanted
more land that would cost less money. So now we are sitting in this wagon wishing
we were already in Columbus, Ohio, and hoping that the promise of farmland will
come true.
June 21, 1840
Today we started up the mountains in Maryland. The older children and I walked
along side the wagon to make it lighter for the horses. Mother told me to watch
my younger sisters and brothers. But oh! how beautiful the mountains and valleys
are with the thick forests and wide streams.
June 22, 1840
It was indeed a dangerous and long day as we traveled over high mountains. By
afternoon heavy rain and thunder clouds cracked all around us and the wagon
got stuck in the mud. We spent the night by the side of the road, as we usually
do, knowing in the morning we would have to pull and push the wagon out of the
mud.
June 23, 1840
A long, hard day ... with eighteen hours of up and down, sideways, bouncing
of the wagon. At first, the trip was delightful but the bumps and jolts of the
road began to tire us. We stop twice a day so Father can put tar on the wagon
axles. While we sat on the side of the road we saw four stagecoaches pass. Oh!
how I wish I could travel in one of these, for they travel much faster than
our wagon. Of course the faster they go the more bruises the passengers get
from bouncing around inside the coach. We also saw more people worse off than
us, people walking west with everything they own in a cart. They are not the
only ones walking. We saw men and boys driving huge herds of animals and heading
east. I asked Father where they were going and he told me the animals were going
to market to be sold. We also saw huge Conestoga wagons rolling along the Road.
Father says the big wagons going east carry farm products to market in Baltimore
and bring manufactured goods on their return trip west. There are so many people
on the Road, it seems as if we are part of one big parade that will never end.
June 24, 1840
This morning we were late starting, the wagon and harness needed repairing.
We passed a mile marker and read that we have 72 miles to Wheeling, and much
furher until we reach Columbus. We've passed many small towns so far. Most have
a church, a store, a tavern, and some even have a school. I hope I will get
to go to school when we get to Ohio! I didn't want to leave my old school.
June 28, 1840
Father says we are getting closer every day. Of, course this is true, but when
will we ever get there? Today we ran out of some of our supplies. Father had
to stop at a store in Wheeling to get some more coffee, beans, and flour. Mother
said the next time we would need supplies we would be in Columbus. Fresh milk
and water in our jugs helped us the whole day. It is a very slow trip and my
brothers, sisters and I are getting sour tempered.
June 29, 1840
Today we passed through Zanesville, Ohio. The land west of here is flat and
very fertile. There are many new farms in this part of the state. The fields
are planted with corn and wheat. Father said we should reach Columbus by sundown
tomorrow.
June 30, 1840
We've been traveling for almost two weeks but today we finally reached Columbus!
We bought a few more supplies and soon we will head out to find our farm land.
We will build a barn and a house and have a home again. Father says the National
Road continues but we have finally stopped our travels. Now we will see what
the future holds.
1. This is a story of travel in the 1840’s. How is travel different today?
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2. Although there are many differences between travel in the past and today, what is still the same?
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3. Would you have wanted to travel west along the National Road in the 1840’s? Why or why not?
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