"The Old Pike: A History of The National Road and Incidents, Accidents, and Anecdotes Thereon," 1894

The Cumberland Road (also known as the National Road) was the first highway built entirely with federal funds. It ran from Cumberland, Maryland, to Vandalia, Illinois. Its construction began in 1811 and ended in 1839. This book tells the road's story: the politics of creating the road, its building, and everyday life on and along the road.

The 48,000-mile Interstate Highway System connects all corners of the United States with high-speed, limited-access roadways. Funding for new construction and ongoing maintenance comes from taxes on vehicles, tires, and -- mostly -- fuel. But as cars get more efficient and drivers shift to hybrids and electrics, gas tax revenues get smaller. Highway funds shrink as the costs of caring for an aging system grow.

In the mid-19th century, road builders experimented with "plank roads" consisting of wood planks laid across longitudinal wood beams. Wood provided a smoother surface than dirt or gravel, especially in wet weather, but it deteriorated quickly. Maintenance costs, financed by user tolls, were prohibitively expensive and most plank roads were gradually resurfaced with gravel.