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Richmond and Wayne County: Gateway to Indiana’s National Road

On the eastern border of Indiana lies Richmond, in Wayne County. This town is the gateway to one of Indiana’s two National Scenic Byways: The National Road.

The National Road, which is now U.S. 40 in Indiana, was once the east-west highway through the United States. It was the first national highway, and the only highway ever funded by the federal government.

Families heading West came by covered wagons along the National Road, and towns like Centerville and Cambridge City sprang up along the route. Richmond and these Wayne County towns were some of the first in Indiana to be settled, and many of the homes and historic landmarks can still be seen.

Today Richmond welcomes visitors interested in its fascinating, well-preserved history. The area, also known by antique lovers throughout the country as Antique Alley, is home to over 900 antique dealers. Walking the streets of Richmond and other Wayne County towns, visitors are reminded of its heritage not only during its early years as a gateway to the West, but also of its contributions to Indiana’s history. Richmond was once a major producer of automobiles, lawn mowers, steam engines and threshing machines, and was the “birthplace of recorded jazz”.

The Old National Road Welcome Center has charming depictions of old store fronts, wall murals, and a nice selection of gifts and books. You won’t leave empty-handed!
Background of the National Road
When Indiana became a state in 1808 it was mostly covered with dense forests. People settling here and moving west were pioneers, with very few modes of transportation even available to reach the Midwest.

Many early settlers reached Indiana by the Ohio River, as steamboats were on the River since around 1812. It wasn’t until the 1850’s that railroads were built that could carry people and cargo throughout the state.

Congress realized a road was needed to take people through the interior of the nation. In 1811 construction was begun on The National Road. Building a road through dense forests was a slow project. It wasn’t until 1827 that the National Road was completed through Wayne County.

In 1825 the capital had been moved from Corydon to Indianapolis, which was by no means a major city. Its central location made access nearly impossible. At the time Indianapolis became the capital its population was only 600. It was a one-street village that didn’t even have reliable stagecoach service. Washington Street was already the widest street in town, so it was widened to 120 feet to accommodate the coming road.

In 1835, eight years after the National Road was completed in Wayne County, it reached Indianapolis.

By 1837 Indiana’s National Road was bustling with travelers. The Richmond Palladium reported that over one hundred wagons a day passed through Richmond! The National Road was becoming a major through-way. The National Road, on its completion, would go from Cumberland, Maryland to Vandalia, Illinois, crossing six states. It was competed through Vandalia in 1839.

The Wayne County Historical Museum - The Palladium Printing Office is a functioning print shop modeled after Richmond’s 1890’s newspaper office. Much of the museum’s material is still printed on the grounds.
Wayne County’s Background
Wayne County had actually been settled about 20 years before the arrival of The National Road. In 1805, a Quaker named David Hoover moved to the area, attracted to the gentle hills, forest, and the Whitewater River that meandered through the area. He was followed by fellow Quakers John Smith and Jeremiah Cox, who settled along what is now Main Street, Richmond. By 1816 they began dividing the land and platting streets. In 1818 the town was founded as Richmond. The “Old Richmond” district was built between 1817 and 1855, and still has 213 historic buildings from this era.

The 1830’s to 1850’s brought an unprecedented number of settlers to Ohio and Indiana. The Richmond area attracted many other Quakers, who would have quite an influence on the region.

The National Road continued through Indiana on what is now U.S. 40, and along the way “pike towns” sprang up every ten miles or so. These provided travelers places to stop, rest, have a meal or repair work done on their wagons. The towns and businesses also served local farmers. These pike towns can be seen along U.S. 40 throughout Indiana, but for now we will focus on Wayne County.

National Road Pike Towns

Salisbury Courthouse, Centerville. Built in 1811, the newly renovated log courthouse is the oldest existing courthouse in the Northwest Territory. Original cost to build the two story log courthouse was $996 and 94 and one-half cents. Today, the courthouse is located in a park-like setting in Centerville.
Salisbury
Salisbury was the first County Seat. It was a small settlement just south and about midway between Richmond and Centerville. Salisbury has long since disappeared, but today the courthouse is located in a park-like setting in Centerville at 212 E. Main Street.

Centerville
The next town west on the National Road is Centerville. Centerville’s history gives it its unique look of today.

The first pike town west of Richmond was Centerville. Centerville was Wayne County’s first “Seat of Justice” and its history gave it a unique look.

The Lantz House was owned by wagon-maker Daniel Lantz, who also repaired wagons. Properties along the main street became so valuable that the street was narrowed from 100 to 65 feet to allow property owners to add on to the fronts of their shops. Because of this, narrow alleys were left between row houses with arches connecting them. This allowed access to the original buildings in back. Centerville’s archways and row-houses were patterned after Maryland architecture, and are not seen anywhere else in the Midwest. The archways were mostly added around 1832 as the National Road was completed.

Over 100 of Centerville’s buildings are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

An important stop for pioneers traveling the National Road, visitors could stop for the night, have a meal and have their wagons repaired. Women could cook their own meals in the hearths which they were accustomed to at home. The Huddleston Farmhouse Inn and Museum is open to visitors, and is located on U.S. 40 just east of Cambridge City. The home has been restored to its original appearance. The interior woodwork has been returned to its original “painted” color, and the exterior bricks, which were made on the property, would also have been painted.
Cambridge City
Seventeen miles west of Richmond was another important stop in the trek west. Seventeen miles was a very full day’s ride by wagon. Cambridge City had a hotel, now known as the Vinton House, as well as the Huddleston Farm, where travelers could stop for the night. This was owned and operated for twenty years by lapsed Quakers, John and Susannah Huddleston. The Huddlestons had a 78-acre farm home, where they raised their eleven children. They rented out the first floor of their three-story home to overnight guests, who could rest, cook their own meals in one of two guest kitchens, and have repair work done on their wagons. Guests could sleep either on the floor in the house, in their covered wagons, or in the barn if the weather was bad.

Visiting Wayne County
The Old National Road Welcome Center is just inside Richmond on the east end of town, right on the National Road. This is a good place to stop and learn about Richmond and Wayne County. They can provide information on Wayne County, maps of walking tours of historic districts, suggest places to visit, stay or eat. The Welcome Center has charming depictions of old store fronts, wall murals, and a nice selection of gifts and books. You won’t leave empty-handed!

Hayes Regional Arboretum
Hayes Regional Arboretum is a 355-acre managed preserve that is also right on the National Road. Here visitors can walk or drive through a forest of native trees, with 172 native woody plants, a fern garden, and a salamander stream. There is also a bird sanctuary, and a Nature Center housed in an 1833 dairy barn with a gift shop and bird-viewing room.

This is one of only 12 Madonna of the Trail statues along the National Road
The Madonna of the Trail
The Madonna of the Trail Statue is at the entrance to Glen Miller Park. This is the site of one of twelve national monuments commemorating the National Road Trail. The Madonna of the Trail is dedicated to the pioneer mothers, presented by the Daughters of the American Revolution. The National Old Trails Association was formed in 1912, which agreed to erect large markers in the twelve states through which the National Old Trails Road passes. This trail goes from coast to coast, the twelfth Madonna of the Trail standing in Upland, California.All twelve monuments were constructed between1928 and 1929.

The Wayne County Historical Museum
The Wayne County Historical Museum is one of the most comprehensive museums we have seen in Indiana, and offers a good look at Wayne County’s history as well as relics from around the world. The building itself is the historical Friends Meeting House, which was used by a branch of Quakers called Hicksites. The collection of relics came in a large part from the collection of Julia Meek Gaar. She had traveled the world and was a savvy collector. She managed to bring an Egyptian mummy home, one of only three in Indiana, and possibly the last to leave Egypt legally.

The museum also has an 1919 Davis airplane that was manufactured in Richmond, a Wooten desk, a replica of a general store, and much more.

From the Jazz display at the Wayne County Historical Museum
Indiana was a mecca in the early automobile industry, and thirteen different automobiles were made in Richmond. Six of these cars plus an early Wayne county school bus, ambulances and even authentic covered wagons are at home at the museum.

Outside the museum is a Village Square, with a fully operational blacksmith shop, the 1823 Dickinson house and an old log school. The Palladium Printing Office is a functioning print shop modeled after Richmond’s 1890’s newspaper office. Much of the museum’s material is still printed on the grounds.

Birthplace of Recorded Jazz
Jazz greats like Louis Armstrong, Hoagy Carmichael, Tommy Dorsey and Jelly Roll Morton recognized Richmond as the “birthplace of recorded jazz”. The Gennett Recording Studio was housed in the old Starr Piano Building.

The Starr Piano Company opened in 1872, and in 1915 phonographs were added. Hoagy Carmichael recorded “Star Dust” in Gennett Recording Studios. The history of the Starr Piano Company and Gennett Studios are on exhibit in the Wayne County Historical Museum. This exhibit provides a fascinating look at Richmond’s rich jazz heritage and offers samples of music that listeners are sure to recognize.

Earlham College
Earlham College was founded in 1847 by Quakers, who were influential in Wayne County. The Joseph Moore Museum at the college also has an Egyptian mummy, as well as prehistoric mammals including mastodon and allosaurus skeletons.

The Levi Coffin House
Levi Coffin House, Underground Railroad Station
The Levi Coffin House in Fountain City was an important Underground Railroad Station stop where more than 2,000 slaves were helped to escape to freedom.

This was the home of Levi and Catharine Coffin, North Carolina Quakers who were opposed to slavery. Escaped slaves would follow the North Star, traveling only at night to avoid being caught by search parties. They would hide in the homes of people who opposed slavery. Slaves stopped here en route to Canada from Cincinnati, Ohio and Jefferson, Indiana. They often stayed in these homes for weeks at a time until they were strong enough to continue the journey North.

Not a single slave who reached the Coffin House failed to reach freedom. The Coffins lived in this home for two years, before moving to Cincinnati in 1847, where they would help 1,300 more more escape. One girl who hid in the Levi Coffin House was “Eliza”, whose story is told in “Uncle Tom’s Cabin”.

Centerville’s archways and row-houses were patterned after Maryland architecture, and are not seen anywhere else in the Midwest
Antique Alley
Wayne County is an antique lover’s dream. There are over 900 antique dealers along the Old National Road between Richmond and Knightstown (Henry County, just west of Wayne County). Centerville is the hub, with over 550 dealers there alone. It is also home to Indiana’s largest antique mall, with around 500 booths.

History lovers also enjoy Centerville, with its historic homes and unique architecture. “Antique Alley” cannot fully be appreciated in a single day, so packages are available which offer two different antiquing trails with accommodations, discount vouchers for various dealers, and antique shop locator maps. Call 800-828-8414.

Richmond and Wayne County
Whether you are looking for a nostalgic drive on one of America’s National Scenic Byways, a jazz fan, an antique collector, or just love to travel Indiana, we’re sure you will enjoy a trip to Richmond and Wayne County. It proved to be another exciting get-away, once again reminding us just how much Indiana has to offer.

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MARCH ACTIVITIES

JAZZIVERSARY DINNER AND DANCE, March 18th. Sponsored by the Wayne County Historical Museum. Call 765-962-5756 for information.

END OF WINTER SUPPERS AT HUDDLESTON FARMHOUSE INN MUSEUM, March 3, 4, 10, 11, 17 and 18.

The public is invited for an End of Winter Supper, an authentic mid-nineteenth-century meal prepared from period “receipts” at the deep hearth in the farmhouse kitchen. Hearth cooks, dressed for the period, show visitors how. The lavish meal is served by candlelight at the long harvest table in the farmhouse dining room. Following dinner, enjoy dessert and a candlelight tour of the 1841 farmhouse, period music, and the exhibit Indiana through the Mapmaker’s Eye. Contact 765-478-3172 Tuesdays through Fridays, 10am-4pm.

For more Wayne County activities, see the SouthernIN.com Calender of Events.

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CONTACTS

www.visitrichmond.org

Old National Road Welcome Center, 765-935-8687 or 800-828-8414.

Levi Coffin House, 765-847-2432.

Wayne County Historical Museum, 765-962-5756

Huddleston Farmhouse Inn Museum, 765-478-3172.

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Rising Hill, on U.S. 40 in Hendricks county. This magnificent 1870 historic home will be featured on Bob Vila's Restore America on March 19 and 9 p.m. Central, 10 p.m. eastern time on HGTV. You can also learn more about it in the April issue of SouthernIN.com as we continue our look at The National Road.



All Feature Articles, artwork and photographs ©1999 by Dervish Design. Some information on the 'County Info' pages is taken directly from brochures published by Visitors Bureaus and Chambers of Commerce.