Plank Road, Faust Historic Village, Chesterfield, MO - Plank Roads on Waymarking.com

The text on the sign reads:


The Central Plank Road

"In 1851 Missouri's General Assembly passed an act allowign private investors to take over public roadways. The goal was to improve roadways and a group of prominent St. Louis County businessmen and land owners banded together to improve the old Bonhomme trail. A reliabile wooden planked road would facilitate the transport of goods throughout the region thereby increasing the profitability of outlying farms and buinesses. A gravel base was laid and steam powered portable saws cut the trees along the road into rails and planks that would support the freight that could now travel regardless of wet conditions. Rails were laid long ways and thick heavy planks were set across the rails. At regular intervals turnpikes were erected from St. Louis city limits to the Howell Island Ferry on the Missouri River. Toll amounts were collected according size of the wagon entering the road."

Type: Plank Road

Recent Visits/Logs:

Date Logged Log User Rating   01/27/2022 Forest-Ghost visited it 09/15/2012 ornith visited it 07/04/2011 Queens Blessing visited it 07/26/2009 kJfishman visited it

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