Historical Roads and Highways

Stuff You Missed in History Class

This episode covers three examples of historically important roads. One is quite ancient, one is an important part of the development of the U.S., and the third is a more modern road that’s been lauded for its design.

Research:

• “The Ancient Ridgeway.” Friends of the Ridgeway. https://ridgewayfriends.org.uk/the-trail/the-ancient-ridgeway/·
• Atkins, Harry. “The Best Historic Sites in Oxfordshire.” History Hit. May 24, 2022. https://www historyhit.com/guides/the-best-historic-sites-in-oxfordshire/·
• “Avebury.” English Heritage. https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/avebury/
• Benetti, Alessandro. “The bridge-type autogrill, infrastructure and icon of the Italian highways.” Domus. July 27, 2020. https://www.domusweb.it/en/architecture/2020/07/27/infrastructures-and-icons-the-bridge-type-autogrill-by-angelo-bianchetti-and-mario-pavesi.html
• Benetti, Alessandro. “Italy’s ‘Sun Motorway,’ the story of an exceptional infrastructure.” Domus. Aug. 5, 2023. https://www.domusweb.it/en/architecture/gallery/2021/07/16/the-sun-motorway-is-65-years-old-a-short-story-of-an-extraordinary-infrastructure.html
• Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "macadam". Encyclopedia Britannica, 11 Aug. 2014, https://www.britannica.com/technology/macadam-road-construction
• Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "Saxony". Encyclopedia Britannica, 1 Jun. 2024, https://www.britannica.com/place/Saxony-historical-region-duchy-and-kingdom-Europe
• Calvano, Angela & Canducci, Andrea & Rufini, Andrea. (2023). Urban regeneration of public housing settlements, in Rome: the case study of San Basilio district. Renewable Energy and Environmental Sustainability. 8. 10.1051/rees/2023012
• Cleaver, Emily. “Against All Odds, England’s Massive Chalk Horse Has Survived 3,000 Years.” Smithsonian. July 6, 2017. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/3000-year-old-uffington-horse-looms-over-english-countryside-180963968/
• Ellis, Sian. “Just follow the Ridgeway, Britain’s oldest highway.” British Heritage. April 30, 2024. https://britishheritage.com/travel/the-ridgeway-britains-oldest-highway
• Haughton, Brian. “The White Horse of Uffington.” March 30, 2011. https://www.worldhistory.org/article/229/the-white-horse-of-uffington/
• Johnson, Ben. “Ancient Standing Stones.” Historic UK. https://www.historic-uk.com/CultureUK/Ancient-Standing-Stones/
• “Lane Width.” U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration. https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/geometric/pubs/mitigationstrategies/chapter3/3_lanewidth.cfm
• Lenarduzzi, Thea. “The Motorway That Built Italy: Piero Puricelli's masterpiece is the focus of an unlikely pilgrimage.” Independent UK. Jan. 30, 2016. https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/europe/the-world-s-first-motorway-piero-puricelli-s-masterpiece-is-the-focus-of-an-unlikely-pilgrimage-a6840816.html
• Longfellow, Rickie. “The National Road.” U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration. https://highways.dot.gov/highway-history/general-highway-history/back-time/national-road
• Mclaughlan, Scott, PhD. “What were the enclosure acts?” The Collector. Nov. 12, 2023. https://www.thecollector.com/what-were-the-enclosure-acts/
• McNamara, Robert. "The National Road, America's First Major Highway." ThoughtCo, Apr. 5, 2023, thoughtco.com/the-national-road-177405
• “The National Road.” National Park Service. https://www.nps.gov/articles/national-road.htm
• “National Road Heritage Corridor.” https://nationalroadpa.org/
• "The Nation's First Mega-Project: A Legislative History of the Cumberland Road" United States Department of transportation. 2021. https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/68561
• Nifosi, Giuseppe. “Michelucci's Highway Church.” Art Unveiled. https://www.artesvelata.it/chiesa-autostrada-michelucci/
• “RESEARCH AND SOURCES FOR WAYLAND’S SMITHY.” English Heritage. https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/waylands-smithy/history/research-and-sources/
• “The Ridgeway.” National Trails. https://www.nationaltrail.co.uk/en_GB/trails/the-ridgeway/
• “The Ridgeway Information.” National Trails. https://www.nationaltrail.co.uk/en_GB/trails/the-ridgeway/trail-information/
• Stenton, F. M. “The Road System of Medieval England.” The Economic History Review, vol. 7, no. 1, 1936, pp. 1–21. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/2590730
• “WAYLAND'S SMITHY.” English Heritage. https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/waylands-smithy/
• “Wayland’s Smithy chambered long barrow, including an early barrow and Rion Age and Roman boundary ditches.” Historic England. https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1008409?section=official-list-entry
• Whittle, Alasdair & Brothwell, Don & Cullen, Rachel & Gardner, Neville & Kerney, M.. (2014). Wayland's Smithy, Oxfordshire: Excavations at the Neolithic Tomb in 1962–63 by R. J. C. Atkinson and S. Piggott. Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society. 57. 61-101. 10.1017/S0079497X00004515.

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