How long is emory road

Eventually these paths became our highways and superhighways. Often the newer routes vary slightly from the original routes, thus leaving traces of the ancient routes visible today. Such is the case with the Emery Road. The path that became the Emery road was cut in under orders of the North Carolina Legislature.

Many of the folks came down this road, or the later reroute of the Walton Road now known as Kingston Pike. Often billed as the first road in the state, the Emery Road, and its alternate routes, are part of a system of early roads, known as the Great Stage Route that connected the Nation with its capitol: first Philadelphia and later Washington, DC. The Emery Road would become one of the most.

Many of our ancestors who settled the Southeast and Texas traveled down this road, some stopping at Nashville, while others went on down the Natchez Trace to the Southwest.

Until the chief took control the route across Cumberland Mountain was considered so dangerous that many white travelers to Fort Nashborough chose to go up into Kentucky and back down into the middle Tennessee settlements. Fort Southwest Point was built at the junction of the Clinch and Powell rivers to help protect travelers along the old Native American route. Eventually the Cherokee demanded that one road across the mountains be built to replace several trails in Tennessee that were being used to travel west.

The trail basically followed a route cleared earlier by Peter Avery. His pleading went unanswered until when an act was passed instructing that a road be cut and cleared. Stations were formed along the route that served to provide protection and shelter for the travelers.

The system of roads continued to evolve until the summer of when a wagon road was opened from Knoxville to Nashville, direct, so that loaded wagons could pass. The more southern route was used for this improvement and become the route most travelers chose as it was the most protected and heavily traveled.

The system of roads came to be known as the Emery Road and served travelers exclusively for ten years — as the primary route of travel. The Emery Road continued to be a part of the network of early wagon roads. Later improvements to the route through the years kept it a main thoroughfare.

An existing concrete and rock bridge located on the later and improved route of the original Emery Road is recognized by a marker located just northwest of the Oak Ridge Turnpike near the Robertsville Road intersection. The route most likely taken is close to the present day Emory Valley Road that runs from the river at the marina toward the center of Oak Ridge. Any of these likely routes might have preceded the others and would have been developed as settlement of the area increased.

This structure is a Manhattan Project era historic building that was first used as a Community Center and later as the "Wildcat Den" for youth activities.

It is an example of one of the several structures that represent Oak Ridge history and is most deserving of historic designation. A much earlier structure, the David Hall Historic Cabin, constructed prior to was also located on the early route that came to be the Emery Road.

This cabin has an interesting history. She has more than 20 years of experience in genealogy research. Get the new News Sentinel app. Posted: May 07, Posted: May 07, 0. GO knoxville Topics.