View source for Jefferson Highway

{{about|the highway from New Orleans to Winnipeg|the highway in Oregon|Jefferson Highway (Oregon)}}
{{short description|National auto trail in the United States and Canada}}
{{Infobox road
|country=USA
|type=Jefferson
|terminus_a=[[New Orleans]], [[Louisiana]]
|terminus_b=[[Winnipeg]], [[Manitoba]]
}}
The '''Jefferson Highway''' was an [[automobile]] highway stretching through the central [[United States]] from [[New Orleans]], [[Louisiana]], to [[Winnipeg]], [[Manitoba]] in Canada. The Jefferson Highway was replaced with the new numbered US Highway system in the late 1920s. Portions of the highway are still named Jefferson Highway, for example: the portions that run through [[Jefferson Parish, Louisiana]]; [[East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana]]; [[Lee's Summit, Missouri]]; [[Osseo, Minnesota]]; and [[Wadena, Minnesota]].

It was built in the 1910s as part of the [[National Auto Trail]] system.

Named for [[Thomas Jefferson|President Thomas Jefferson]], inspired by the east&ndash;west [[Lincoln Highway]], it was nicknamed the "Palm to Pine Highway", for the varying types of trees found at either end.

==History==
[[Image:EndJeffersonHwy1917Ob1.jpg|thumb|1917 Obelisk marking southern end of Jefferson Highway, on the corner of St. Charles & Common Streets in the [[New Orleans Central Business District]] ]]
The southern terminus of the Jefferson Highway was in New Orleans, Louisiana at the intersection of [[St. Charles Avenue]] and Common Street.<ref>[The Times-Picayune, 17 December 1916]</ref>  It is marked by a six-foot tall Georgia granite obelisk donated by the New Orleans chapter of the [[Daughters of the American Revolution]].  The obelisk was installed on April 15, 1918,<ref>[The New Orleans Item, 16 April 1918]</ref> and it was formally dedicated the following January.<ref>[The Times-Picayune, 15 January 1919]</ref>

The original route (finalized in December 1916)<ref>[The Times-Picayune, 17 December 1916]</ref> on today's roads is as follows:
*Louisiana
**New Orleans to [[Kenner, Louisiana|Kenner]]:
***From the southern terminus at Common Street, the Jefferson Highway followed St. Charles Avenue, [[Canal Street, New Orleans|Canal Street]], City Park Avenue, and [[Metairie, Louisiana|Metairie]] Road into [[Jefferson Parish, Louisiana|Jefferson Parish]].
***Leaving New Orleans, the Jefferson Highway followed Metairie Road, [[Shrewsbury, Louisiana|Shrewsbury]] Road, and Jefferson Highway to Kenner.  This route is covered by [[Louisiana Highway 611-9|LA 611-9]], [[Louisiana Highway 3261|LA 3261]], [[Louisiana Highway 611-3|LA 611-3]], [[U.S. Route 90 in Louisiana|US 90]], and [[Louisiana Highway 48|LA 48]].  (The section of road that is called "Jefferson Highway" between Shrewsbury Road and the New Orleans city limits at [[Claiborne Avenue|South Claiborne Avenue]] was not part of the original route, as it did not exist until 1928.)<ref>[The Times-Picayune, 30 July 1928]</ref>
**Kenner to [[Geismar, Louisiana|Geismar]]:
***From Kenner to Geismar, the Jefferson Highway followed alongside the east bank levee of the [[Mississippi River]] which, due to various sections of levee being relocated during the 1920s and 1930s, is often a significant distance removed from the modern [[River Road, Louisiana|River Road]].  Also, a two-mile section between [[Norco, Louisiana|Norco]] and [[Montz, Louisiana|Montz]] was eliminated in 1935 when the parallel [[U.S. 61 Bonnet Carré Spillway Bridge]] carrying [[Airline Highway]] across the [[Bonnet Carré Spillway]] was opened.  However, the route is approximated by [[Louisiana Highway 48|LA 48]] to Norco, River Road to Montz, [[Louisiana Highway 628|LA 628]] to [[LaPlace, Louisiana|LaPlace]], [[Louisiana Highway 44|LA 44]] to [[Burnside, Louisiana|Burnside]], [[Louisiana Highway 942|LA 942]] to [[Darrow, Louisiana|Darrow]], and [[Louisiana Highway 75|LA 75]] to Geismar.  (Portions of the River Road at [[Reserve, Louisiana|Reserve]] and [[Gramercy, Louisiana|Gramercy]] are still known as Jefferson Highway.)
**Geismar to Baton Rouge:
***From Geismar to Baton Rouge, the route followed [[Louisiana Highway 73|LA 73]] and is still known as (Old) Jefferson Highway.
***The original routing through downtown Baton Rouge followed Claycut Road, [[Louisiana Highway 427|LA 427]] (South Acadian Thruway), [[Louisiana Highway 73|LA 73]] (Government Street), 19th Street, and North Street to the former Mississippi River ferry landing to [[Port Allen, Louisiana|Port Allen]].
**Port Allen to [[Alexandria, Louisiana|Alexandria]]:
***[[Louisiana Highway 987|LA 987]] (Court Street), North Jefferson Avenue, and [[Louisiana Highway 986|LA 986]] (Rosedale Road) through Port Allen.
***[[Louisiana Highway 76|LA 76]] to [[Rosedale, Louisiana|Rosedale]].
***[[Louisiana Highway 77|LA 77]] to [[Ravenswood, Louisiana|Ravenswood]].
***[[Louisiana Highway 10|LA 10]] to [[Red Cross, Louisiana|Red Cross]].
***The Jefferson Highway crossed the [[Atchafalaya River]] by ferry to [[Melville, Louisiana|Melville]] and continued on LA 10 to [[Lebeau, Louisiana|Lebeau]].
***[[U.S. Route 71|US 71]] to [[Bunkie, Louisiana|Bunkie]].
***[[Louisiana Highway 1177|LA 1177]] and US 71 to [[Cheneyville, Louisiana|Cheneyville]].  (There is a short section of old Jefferson Highway off US 71 in Cheneyville.)
***US 71 and [[Louisiana Highway 456|LA 456]] to [[Lamourie, Louisiana|Lamourie]].  (Part of LA 456 at Lecompte is known as Jefferson Highway.)
***[[Louisiana Highway 470|LA 470]], US 71-[[U.S. Route 167|167]] (briefly), and Old Baton Rouge Highway to Alexandria.
**Alexandria to [[Pineville, Louisiana|Pineville]]:
***US 71 (Jefferson Hwy. or MacArthur Dr.), Lee Street, Main Street, and Murray Street through Alexandria.
***The Jefferson Highway crossed the [[Red River of the South|Red River]] on a now-demolished bridge at the foot of Murray Street into Pineville.
***[[U.S. Route 165#Alexandria business route|US 165-BUS]] (Main Street and Military Highway), [[Louisiana Highway 180|LA 180]] (Jefferson Highway), and US 71 ([[Shreveport, Louisiana|Shreveport]] Highway) through Pineville.
**Pineville to [[Natchitoches, Louisiana|Nachitoches]]:
***US 71 and [[Louisiana Highway 3225|LA 3225]] (Shreveport Highway).  (Stainaker Street is a small, severed portion of the original route near the junction of US 71 and LA 3225.)
***US 71, [[Louisiana Highway 492|LA 492]], and [[Louisiana Highway 8|LA 8]] to [[Colfax, Louisiana|Colfax]].  (Numerous curves were straightened along this route sometime after 1956 and exist as small pieces of road such as: Old US 71, Walker Gravel Pit Road, and Parker Street west of LA 3225; Old US 71 and Rocky Lane at Rock Hill; and Old Jefferson Highway just south of Colfax.)
***[[Louisiana Highway 158|LA 158]] and US 71 to just south of [[Montgomery, Louisiana|Montgomery]], following Old Jefferson Highway into town and leaving via North Jefferson Highway.
***US 71 and [[Louisiana Highway 1225|LA 1225]] to [[Clarence, Louisiana|Clarence]].
***[[Louisiana Highway 6|LA 6]] to Natchitoches.
**Natchitoches to Shreveport:
***LA 6 (via [[Louisiana Highway 3278|LA 3278]]) to [[Robeline, Louisiana|Robeline]].  (Several curves have been straightened between [[Interstate 49|I-49]] and Robeline, two of which exist as Old LA 6 and Johnny Floyd Road.)
***[[Louisiana Highway 120|LA 120]] to [[Belmont, Louisiana|Belmont]].
***[[Louisiana Highway 175|LA 175]] (via Old Jefferson Road north of [[Pelican, Louisiana|Pelican]]) to [[Mansfield, Louisiana|Mansfield]], following Old Jefferson Highway into town.
***[[U.S. Route 171|US 171]] to Shreveport, via Old Jefferson Road through [[Stonewall, Louisiana|Stonewall]] and Old Mansfield Road through [[Keithville, Louisiana|Keithville]].
**Shreveport to [[Texas]] state line:
***US 171, Mansfield Road, and [[U.S. Route 79|US 79]]-[[U.S. Route 80|US 80]] (Greenwood Road) to [[Interstate 20 in Louisiana|I-20]] at [[Flournoy, Louisiana|Flournoy]].
***Westbrook Road, LA 511 (West 70th Street), US 79-80 (Greenwood Road) to [[Greenwood, Louisiana|Greenwood]].
***US 80 (Texas Avenue) across the state line toward [[Waskom, Texas]].

When Louisiana numbered its state highways in 1921, the entire length of the Jefferson Highway through Louisiana was designated as State Route 1.  This route was in effect until the [[1955 Louisiana Highway renumbering]].  When the U.S. Highway System was designated in 1926, the Jefferson Highway was split into four U.S. Highways in Louisiana: [[U.S. Route 61|US 61]] from New Orleans to Baton Rouge (before it was re-routed onto the Airline Highway), US 71 from Baton Rouge to Clarence, US 171 from Mansfield to Shreveport, and US 80 from Shreveport west into Texas.  The section between Natchitoches and Mansfield was not included in the U.S. Highway System.

==Cities along the route==
[[File:Jefferson Highway near Leon Iowa.jpg|thumb|The JH near Leon, Iowa, in 1917]]
*[[New Orleans, Louisiana]]
*[[Alexandria, Louisiana]]
*[[Bunkie, Louisiana]]
*[[Shreveport, Louisiana]]
*[[Bonham, Texas]]
*[[Marshall, Texas]]
*[[Mount Pleasant, Texas]]
*[[Caddo, Oklahoma]]
*[[McAlester, Oklahoma]]
*[[Eufaula, Oklahoma]]
*[[Checotah, Oklahoma]]
*[[Muskogee, Oklahoma]]
*[[Pryor Creek, Oklahoma]]
*[[Vinita, Oklahoma]]
*[[Miami, Oklahoma]]
*[[Joplin, Missouri]]
*[[Nevada, Missouri]]
*[[Baxter Springs, Kansas]]
*[[Pittsburg, Kansas]]
*[[Frontenac, Kansas]]
*[[Fort Scott, Kansas]]
*[[Paola, Kansas]]
*[[Overland Park, Kansas]]
*[[Harrisonville, Missouri]]
*[[Lee's Summit, Missouri]]
*[[Kansas City, Missouri]]
*[[Cameron, Missouri]]
*[[Saint Joseph, Missouri]]
*[[Lamoni, Iowa]]
*[[Leon, Iowa]]
*[[Osceola, Iowa]]
*[[Indianola, Iowa]]
*[[Des Moines, Iowa]]
*[[Colo, Iowa]]
*[[Mason City, Iowa]]
*[[Albert Lea, Minnesota]]
*[[Minneapolis, Minnesota]]
*[[St. Cloud, Minnesota]]
*[[Bemidji, Minnesota]]
*[[Thief River Falls, Minnesota]]

==See also==
*[[United States Highway system]]
*[[Jefferson Lines]], an intercity bus company, operated service from Texas to Winnipeg, and takes its name from the old Jefferson Highway. As of October 7, 2010, the Winnipeg&ndash;Grand Forks section was terminated.
*[[Manitoba Highway 75]]

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* [https://2lanetraveler.com/home/jhmaps/ Jefferson Highway Map]
* [https://jeffersonhighway.org/ Jefferson Highway Association]
* [https://www.jeffersonhighwayinoklahoma.com/ The Jefferson Highway Route in Oklahoma]
* [https://morrisoncountyhistory.org/?page_id=420 Palm to Pine]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070927162426/http://www.lincolnhighwayassoc.org/iowa/newsletter/Paul's%20NL%20Archive/003/003.html Welcome to the Jefferson Highway] (Section of  Iowa Lincoln Highway Association newsletter Summer/Fall 2000)
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110810032147/http://powersmuseum.com/about/museum-location-map/jeffhwy.html More on the Jefferson Highway] (Powers Museum, Carthage, Missouri)
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110929223056/http://reflections.mndigital.org/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=%2Fmdt&CISOPTR=177&CISOBOX=1&REC=6 Jefferson Highway legal description within Minnesota], filed with the Minnesota Department of Highways on August 9, 1917
* [http://www.iowadot.gov/autotrails/pdfs/article.pdf Jefferson Highway], newspaper article on the route, hosted by Iowa Department of Transportation

{{Portal bar|History|Canada|Roads|U.S. Roads}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jefferson Highway}}
[[Category:Auto trails in the United States]]
[[Category:Historic trails and roads in Louisiana]]<!--geographic, south-to-north, order like other highway articles-->
[[Category:Historic trails and roads in Texas]]
[[Category:Historic trails and roads in Oklahoma]]
[[Category:Historic trails and roads in Missouri]]
[[Category:Historic trails and roads in Kansas]]
[[Category:Historic trails and roads in Iowa]]
[[Category:Historic trails and roads in Minnesota]]
[[Category:Historic trails and roads in Manitoba]]
[[Category:Transport infrastructure completed in 1916]]