History of the Jefferson Highway
The historic Jefferson Highway is an international auto trail that runs for nearly 2,300 miles from Winnipeg, Canada, through the US states of Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Texas, down to New Orleans, Louisiana. Also known as the “The Pines to the Palms Highway,” this historic route is a celebrated vacation corridor currently undergoing a major tourism rebirth.
The Original Vision: 1915 and the Good Roads Movement
The Jefferson Highway was a prominent outcome of the early 20th century's "Good Roads" Movement—a grassroots effort to connect America's disparate local roads into unified, named long-distance routes for the emergent automobile traveler.
The Jefferson Highway Association (JHA), named in honor of President Thomas Jefferson, was formally founded in 1915. The highway was the visionary idea of Edwin T. Meredith (of Iowa), the publisher of Successful Farming and Better Homes and Gardens and later Secretary of Agriculture under President Woodrow Wilson. Meredith believed the highway would be an economic lifeline, connecting Northern and Southern markets and benefiting the region's farmers and towns.
In November of 1915, a foundational meeting was held with representatives from the Louisiana Purchase states to organize the Association and determine the precise route. This initiative was entirely community-driven, with local towns and citizens fundraising to build and improve the road segments, all competing to be included on the route.
The Jefferson Highway was the visionary idea of Edwin T. Meredith, Publisher and Secretary of Agriculture under President Woodrow Wilson.
The Modern Legacy and Rebirth (2011–Present)
The Jefferson Highway's designation faded after the US highway numbering system (like U.S. Route 69 and 71) was implemented in 1926. However, the route's history was not forgotten.
In March of 2011, thanks to the hard work of the late Mike Conlin, the Jefferson Highway Association was officially reborn. Interested individuals met in Lee's Summit, Missouri, to draft the current by-laws and elect the first executive board of officers for the renewed JHA. Since that auspicious day, the modern Association has organized annual conferences in cities along the route, leading the charge to preserve, promote, and accurately map this incredible historic auto trail.
The original highway was a complex network of roads that often changed and included multiple alignments. Our Interactive Map shows the general travel corridor, based on historic guides, allowing modern travelers to trace the route as closely as possible today.
For More History...
JEFFERSON HIGHWAY ASSOCIATION: This site and travel guide is developed in partnership with the Jefferson Highway Association. For more detailed history, resources, membership information, and their ongoing preservation efforts, please visit the official Jefferson Highway Association website:https://jeffersonhighway.org/
PITTSBURG STATE UNIVERSITY SPECIAL COLLECTIONS: Located in Pittsburg, Kansas, this educational hub serves as the official archival repository for the Jefferson Highway Association. This extensive collection includes original JHA correspondence, meeting minutes, historic maps, and the original JHA newsletter, making it an essential resource for historians and serious road enthusiasts. For information or to schedule a visit, contact (620) 235-4883 or visit https://digitalcommons.pittstate.edu/do/search/?q=jefferson%20highway&start=0&context=7743798&facet=