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Highway See Releases Fourth Podcast on the History of Our Roads And Bridges

Highway See Releases Fourth Podcast on the History of Our Roads And Bridges

NASHVILLE – The podcast series, Highway See, has released its fourth episode “Stagecoach Roads to Interstates in Tennessee” sharing the fascinating history of our roads and bridges. Episode 4 of Highway See covers the history of our roads from covered wagon and stagecoach to the modern interstate system.

In the series, listeners will learn how roads have been an instrumental part of human history for thousands of years. From the first paved Roman roads that crisscrossed Europe, to the modern-day interstate, the history of the road crucial to our own stories. That is certainly the case for Tennessee as we take a deep dive into the history of our state’s roadways. From the earliest wagon roads that connected the frontier towns, to the essential highways of today upon which Tennessee’s infrastructure, economy and transportation system depend.

Highlights of Highway See Episode 4 include:

  • The history of Tennessee’s roads
  • Early roadways and the “Old Stage Road”
  • The Amis Family and their famous road house where Andrew Jackson overnighted
  • William Blount and the earliest known piece of mail from the Southwest territory
  • Photos of macadam road construction in Rogersville
  • Important early roads and the formation of the Tennessee Department of Transportation
  • Woodrow Wilson and the “Federal Aid Road Act”
  • Dwight D. Eisenhower advancement of the interstate system
  • The history of Tennessee’s interstates
  • The great American roadtrip as shared by Cecil Cook

The podcast is narrated and hosted by Chris Hill of HumblePod. Episode 4 features these guests:

  • Randy Jeffers, Hawkins County farmer
  • Wendy Jacobs, owner and steward of historical site from early 1700’s Rogersville
  • George Webb, Rogersville native and official Hawkins County historian, 50+ year collector and dealer of Tennessee rare antiquities and documents
  • Ed Wasserman, retired TDOT veteran who is a renowned national expert on bridge structures
  • Cecil Cook, still active in highway construction today having started with TDOT in 1956
  • David Donoho, active civil engineer, formerly head of the construction division at TDOT after having started at TDOT as a college intern.

“The idea of Highway See is to share the history behind the roads we all use, with a goal to better understand how roads are crucial to our continual mobility and advancement,” said Alcorn. “Roads are known to not only expand our economy and connect us to faraway places, roads have intrinsically shaped our state.”

The slogan for the podcast series is “We hope you’ll see the highway when you’re on the road.”

Anyone can follow or subscribe to the Highway See podcast for free through Apple or Google podcasts, Spotify or wherever they get their podcasts. Listen anytime at HighwaySee.com.