Stuff You Missed in History ClassStuff You Missed in History Class

Historical Roads and Highways

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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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