Back to Photo Album

Bicentennial Caravan

May 2 - 7 , 2011

A caravan of vintage vehicles paraded the Ohio National Road the first week of May to celebrate the bicentennial of the beginning of construction of the Historic National Road. This tour was part of the larger event planned by the six-state National Road Alliance that started in Vandalia, IL on May 1st and ended in Cumberland, MD on the 200th anniversary of the groundbreaking on May 7, 2011. To honor the history of early travelers, the caravan carried a set of brass bells which had been created to symbolize those worn on the harnesses of the draught teams that pulled the Conestoga wagons on the old National Road. Starting with one bell from Illinois, a bell was added at each state line until the full set of six (for the number of states through which the Historic National Road crossed) was presented to the City of Cumberland.	On May 3, 2011 the Indiana “Caravan of Bells” arrived at the Wayne County Historical Museum located on US 40 at 1150 North A Street in Richmond, IN 47374, where the Indiana National Road Association handed the bells off to the Ohio National Road Association.	Shown here are several of the vehicles that participated in the National Road Caravan as it crossed through Indiana. Three of those pictured made the entire trip from Illinois to Cumberland, MD.
Ohio’s bell (the third of six) was added by ONRA’s Marian Vance (in center, holding the bells) with help from Joe Jarzen (shown to the left of Marian). Marian is a Board member and one of ONRA’s representatives to the National Road Alliance. Joe is the President of both the Indiana National Road Association (INRA) and the National Road Alliance. Caravan participants and members of INRA are also pictured.	The ONRA Board was well represented at the bells’ hand-off ceremony on May 3rd in Richmond. Shown (left to right) are Preble County Commissioner and ONRA Board member Dave Wesler, ONRA Past-President Cyndie Gerken, Lewisburg Village Administrator and Board member Jeff Sewert, Board member Paul Seibel, and ONRA National Road Alliance representative, Marian Vance.	ONRA’s Marian Vance, Paul Seibel and Cyndie Gerken led the caravan to the City of Englewood where they were greeted by ONRA Board member Ed Kemper, and enjoyed a brief program about the local history of the Road aptly provided by Randolph Township Historical Society President Glynn Marsh. The participants were treated to dinner and stayed overnight in Englewood on May 3rd.
Englewood Mayor Pat Burnside (at right) welcomed the Caravan of Bells, and presented ONRA Past-President Cyndie Gerken with a Proclamation commemorating the National Road’s Bicentennial.	On May 4th, Ed Kemper led the caravan through Montgomery, Miami, and into Clark County, where it was picked up again by Cyndie Gerken and Marian Vance. They traveled east through Madison and into Franklin County, where they were led by a horse-drawn wagon (and police escort!) along the historic route of the Road from West Broad Street, to South High Street, to East Main Street in Columbus.	During the wagon ride from Franklinton into Columbus, local historians and invited special guests were entertained by ONRA’s Sylvia Miller. ONRA Board President Dean Ringle (shown waving here), ONRA Board member Jon Beard and his son, Jadon were among those onboard.
In Olde Town East, the caravan participated in a combined National Road Bicentennial and Ribbon-cutting celebration at 1023-1059 E. Main Street, followed by a delicious lunch provided by a new local restaurant, Sweet Raine’s on Main. Additional ONRA Board members who were among the 200+ attending this event included Charla Devine, Elizabeth Reeb, Mike Peppe, Frank Quinn and Judy Williams.	During the Columbus ceremony, State Senator Charleta Tavares presented a Proclamation honoring the National Road’s Bicentennial to the Ohio National Road Association. The Proclamation was accepted by ONRA Board member and Columbus Compact Corporation CEO Jonathan Beard (on left).	The ribbon was cut by Columbus Mayor Mike Coleman (shown here with local dignitaries, including ONRA Board member Jon Beard), for the renovated Old National Road Condominiums and a newly-created memorial park. These historic buildings are on the original route of the National Road which entered Columbus from the east on Friend Street (now Main Street).
The Caravan of Bells was led out of Columbus by National Trail Raceway’s General Manager Jim Layton (shown on the left) and Sales & Marketing Manager Mike Fornataro, driving their famous El Camino, which Mike had nicknamed the “Bell Camino” in honor of the occasion! They “sped” (literally) to the racetrack near Hebron, where participants were treated to the chance to drive on the track. This seemed to be a trip highlight for those who “raced” their vintage vehicles along the drag strip…squealing.	A vintage truck club joined the convoy at the Raceway, and Licking County CVB Executive Director Susan Fryer (not pictured) was on hand to welcome the National Road Caravan participants.	The Caravan of Bells, now led by ONRA Vice President and Licking County Commissioner Doug Smith, proceeded via some old Road segments through Licking County, stopping at Eagle’s Nest Monument and Muskingum County’s Headley Inn/Smith House. There they bid goodbye to the vintage trucks, proceeded into Zanesville and over the Y-bridge before stopping for the night on May 4th.
On May 5th, participants and guests were treated to a delicious breakfast, a brief ceremony with local dignitaries and a tour at the National Road/Zane Grey Museum near Norwich. Pictured (left to right) are tour guide and John & Annie Glenn Foundation Emeritus Director Don McKendry (back to camera) with caravaners Mary Truitt, and Marcie Kruger. Among others present (not pictured) were Muskingum County Commissioners Jerry Lavy and Jim Porter, Debbie Allender, Kathryn Miller and Joanna Duncan of the John & Annie Glenn Foundation, and Kelly Ashby and Lori Kappes of the Zanesville-Muskingum Co. Chamber of Commerce.	ONRA and the National Road Caravan of Bells were fortunate to have had a great response from the local media outlets across the state. Shown here is ONRA’s Cyndie Gerken being interviewed by Zanesville television station WHIZ. Check out the “National Road in the News” page of this web site for numerous articles about this 2011 Bicentennial celebration.	As a consequence of all the inclement weather, the number of vehicles in the caravan varied from six to dozens, but a core group of three automobiles (pictured here at the National Road/Zane Grey Museum) made the entire trip— a 1980 Mercedes driven by Debbie Wente with passenger Mary Truitt, President of the National Road Association of Illinois, a 1934 Buick carrying Gary and Marcie Kruger of Effingham, IL and their passenger Belinda Roddy of Martinsville, IL., and a 1953 Ford Victoria driven by Ron and Shirley Stauffer of Portland, IN. A fourth car, driven by Paul Schubert of Bath, OH (not pictured) participated as far as St. Clairsville.
From nearby Norwich, Marian Vance led the caravan east to Cambridge for a brief ceremony in front of the Guernsey County Courthouse. The group was welcomed by Cambridge/Guernsey County VCB Executive Director Debbie Robinson (pictured in the middle of front row) and Tom Dilly (second row, far right), and were joined by ONRA Board members Ed Wagstaff (with wife, Linda), Sylvia Miller and Mary Ellen Weingartner, and ONRA member Denny Gibson.	After departing Cambridge, Ed Wagstaff led the group to lunch at the Deep Cut Tavern, where they enjoyed a local delicacy known as a “Deep Fried Hamburger.” West of the tavern is the site of the original “deep cut” made through the hill (of the same name) to make way for the National Road.	The caravan’s last stop in Ohio is shown here, in front of the Belmont County Courthouse in St. Clairsville, at the site of the July 4, 1825 groundbreaking of Ohio’s portion of the National Road. The group was welcomed by (not pictured) Belmont County Commissioner Ginny Favede and ONRA Board member and local businesswoman Jeana Paglialunga.
	The Ohio National Road Association said “goodbye” to the caravan when the fourth bell was added, and the Caravan of Bells was handed off to Jeremy Morris (pictured here in front of the Belmont County Courthouse in St. Clairsville), who was representing the West Virginia National Road Association.