Indiana’s Historic Pathways passes through 16 counties. It comprises U.S. 50 from Vincennes to Lawrenceburg and U.S. 150, which overlaps U.S. 50 from Vincennes to Shoals and extends southeastward to the Falls of the Ohio. Portions of the old Buffalo Trace can be found on or south of federal highways connecting Vincennes and Clarksville.
Indiana’s Historic Pathways recognizes efforts stretching from antiquity to the present that sought to facilitate transportation between the lower Ohio Valley and the Mississippi Valley. The roads—beginning with the hoofs of bison and extending through pioneer explorers to stagecoach and then railroad, automobile and truck—stimulated the growth of towns and villages and the economies of the interior of southern Indiana. They also enhanced the growth and development of Indiana to the north, as most of the early settlers arrived first in southern Indiana and then moved northward. Indiana's Historic Pathways thus builds on the themes of westward expansion, the evolution of modes of transport, and the development of Indiana and the Midwest.
The Buffalo Trace represents both Indiana's connection to prehistoric past and the story of its indigenous populations. It was developed as a travel route for the massive herds of the now extinct Eastern American Bison that migrated from the prairies of Illinois and Wisconsin to the salt licks of Kentucky. This trace would eventually attract American Indians, who would use the herds as a major source of food. They would also use the bisons’ already worn path to journey across southern Indiana to reach the Falls of the Ohio at present day Clarksville/New Albany/Louisville. When the first Europeans entered the area, they used the Trace as a natural path to travel between the Falls and the town of Vincennes. As settlement increased, the trace would become the major highway over which settlers and military forces traveled between the two points. Sections of this historic path remain visible from public roads.
In the years following the creation of the Indiana Territory, there arose a need for a better-constructed road between the Falls of the Ohio and the territorial capital at Vincennes. In the early 1800's a road was constructed just slightly north of the old trace. This Byway became the main stagecoach and wagon road between the two points. The highway would be constantly improved as the population grew, eventually becoming what is today U.S. Highway 150.
With the arrival of the railroads in the 1850's, and the continual growth of southern and central Indiana, the need arose for another east-west transportation corridor across the region. Its primary purpose was to reduce the travel time between the growing cities of Cincinnati and St. Louis. In the 1920s and 1930s U. S. 50 was constructed to connect the Atlantic and Pacific coasts across the nation’s midsection. In Indiana this road runs from Lawrenceburg to Vincennes, generally paralleling the roadbed of the railroad. The highway would serve as the major east-west connector in southern Indiana until the completion of Interstate 64.
The development of these trails from pre-history to the present is the story of Indiana and the nation.
Click here for map & information (PDF files).
Links to information on
counties along the route:
Clark/Floyd:
http://sunnysideoflouisville.org
Crawford:
http://www.crawfordcountyindiana.org
Daviess: http://www.daviesscounty.net/
Dearborn:
http://www.visitsoutheastindiana.com
Dubois:
http://www.visitduboiscounty.com
Harrison: http://www.thisisindiana.org
Jackson: http://www.jacksoncountyin.com
Jennings: http://www.jenningsco.org/
Knox: http://www.vincennescvb.org
Lawrence:
http://www.limestonecountry.com
Orange: http://www.orangecountyin.com/
Pike: http://www.pikecountyin.org
Ripley:
http://www.ripleycountytourism.com
Washington:
http://washingtoncountytourism.org
RESOURCES:
Historic
Eight National Register Historic Districts
Three National Historic Landmarks
19th century Ohio and Wabash River Mansions
State Historic Sites
One National Park Service Site
Private historic sites and museums (notably "Grouseland" in Vincennes)
Historic cemeteries
Industrial facilities (historic and modern)
Natural
Ohio River
Wabash River
The “Lost River” (National Natural Landmark)
Blue River
White River
One major national forest
One major national wildlife refuge
Two state parks
Two state forests
Three state fish and wildlife areas
Recreational
State outdoor recreational facilities
Nature preserves
Hiking trails
Horseback riding trails
Campgrounds
Lakes, tributaries of the Ohio and Wabash rivers for fishing, boating
Wildlife
Scenic
Ohio River
Wabash River
Agricultural countryside
"Driftless" area, the unglaciated central portion of corridor
Imposing architecture (Mansion Row in New Albany, for instance)
Quaint small town squares
Rolling forested hills
Rock outcroppings
Waterfalls
Gorges
Vistas of rural villages
Spring and fall foliage
Archaeological
Buffalo Trace
Indian settlement sites
"Pioneer Mothers"
Antebellum African-American settlements, particularly in Orange County
Cultural
Houses of worship
Annual heritage festivals, like Spirit of Vincennes Rendezvous or Lotus Dickey
Hometown Reunion in Paoli
Outdoor concerts in summertime
Interpretation programs at state and federal historic and natural sites
Amish and Quaker communities
Museums of art and/or history
Vestiges of antebellum free black and runaway slave
settlements
ROUTE:
The Byway comprises the following segments:
1. U. S. 50 (overlaps U.S. 150 to Shoals)
| SEGMENT | MILEAGE | CLASSIFICATION |
| Vincennes: | ||
| 2nd Street to Vigo Street | .3 | city/urban |
| Vigo Street to 7th Street | .3 | city/urban |
| 7th St. (Washington Ave.) to Old Highway 50 | 2.4 | city/urban |
| Old Highway 50 to New US Highway 50 | 10.8 | secondary/rural |
| Highway 50 to Maysville Road | 10.8 | primary/rural |
| Washington: | ||
| Maysville Rd. to Old Highway 50 | .2 | secondary/rural |
| Old Highway 50 to New US Highway 50 | 5.3 | city/urban |
| US Highway 50 to US Highway 50/37 | 39.6 | secondary/rural |
| Bedford: | ||
| US Highway 50/37 to Old Highway 50 | 1.3 | primary/rural |
| Old Highway 50 to US Highway 50 (16th St.) (west bound) H Street-to15th Street 15th Street to M Street M Street to Old US 50 |
1.1 (east bound) | primary/ urban |
| US Highway 50 (16th St.) to US Highway 50 | 1.9 | secondary/urban |
| US Highway 50 Bedford to Brownstown | 27.2 | secondary/rural |
| US Highway 50 Brownstown | 1.8 | secondary/urban |
| US Highway 50 Brownstown to Seymour | 7.5 | secondary/rural |
| US Highway 50 Seymour | 4.8 | secondary/urban |
| US Highway 50 Seymour to North Vernon | 10.9 | secondary/rural |
| US Highway 50 North Vernon | 2.5 | secondary/urban |
| US Highway 50 to Junction St. Hwy. 101 | 26.8 | secondary/rural |
| US Highway 50, Junction SR 101 to Aurora | 12.6 | primary/rural |
| US Highway 50 Aurora to Ohio State Line | 13.0 | primary/urban |
| TOTAL MILEAGE U.S. HIGHWAY 50-----181.1 | ||
2. HIGHWAY 150 (overlaps U. S. 50 to Shoals)
| SEGMENT | MILEAGE | CLASSIFICATION |
| Vincennes: | ||
| 2nd Street to Vigo Street | .3 | city/urban |
| Vigo Street to 7th Street | .3 | city/urban |
| 7th Street (Washington Ave.) to old Highway 150 | 2.4 | city/urban |
| Old Highway 50/150 to New US Highway 150/50 | 10.8 | secondary/rural |
| New US 150/50 to Maysville Road | 10.8 | primary |
| Washington: | ||
| Maysville Road to Old Highway 150/50 | .2 | secondary/rural |
| Old Highway 150/50 to US Highway 150/50 | 5.3 | city/urban |
| US Highway 50/150 to US Highway 150 (Shoals) | 19.9 | secondary/rural |
| US Highway 150 (Shoals) to Paoli Pike | 57.2 | secondary/rural |
| New Albany/Clarksville: | ||
| Paoli Pike (State St.) to Main St. | 5.9 | secondary/urban |
| Main Street (east bound to Hwy.62) to Randolph Ave | 3.8 | secondary/urban |
| **Highway 62 to Spring St. (one way west bound) | secondary/urban | |
| Randolph Ave. to Harrison Ave. | .4 | secondary/urban |
| Harrison Ave. to South Clark St. | .1 | secondary/urban |
| South Clark St. to Sherwood Ave. | .9 | secondary/urban |
| Sherwood Ave. to Riverside Drive | .5 | secondary/urban |
| Riverside Drive to Falls of Ohio parking lot | .3 | secondary/urban |
| TOTAL MILEAGE US HIGHWAY 150-----119.1 | ||
TOTAL MILEAGE, INDIANA’S HISTORIC PATHWAYS ): 250.2 (50 miles of U.S. 50 and 150 overlap, Vincennes to Shoals; extant segments of the Buffalo Trace on primary and secondary roadways are included in the entries in Parts 1 and 2 above.)
BUFFALO TRACE LOOP
| SEGMENT | MILEAGE | CLASSIFICATION |
| Vincennes: | ||
| 2nd St. Vigo St. | .3 | city/urban |
| Vigo Street to 7th Street | .3 | city/urban |
| 7th Street to Hart Street | .4 | city/urban |
| Hart Street to Holman Road | 12.4 | secondary/rural |
| Holman Road to Campbell Road | .6 | rural/gravel |
| Campbell Road to Beech Hills Road | .9 | rural/gravel |
| Beech Hills Road to Jones Road | 3.4 | rural/gravel |
| Jones Road to State Highway 61 | .5 | rural/gravel |
| State Highway 61 to River Road | .9 | rural/gravel |
| River Road to County Road 250W | 1.4 | rural/gravel/paved |
| County Road 250W to State Highway 56 | 2.3 | rural/paved |
| State Highway 56 to State Highway 356 | 1.7 | secondary |
| State Highway 356 to State Highway 257 | 9.1 | secondary |
| State Highway 257 to County Road 325N | 3.8 | secondary |
| County Road 325N to County Road 1100E | 1.9 | rural/chip+seal |
| County Road 1100E to County Road 560N | .7 | rural/gravel |
| County Road 560N to County Road 800W | 1.1 | rural/gravel |
| County Road 800W to County Road 580N | .2 | secondary |
| County Road 580N to County Road 550W | 2.5 | secondary |
| County Road 550W to County Road 600N | .1 | secondary |
| County Road 600N to County Road 500W | .5 | secondary |
| County Road 500W to County Road 570N | .2 | secondary |
| County Road 570N to County Road 400W | 1.0 | secondary |
| County Road 400W to County Road 500N | .8 | rural/chip+seal |
| County Road 500N to Portersville Road | 1.1 | secondary |
| Portersville Road to County Road 600N | .7 | secondary |
| County Road 600N to Old St. Route 45 | 2.2 | rural/gravel |
| Old St. Route 45 to US Highway 231 | .6 | secondary |
| US Highway 231 to State Highway 56 | .6 | secondary |
| State Highway 56 to Cuzco Road | 9.3 | secondary |
| Cuzco Road to Main St. (Cuzco) | 2.5 | rural/gravel |
| Main St. to Cuzco Road | .1 | secondary |
| Cuzco Road to Cuzco-Norton Road | .8 | secondary |
| Cuzco-Norton Road to County Road 750N | 1.7 | rural/chip+seal |
| County Road 750N to County Road 375S | 2.5 | rural/chip+seal |
| County Road 375S to State Highway 145 | 2.2 | rural/paved |
| State Highway 145 to County Road 410S | .9 | secondary |
| County Road 410S to County Road 575S | 3.6 | rural/paved |
| County Road 575S to County Road 475W | 2.0 | rural/paved |
| County Road 475W to County Road 510S | 2.4 | rural/paved |
| County Road 510S to State Highway 37 | 3.8 | rural/paved |
| State Highway 37 to Valeene Road | 1.4 | secondary |
| Valeene Road to County Road 820S | 5.4 | rural/paved |
| County Road 820S to County Road 575E | 2.8 | rural/paved |
| County Road 575E to County Road 925S | 2.2 | rural/paved |
| County Road 925S to County Road 675E | 1.8 | rural/chip+seal |
| County Road 675E to County Rd 50E | .7 | rural/paved |
| County Road 750E to State Highway 66 | 3.7 | rural/gravel |
| State Highway 66 to Totten Ford Road | .8 | secondary |
| Totten Ford Road to North Road | 5.4 | rural/paved |
| North Road to Hancock Chapel Road | .1 | rural/paved |
| Hancock Chapel Road to Greenville Rd | 10.4 | rural/paved |
| Greenville Road to US Highway 150 | .5 | secondary |
| US Highway 150 to Buttontown Road | .4 | secondary |
| Buttontown Road to Old Vincennes Rd | 1.3 | secondary |
| Old Vincennes Road to Luther Road | 8.1 | secondary |
| Luther Road to Old Route 150 | 2.1 | secondary |
| New Albany/Clarksville: | ||
| Old Route 150 to Main St. (New Albany) | .8 | secondary/urban |
| Main St. to State Highway 111 | 1.1 | city/urban |
| State Highway 111 to Spring Street | .2 | city/urban |
| Spring Street to Emory Crossing Road | 1.3 | city/urban |
| Emory Crossing Road to Clark Cabin | 1.4 | city/urban |
| TOTAL MILEAGE BUFFALO TRACE-----142.6 | ||
| SIDE TRIP (New Albany/Clarksville) | ||
| McCullock Pike to State Highway 131 | .5 | city/urban |
| State Highway 131 Gutford Road | .4 | city/urban |
| Gutford Road to Silver Creek Crossing | .8 | city/urban |
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