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Ozark Trails Vs. U S 62?


DennyG
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I'm anticipating a drive on US-62 west from Kentucky and was kind of excited to read "Parts of U.S. 62 follow what once was the Ozark Trail" in its Wikipedia entry. It looks like Wikipedia is technically correct on this one but I think my excitement wasn't all that justified.

 

I've discovered that the Ozark Trails were much like the Dixie Highway with a little more truth in advertising. Neither was a single route leading from A to B but a network of routes leading from a bunch of As to a B. The name Ozark Trails Association (note the plural) acknowledges this. US-62 passes through several of the same places that parts of the Ozark Trails did but I'm thinking that perhaps the only path the two shared was between Oklahoma City and Newcastle and I'm not entirely sure about that.

 

So my post is a query. Maps I've found online, such as this one hosted by OST forum moderators, John & Kris Murphy, like many named auto trail maps, show cities but no detail between them. Anyone have more detail?

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I'm anticipating a drive on US-62 west from Kentucky and was kind of excited to read "Parts of U.S. 62 follow what once was the Ozark Trail" in its Wikipedia entry. It looks like Wikipedia is technically correct on this one but I think my excitement wasn't all that justified.

 

I've discovered that the Ozark Trails were much like the Dixie Highway with a little more truth in advertising. Neither was a single route leading from A to B but a network of routes leading from a bunch of As to a B. The name Ozark Trails Association (note the plural) acknowledges this. US-62 passes through several of the same places that parts of the Ozark Trails did but I'm thinking that perhaps the only path the two shared was between Oklahoma City and Newcastle and I'm not entirely sure about that.

 

So my post is a query. Maps I've found online, such as this one hosted by OST forum moderators, John & Kris Murphy, like many named auto trail maps, show cities but no detail between them. Anyone have more detail?

 

Denny,

 

I can give you the detailed Rand McNally Auto Trail maps from 1923 or so for the route, but I will have to leave to you matching the 1923 against modern maps. Will that work?

 

Dave

 

keep the Show on the Road!

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Denny,

 

I can give you the detailed Rand McNally Auto Trail maps from 1923 or so for the route, but I will have to leave to you matching the 1923 against modern maps. Will that work?

 

Dave

 

keep the Show on the Road!

Absolutely. I believe the only place the Trails and 62 are likely to coincide is just south of Oklahoma City. There's a connector (or maybe the original starting point) around Rogers, AR, so I guess there could be some overlay there, too.

 

Something that Wikipedia inexplicably overlooks is the fact that parts of U.S. 62 follow what once was the Hypotenuse Trail. In particular, the two follow the exact same path through Eureka Springs, AR. I've perused the only known Hypotenuse Trail travelogue and it seems certain that a night was spent there yet I found no record or recommendation of lodging. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you?

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Absolutely. I believe the only place the Trails and 62 are likely to coincide is just south of Oklahoma City. There's a connector (or maybe the original starting point) around Rogers, AR, so I guess there could be some overlay there, too.

 

Something that Wikipedia inexplicably overlooks is the fact that parts of U.S. 62 follow what once was the Hypotenuse Trail. In particular, the two follow the exact same path through Eureka Springs, AR. I've perused the only known Hypotenuse Trail travelogue and it seems certain that a night was spent there yet I found no record or recommendation of lodging. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you?

 

 

Denny,

 

I consulted with the famous (or is it infamous? :rolleyes: ) Hypotenuse Trail Blazer.

 

The motel I stayed in at Eureka Springs was the Best Western Eureka Inn. It was pleasant, quiet, clean, and comfortable, with nice amenities, and the rates were very reasonable. It was not, however, a Mom and Pop. I would definitely stay there again.

 

I did note when I checked the name of the motel on line that some of them are already sold out in mid December so if you are going soon, you may want to reserve.

 

Eureka Springs was one of the highlights of the trip.

 

I have uploaded ten 1924 maps that pretty much cover the full length of the Ozark Trails from St Louis to Las Vegas, NM. They definitely couldn’t make up their mind, or wanted to cover all the bases! The Ozark Trails is (are) number 50 in the maps.

 

They are at www.historicalroadmaps.com/Friends/Denny/ and can be downloaded from there. I may delete them after a bit, as they are readers copies only, so it is best to save them to your hard drive. Each is about 3Mb.

 

If I missed anything you need, shout out.

 

Dave

 

Keep the Show on the Road!

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Excellent. That seems to have completely answered my questions and is very much appreciated. I have downloaded the files.

 

It appears my idea that US-62 and the OT are one and the same between Oklahoma City and Newcastle was a bad guess. In fact, it looks to me like the only place the two run together is twenty some miles from Chickasha and a little west of Anadarko. Near Rogers, AR, the two cross but never coincide. Since my original post I've learned more and better pieced together what little I already knew and am finding the whole OT story rather fascinating. It really was something of a match for the Dixie Highway with Monte Ne replacing Miami Beach and William Harvey instead of Carl Fisher and abandoned foundations rather than beachfront high-rises.

 

Thanks a bunch for the maps, Dave, and thanks to John Murphy for the three year old post that pointed me in some interesting directions.

 

I haven't picked a date yet but it will be in December and I definitely want to spend a night in Eureka Springs so I guess I better get it together soon.

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