Old Carolina Road

The Carolina Road passed here on its route from Pennsylvania through the Valley of Virginia to the Carolina backcountry and beyond. Originally developed by Iroquois warriors, the road became a conduit for settlers of European descent, including many Germans and Scots-Irish, by the 1740s. North of here, U.S. Route 11 generally follows the historic road. South of here, the Carolina Road crossed the Blue Ridge Mountains near present-day Roanoke and continued through modern Franklin and Henry Counties. A busy trade route, the road gave rise to enterprises that served the needs of travelers, including the Black Horse Tavern (ca. 1782), about two miles south of here.