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Commemorative Landscapes of North Carolina
Commemorative Landscapes of North Carolina
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Source:  Great Philadelphia Wagon Road, Lewisville. Photo by M.C. Wilcox, courtesy of HMdb.org

  • Monument Name

    Great Philadelphia Wagon Road, Lewisville

  • Type

    Marker

  • Subjects

    Colonial History

  • City

    Lewisville

  • County

    Forsyth

  • Description

    The Great Philadelphia Wagon Road marker is a ten-foot high knapped granite arrowhead with a large, black background, bronze tablet attached to the front. The tablet has an arched top with the logo of the Lewisville Historical Society filling the arch. At the bottom below the inscription is a map showing the wagon road route from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Augusta, Georgia. Insets in the map show Lewisville and Forsyth County.

  • Inscription

    GREAT / PHILADEPHIA / WAGON ROAD / CA. 1754 / THE GREAT WAGON ROAD / PASSED 120 FEET NORTH OF / THIS MARKER. / THE GREAT WAGON ROAD, FROM / PHILADELPHIA TO AUGUSTA WAS THE / PREMIER 18th CENTURY BACKCOUNTRY / ROAD FROM PENNSYLVANIA TO GEORGIA. / FROM ABOUT TWO MILES NORTH OF BETHABARA, IT WAS CUT TO LEWISVILLE / BY THE MORAVIANS IN FEBRUARY 1754. / THE “GERMAN SETTLEMENT ON THE / YADKIN,” LATER LEWISVILLE, WAS / FOUNDED ON THE GREAT WAGON ROAD IN / THE 1760’s. THE GREAT WAGON ROAD / ENTERED FORSYTH COUNTY AT GERMANTOWN / AND CONTINUED TO LEWISVILLE NORTH / OF SHILOH LUTHERAN CHURCH. IT PASSED / THROUGH WHAT IS NOW SHALLOWFORD / SQUARE TO THE YADKIN RIVER'S SHALLOW / FORD, 6 MILES WEST, THEN THROUGH / YADKIN, DAVIE AND IREDELL COUNTIES, / FORDED THE CATAWBA RIVER AT SHERRIL'S / FORD AND PROCEEDED SOUTHWARD. THE ROADBED IS 1,100 FEET WEST OF / THIS MARKER. [Map of Lewisville and Wagon Road] THIS MARKER ERECTED 2000 AT SHALLOWFORD SQUARE BY / THE LEWISVILLE HISTORICAL SOCIETY

  • Custodian

    City of Lewisville

  • Dedication Date

    2000

  • Decade

    2000s

  • Geographic Coordinates

    36.096990 , -80.422440 View in Geobrowsemap pin

  • Supporting Sources

      Hartley, Michael O. and Martha B. 2010. “Great Philadelphia Wagon Road,” NCPedia.org, (accessed June 22, 2017) Link

      McKaughan, Joshua.2006. “Nissen Wagon Works,” NCPedia.org, (accessed June 23, 2017) Link

      “Great Philadelphia Wagon Road,” The Historical Marker Database, HMdb.org, (accessed June 22, 2017) Link

  • Public Site

    Yes

  • Materials & Techniques

    Bronze and granite

  • Sponsors

    Lewisville Historical Society

  • Location

    The memorial marker is located on Great Wagon Road in Lewisville, NC, a short distance from the Nissan Wagon Museum. The tiny, one structure, museum is located at the corner of David McKee St and Great Wagon Road.

  • Landscape

    The maker and museum stand in an open field across from a park and woodlands.

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