There’s a road that runs straight through the heart of Guernsey County—a road older than the county itself. Route 40, known to travelers as the Historic National Road, an All-American National Scenic Byway, once carried wagons westward, stagecoaches full of mail and passengers and families searching for new beginnings. Today, it invites us to slow down, look around, and listen to the stories still echoing along its path.
One of those stories is told by the Peters Creek S-Bridge, a graceful stone arch built in 1828. Standing on its curve, you can almost picture the creak of wooden wheels and the shuffle of hooves that passed this way nearly two centuries ago.
A few miles West, the story unfolds inside the National Road & Zane Grey Museum. Dioramas bring the early days of travel to life—dusty taverns, toll houses, wagons and the rhythm of progress inching westward. Alongside the road’s tale is another local legend: Zane Grey, the famed adventure novelist, whose stories of the frontier inspired imaginations across the globe.
In Cambridge, the past is preserved within the walls of the Guernsey County History Museum, a restored 19th-century home filled with antiques and local treasures. Every room whispers of a different time, from Civil War relics to a recreated schoolroom. Just down the street, the Guernsey County Courthouse commands attention with its towering columns. It’s a landmark in every season, but during the holidays, it transforms into a dazzling display of music and lights during Dickens Victorian Village.
Traveling Route 40 is more than covering miles—it’s stepping into the layered stories of America’s first highway. Here in Guernsey County, each stop along the way connects yesterday’s journeys with today’s discoveries.
Find your next chapter at visitguernseycounty.com.