The Roads That Brought Us Here
Part 1 of a Six-Part Series: Before There Was a Highway
Have you ever wondered who traveled through these mountains long before Cliffs Valley existed, or before Highway 25 carried us so conveniently between Greenville and Asheville? The story begins more than 250 years ago, when Cherokee people traveled established pathways through the Blue Ridge Mountains. Long before automobiles, these routes helped connect communities across a landscape of steep ridges, forests, rivers, and mountain gaps.
As European settlers and traders moved into the Upstate during the late 1700s, some of these early travel corridors developed into rough wagon roads. In 1794, a wagon route connected Greenville with Asheville and points farther west. Traveling through these mountains was no easy undertaking. Journeys were measured in days rather than hours, and horses, wagons, and livestock shared the narrow roads.
The community we know today as Travelers Rest developed along this important transportation corridor. Its name recalls the travelers who stopped to find food, lodging, and supplies before continuing their journeys. Over time, the roads through our mountains became increasingly important connections between the South Carolina Lowcountry, western North Carolina, and Tennessee.
And here's where our story becomes particularly interesting! Just a short distance from Cliffs Valley, near Old Highway 25, stands a remarkable stone bridge completed in 1820. Poinsett Bridge is a surviving reminder of an ambitious effort to build a better road through the mountains, and its history includes a possible connection to the architect of the Washington Monument.
Coming Next Month: Travelers Rest: A Welcome Stop Before the Mountains
Why did travelers stop there, and what would an overnight stay have been like nearly 200 years ago? Join us next month as we continue exploring the fascinating history of the roads that brought us here.
