Jefferson Highway History

Historic Jefferson Highway Pine to Palm Highway And the links between New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.A. and Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Monument in New Orleans	Monument in Winnipeg Thank you Winnipeg Free Press	Iowa Roadside Marker Thank you Iowa DOT .

* NEW MAPS OF MANITOBA posted September, 2008 * * MORE HISTORIC PICTURES added throughout * * DID THE JEFFERSON HIGHWAY GO THROUGH ARKANSAS? *
The Jefferson Highway was one of the first roads to traverse the North American continent north to south. Its northern end was in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada and its other in New Orleans, Louisiana on the southern coast of the United States. Conceived at a meeting in New Orleans in 1915 the highway was dedicated in 1919. The Jefferson Highway only existed as a named highway for a few years until it lost it's title to the new standardized numbering system in the 1920s but now we are bringing it back. Several societies and historical groups have kept the Jefferson Highway's name alive with museums, monuments, local automobile tours and annual celebrations. As I locate websites with history of this highway or who hold annual celebrations I will add them to my links page and to my interactive map. Two notable motorcades traversed this highway. One in 1919 traveling from New Orleans north to Winnipeg on the Palm to Pine Highway. In early 1926 a motorcade traveled the other way from Winnipeg to New Orleans on the Pine to Palm Highway in the dead of winter. This website is dedicated to the intrepid motorists who made those historic journeys. Jeffersonhighway.com will be centred around Maps of the Jefferson Highway as it exists today. Links are being established on the map to the many fine museums, historical societies and individuals who are keeping important history alive. We will do what we can to promote The Jefferson Highway and it's history. Any information, anecdotes, relatives, maps, notes, pictures about those very early motoring adventures of 1919 and 1926 are always welcome. If you have something that you would like to share we will be happy to feature you and your contributions on this website just contact us. We will keep you up to date here with the goal of furthering the revival of the Pine to Palm Highway as an International Monument. Jefferson Highway's time has come. This may be a more significant historical highway than the more well known one's such as Route 66 since the Pine to Palm Highway is older, longer and traverses two countries. Not to mention that a stretch of Route 66 rests on top of The Jefferson Highway near Carthage MS. It is time to let people know about The Jefferson Highway because it is an International Highway of Historical Importance. Your support with information has been wonderful, please keep it coming.

Motorcade arrives in New Orleans February 4, 1926.

Jefferson Highway
may lose name 2007

Visitors since Sept 17, 2008