Jefferson Highway

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For the Jefferson Highway from Richmond to Staunton, Virginia, see Jefferson Highway (Virginia). For the one in Oregon, see Jefferson Highway (Oregon).
Route marker for Jefferson Highway
Route marker for Jefferson Highway

The Jefferson Highway was an automobile highway stretching through the central United States from New Orleans, Louisiana, to Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. The Jefferson Highway was replaced with the new numbered US Highway system in the late 1920s. Portions of the highway are still named Jefferson Highway, for example, the portions that run through Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana, Osseo, Minnesota, and Wadena, Minnesota.

It was built in the 1910s as part of the National Auto Trail system.

1917 Obelisk marking southern end of Jefferson Highway, on the corner of St. Charles & Common Streets in the New Orleans Central Business District
1917 Obelisk marking southern end of Jefferson Highway, on the corner of St. Charles & Common Streets in the New Orleans Central Business District

The Jefferson Highway was inspired by the east-west Lincoln Highway.

It was nicknamed the "Palm to Pine Highway", for the varying types of trees found at either end.

The cities the highway passed on its route included Alexandria, Louisiana; Shreveport, Louisiana; Marshall, Texas; Muskogee, Oklahoma; Baxter Springs, Kansas; Paola, Kansas; Kansas City, Missouri; Saint Joseph, Missouri; Des Moines, Iowa; Ames, Iowa; Mason City, Iowa; Albert Lea, Minnesota; Minneapolis, Minnesota; and Bemidji, Minnesota.

Jefferson Lines, an intercity bus company, operates service from Texas to Winnipeg, and takes its name from the old Jefferson Highway.

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