Old Midland Trail (old Route 60) East of Grayson
This abandoned portion of old Route 60 has been re-numbered as County Road 3297
The current Route 60 is in the foreground. Grayson is to the left (west)
CR 3297 branches off near the white trailer in the mid-ground.
Looking west. The hill behind the signs was by-passed on its north side by the original Midland Trail.
I'm not sure of the date (1920's), but the route was changed to pass over the high ground just to the south of the hill.
The new routing became Main St. in Grayson.
The more northerly routing probably pre-dates the establishment of present day downtown Grayson.
The orginal routing of the Midland Trail was through a pan flat area.
One of he older homes along the route
No evidence of the previous interstate use of this route remains
This routing ends at its intersection with Robert and Mary St. in Grayson
The end of the trail is just to the left of the trees in the mid-ground.
This is looking more or less east north east.
The crossing street in 5th Street.
The Midland Trail probably predates the existence of Robert and Maude St.
and this last portion of the Trail may not be exactly its original routing.
It's not clear on the early maps if the Midland Trail went straight west parallel with 5th Street,
or if it jogged south to follow the last block of Robert and Maude St., before it turned west again.
This 1940 map shows Route 60 jogging down Robert and Maude St.,
but note the unnamed principle street heading due west at the point where Route 60 jogs south.
"Old 60 always went the way the map shows. The road that goes straight is still there and referred to as
Old Town Branch Hill. Route 60 stayed to the north to circumvent Town Hill which would have been impassable
in winter months. Later "new 60" constructed a straight shot over the hill.
In the very early days the community of Cross Roads had a stagecoach way station and blacksmith.
This was before Grayson even existed. There was a few houses nearby... a settlement. Here is where
President elect Andrew Jackson was said to have stayed when he traveled from Tennessee to Washington DC.
Once Grayson came about Cross Roads lost its importance. Why it lost out in favor of Grayson is puzzling.
Cross Roads had a head start was strategically better located than Grayson. It was at the intersection of
the Midland Trail and the road North to Greenup. By looking at the map it is clear that Midland Trail could
have been shortened by 4 to 5 miles by heading straight west rather than heading south to Grayson then north again.
My guess is the influence of the Grayson and Carter family out weighted that of the Plummer folks."
Submitted by: Glen Haney