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''[[United States|United States ]] [[Image:Gotoarrow.png]] [[United States Migration Internal|Migration ]] [[Image:Gotoarrow.png]] [[US Migration Trails and Roads|Trails and Roads ]] [[Image:Gotoarrow.png]] [[Great_Valley_Road|Great Valley Road]]'' [[Image:{{GVRMap}}]] | ''[[United States|United States ]] [[Image:Gotoarrow.png]] [[United States Migration Internal|Migration ]] [[Image:Gotoarrow.png]] [[US Migration Trails and Roads|Trails and Roads ]] [[Image:Gotoarrow.png]] [[Great_Valley_Road|Great Valley Road]]'' [[Image:{{GVRMap}}]] | ||
The '''Great Valley Road''', also called in various parts the "Great Wagon Road," "Great Warriors' Trail," "Valley Pike," "Carolina Road," or "Trading Path," was the most important Colonial American route for settlers of the mountainous backcountry of the southern British colonies. It went from [[Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania|Philadelphia, Pennsylvania]] over to the Shenandoah Valley of [[Virginia]] forking into the [[Tennessee]] Valley and Knoxville. The other fork went more south into the Piedmont Region of [[North Carolina]], and then to its terminus on the Savannah River at Augusta, [[Georgia]]. From Philadelphia to Augusta was 735 miles (1183 km). Several other important early pathways merged with, or split off from the Great Valley Road.<ref>Dollarhide, 7 and 13.</ref> | The '''Great Valley Road''', also called in various parts the "Great Wagon Road," "Great Warriors' Trail," "Valley Pike," "Carolina Road," or "Trading Path," was the most important Colonial American route for settlers of the mountainous backcountry of the southern British colonies. It went from [[Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania|Philadelphia, Pennsylvania]] over to the Shenandoah Valley of [[Virginia]] forking into the [[Tennessee]] Valley and Knoxville. The other fork went more south into the Piedmont Region of [[North Carolina]], and then to its terminus on the Savannah River at Augusta, [[Georgia]]. From Philadelphia to Augusta was 735 miles (1183 km). Several other important early pathways merged with, or split off from the Great Valley Road.<ref name="DollarM">William Dollarhide, ''[http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/38096564 Map Guide to American Migration Routes 1735-1815]'' (Bountiful, Utah: Heritage Quest, 1997)[[{{DollarhideMigration}}]], 7 and 13.</ref> | ||
=== Historical Background === | === Historical Background === | ||
The American Indians developed a network of eastern trade and warrior trails stretching from the Great Lakes to the Gulf Coast. One of these trails, the Great Warrior Path from New York to the Carolinas, also served as the western boundary of British settlement until 1744. In that year a new treaty gave control of the east side of the trail to European colonists in Virginia. This opened the way for the trail to evolve into one of the most important roads for settlers in Colonial America.<ref | The American Indians developed a network of eastern trade and warrior trails stretching from the Great Lakes to the Gulf Coast. One of these trails, the Great Warrior Path from New York to the Carolinas, also served as the western boundary of British settlement until 1744. In that year a new treaty gave control of the east side of the trail to European colonists in Virginia. This opened the way for the trail to evolve into one of the most important roads for settlers in Colonial America.<ref>Dollarhide, 5.</ref> By 1765 the road was cleared for use by horse drawn wagons.<ref name="ComptonB">Brenda E.McPherson Compton, "The Scots-Irish From Ulster and The Great Philadelphia Wagon Road" in ''ElectricScotland.com'' at [http://www.electricscotland.com/history/america/wagon_road.htm http://www.electricscotland.com/history/america/wagon_road.htm] (accessed 31 July 2010).</ref> | ||
After 1744, the Great Valley Road was most heavily used by Ulster-Irish immigrants called Scots-Irish in America to spread through most of Appalachia bringing their [[United States Church Records#Presbyterian|Presbyterian]] religion.<ref name="ComptonB" /> Pennsylvania Germans also used the trail to spread into the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. The first settlements in Tennessee were associated with the end of the trail in that region. | After 1744, the Great Valley Road was most heavily used by Ulster-Irish immigrants called Scots-Irish in America to spread through most of Appalachia bringing their [[United States Church Records#Presbyterian|Presbyterian]] religion.<ref name="ComptonB" /> Pennsylvania Germans also used the trail to spread into the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. The first settlements in Tennessee were associated with the end of the trail in that region. | ||