Old National Pike Milestones

The Old National Pike Milestones marked each mile of the National Road in Maryland, United States between Baltimore and Cumberland. The surviving stones have been included in the National Register of Historic Places, and may be seen along US 40, Maryland Route 144, Alternate US 40, and other roads that trace the path of the Old National Pike. The stones are about 30 inches tall, twelve inches wide and eight inches deep, with rounded tops and the inscription XX miles to B, referring to the distance to Baltimore, the road's terminus. The composition of the stones varies, with the first 39 milestones of Baltimore gneiss from the area of Ellicott City. Stones from Frederick to Boonsboro are quartzite from the area of the Monocacy River. A unique white limestone with a distinctive inscription was employed from Boonsboro to Hagerstown, while west of Hagerstown the stones are gray limestone.

Sixty-nine stones remained on the route at the time the stones were nominated to the National Register.

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