Students looking for road stories

By MARIBETH WARD

Staff Writer

Do you have any stories about traveling down the Old National Road?

Any favorite dining spots, antique stores or favorite stopping off spots? A group of Ball State University students received a grant from National Scenic Byways and the Federal Highway Administration and plan to film a documentary about people and places along U.S. Highway 40. They would like to hear those stories.

Ball State students were up and down the highway this weekend talking to people having garage sales in conjunction with the 2007 Historic National Road Yard Sale Days running from May 30 to June 3. The students are looking for stories about favorite spots for dinning and shopping, inns, hotels and recreational sites.

They plan to finish the documentary in early 2009 and will have material to use for a website, touch-screen kiosks and educational shows.

The National Road was commissioned in 1806 by President Thomas Jefferson as the first federally funded highway. It now runs from Maryland to Illinois.

Anyone with information to offer should contact Nancy Carlson, chairwoman of Ball State's telecommunication's department, at (765) 285-1489 or send mail to Department of Telecommunications, Ball State University, 2000 W. University Ave., Muncie, Ind., 47306.