Monday dedication set for Rising Hall panel

The Indiana National Road Association and the Prosser family invite the public to a special dedication ceremony at Rising Hall at 10 a.m. on Monday, June 17

The dedication will be of the National Road interpretive panel that was installed last fall. Rising Hall is located at 10474 East U.S. 40, Coatesville.

The Indiana National Road Association (INRA) has installed interpretive panels along the Historic National Road. From Richmond to Terre Haute, 15 panels inform tourists and residents about the history and significance of the national road.

The national road, today U.S. 40, was our nation's first federally funded interstate highway.

In 1806, President Thomas Jefferson approved the funding and in 1811 construction started in Cumberland, Md., westward to Vandalia, Ill. By 1834, Indiana's section of the road was completed. Thousands of settlers used the road to move west. By the 1850s, the traffic included families in covered wagons, stagecoaches and farmers moving their livestock to market.

In 1994, the Indiana National Road Association, an affiliate of Indiana Landmarks, was created to assist in designating the national road as a National Scenic Byway, which was obtained in 1998. Later in 2002, the national road was designated an All-American Road.

This designation is reserved for byways that are of great national significance.

In the early 2000s, the interpretive panel project was started with the creation of the INRA's Interpretive Master Plan. The plan called for the interpretation of significant locations along the road. The interpretive panels tell the story of the Historic National Road.

The late Walt Prosser, and his wife June, were instrumental in creating the Indiana National Road association and creating the Interpretive Panel project.

For more information people may contact Joe Frost, Executive Director, Indiana National Road Association, 317-822-7939 or by email at jfrost@-indianalandmarks.org.