The National Road/US-40 in Ohio

From the Dec. 28, 2008, Columbus (Oh) Dispatch. Joe Blundo's So to Speak Column.

Joe Blundo wrote about a true road fanatic by the name of Frank Brusca, 52, of Westerville, an authority on the US-40/National Road.

Currently, an instructional technologist at Otterbein College in Westerville, he has been fascinated with the route since childhood. he especially likes a 1953 book by George R. Stewart "U.S. 40: Cross Section of the USA."

Some of Brusca's favorite Ohio National Road sites:

*** Red Brick tavern, 1837, in Lafayette, about 25 miles west of Columbus. Especially fascinating since it is still operating.

*** Pink granite boulder with plaque marking the first recorded traffic fatality in Ohio in Norwich where a stage coach rolled over a man in 1835.

*** An abandoned brick section of the National Road east of Cambridge which was like a Deadman's Curve. They have actually found the remains of cars that had driven off the road.

Right now, Frank Brusca has a major project where he is rephotographing every picture Stewart took in his book from the exact location for a before-after look. He is also tracking down every person in the photos as well and hoping to have the book out by 2013.

Sounds Like an Interesting Book. Looking Forward to Its Publication. --RoadDog