Talk:Dixie Highway

Central Dixie Highway

I've seen this name applied to several routes:

• This 1924 map, this website and this 1949 article label the route between Jacksonville and Macon as the Central Dixie Highway. (Note that in 1924 the western division still ended in Tallahassee.) This 1917 article calls it the central Georgia division.
• This website applies it to the Jupiter-Indiantown Road in Florida, called the South Florida Connector on this website.

--NE2 21:54, 24 July 2006 (UTC)

Interstate 75

It must be noted that when people in the Midwest today refer to Dixie Highway they are speaking about Interstate 75 which runs from Canada to Miami.

If this is true, you should be able to attribute it to a reliable source. --NE2 13:20, 27 February 2007 (UTC)

Notes on routes

[1] has an undated map, showing both divisions to Chicago only. [2] has a map and a bit of history. [3] has a description. [4] is a ca. 1918 map of auto trails.

• Western division, Chicago to Miami
  • Originally via Jacksonville; soon changed to join the eastern division at Jupiter/West Palm Beach - or did that became a spur and the Tamiami Trail was the main route?
• Eastern division, Chicago to Miami; soon became Detroit to Miami; later Sault Ste. Marie to Miami
  • Originally not defined between Macon and Jacksonville; route bypassing Macon chosen in 1916
• Michigan loop, Detroit to Indianapolis, added in 1915
  • Later truncated to Mackinaw City
• Central division, Macon to Jacksonville, added in 1916
• Carolina division, Knoxville to Macon, added in 1917
• Tallahassee to Jacksonville, originally part of the western division
• Indianapolis to Dayton, originally part of the eastern division
• Bay City to Detroit, on early maps
• Bay City to Pontiac, ?
• Corbin to Newport, ? - mostly part of the original eastern division via Cumberland Gap
• Ocala to Haines City via Tampa-St. Petersburg, ? - name used locally north of Hudson, north of Tarpon Springs, west of Auburndale, and east of Lake Alfred
• Hastings to Orlando, ?
• Orlando to Titusville, 1924 [5]
• Kissimmee to Melbourne, ?
• Haines City to Okeechobee, ?
• Tamiami Trail, Arcadia to Miami, on early maps

Detailed routings

Maps: ca. 1918, 1926 Rand McNally

Michigan

Maps: 1921, 1929 (partial)

Eastern division

• I-75 to Mackinaw City, US 23 to Flint, I-75 to Dayton
  • 1921 shows via Prescott, though M-10 is via Twining; also differs from M-10 between Bay City and Saginaw (west rather than east of the river); further inland than M-56 between Rockwood and Monroe

Michigan loop

• US 31, Mackinaw City to Muskegon, I-96 to Grand Rapids, US 131 to Kalamazoo, I-94 to Paw Paw, M-51 to Niles, US 31 to South Bend
  • 1921 shows via Bendon rather than M-11 via Honor; also via Grand Haven; differs from M-40 between Decatur and Dowagiac (near Volinia rather than Keeler)

Saginaw-Detroit (only marked on ca. 1918 map)

• M-81, Saginaw to Cass City?, M-53 to Bad Axe, M-142 to Harbor Beach, M-25 to Port Huron, M-29 to Mt. Clemens, I-75 to Detroit

Bay City-Pontiac cutoff (only marked on 1921 map)

• M-15, Bay City to Clarkston

Flint-Pontiac cutoff (only marked on 1921 map)

• US 23, Flint to Fenton, Grange Hall Road and Holly Road (ex-M-87) to northwest of Clarkston

Illinois-Indiana-Ohio

Maps: 1929 (partial)

Western division

• IL 1, Chicago to Danville, US 136 to Indianapolis, SR 37 to Paoli, US 150 to Louisville
  • Overlaps Midland Trail from Paoli to Louisville
  • Overlaps Jackson Highway from Salem to Louisville

Eastern division

• I-75 to Dayton? Franklin?, SR 4 to Cincinnati
  • By 1929, I-75, Dayton to Cincinnati

Michigan loop

• US 31 to Rochester, SR 25 to Locansport, SR 29 to east of Frankfort, US 421 to Indianapolis
  • Overlaps Jackson Highway south of Kirklin

Indianapolis-Dayton

• US 40, Indianapolis to Richmond, US 35 to Dayton
  • Overlaps National Old Trails Road and Pikes Peak Ocean-to-Ocean Highway

Kentucky-Tennessee-Carolinas

Maps: http://www.broermapsonline.org/members/NorthAmerica/UnitedStates/Midwest/Kentucky/ 1929 (partial)]

Western division

• US 31W to Bowling Green, US 68 to Russellville, US 431 to Nashville, US 41 to Murfreesboro, US 231 to Shelbyville, US 41A to Monteagle, US 41 to Chattanooga
  • By 1929, KY 17 to Falmouth, KY 22 to Williamstown
  • Overlaps Jackson Highway from Nashville to Murfreesboro
  • Overlaps Southern National Highway from Nashville to Shelbyville

Eastern division

• US 25 to Corbin, US 25E to Tazewell?, SR 33? to Knoxville, US 70 to Rockwood, US 27 to Chattanooga
  • Overlaps Jackson Highway from Knoxville to Rockwood
  • By 1926, US 25W, Corbin to Knoxville

Carolina division

• US 25W, Knoxville to Newport, US 25 to Augusta

Georgia

Maps: 1923, 1924

Western division

• US 27 to Rome, US 411 to Cartersville, US 41 to Macon, SR 49 to Americus, US 19 to Thomasville, US 319 to Tallahassee

Eastern division

• US 41 to Atlanta, US 278 to Madison, US 441 to Milledgeville, SR 24 to Sylvania, SR 21 to Savannah, US 17 to Jacksonville
  • Overlaps Atlantic Highway south of Waynesboro
  • Formerly SR 49, Macon to Milledgeville

Central division

• US 41, Macon to Perry, US 341 to Hawkinsville, US 129 to Ocilla, SR 32 to Douglas, SR 158 to Waycross, US 1 to Jacksonville
  • By 1923, SR 32, Douglas to Nicholls and Bickley Highway (?) to Waycross; 1924 shows Telmore-Bickley Road (?) or via Alma; 1926 shows Bickley Highway (?) or via Alma

Carolina division

• US 25 to Waynesboro

Newspaper articles

1915 definition

from Atlanta Constitution, Automobile Men Interested in the Dixie Highway Tour, October 17, 1915

• The route from Chicago leads through Danville, Ill,; Indianapolis, Ind.; French Lick, Ind.; Louisville, Ky.; Nashville, Tenn.; Chattanooga, Tenn.; Atlanta, Ga.; Macon, Ga.; Albany, Ga.; Tallahassee, Fla.; Jacksonville, Fla.: [Cocoa?], Fla.; West Palm Beach, Fla.; and Miami, Fla., where the Dixie Highway ends.

May 23 article

AGREES to SPLIT DIXIE HIGHWAY

Indiana Routes Chosen CHATTANOOGA, lean., May selected for The DIXIE HIGHWAY FOLLOW: Weft Momence, Watoeka, Hoopestown, Danville [?] Bedford, Paoll Bloom- IiiralBvUle had taken In Washing.

The DIXIE HIGHWAY In its Complicated System, then, then, as selected by The commis- sioners, May be thus described: Leaving Chicago, The Route comes by Way of Chi- cago Heights and Danville, 111,

Atlanta, jlbnesboro, Griffin, Maeon, Americas, Albany, imiahastee, Live Oak, Lake City JTackMuiTflle, fit. Augustine, Folm Beach Miami Boot Route (Joining mrt Route at ladian- Dayton, ctacto- Covington, WUUaoutown, George- town, Lexington, Richmond, Cumberland Knoxvtlle, Boekwood, Dayton, CbattMMogs Dalton, Calhonn, at- tenta, MeDoaongh, Jackion, Maeon (Bart rente from to Jacksonville to be selected [Special to The Indianapolis Star.

JuatbihtoS Downward into The Weit Point, ElUabethtown, Care City, Bowl ing Green, EoMOllvlIle Springfield, Nashville, ShelbyrlHe, Se. waaee, Montemgle, CHATTANOOGA (Tenn.) lafayette, SnmnwrriUe, Borne, CmrterarUle Bornesville Thomuvilli CONTINUED on page 6, COLUMN 5.

Agrees to Split way CONCLUDED PROM page ONE.

The WEST routes from Indianapolis to Chattanooga comes by way of Loiflsville AND' Nashville. when The Dixie Highway .Commission- ers went into their FINAL open session, following-The adjournment from late.Fri- day Afternoon, The hearing of The in-

he declared' That this, route would traverse five counties having a -popula- tion 'of over roads already built ja'nd in splendid condition.

"this enthusiasm from The southern extremity of Florida to Michigan, AND all along The proposed Dixie Highway route, delightfully surprises he said'.

a resolution was adopted providing That The various links must be.completed within a year. The proposition of selecting an east AND WEST Highway, which, The Commission explained, will be of equal importance AND standing, was proposed by'Comniis-

The links in The Highway from Chatta- nooga to Macon, Ga., were selected as follows: Chattanooga to route, Via Lafayette AND Borne; east route, Via Dalton AND roads joining at Cartersville. s Atlanta to route, Via Griffith AND route, Via McDonough. arid! The section of'The-WEST'Dixie Highway South of Macon designated Via Albany, Thomasville, Tallahassee, Lake City AND Jacksonville to Miami.

he suggested a route for The' Dixie Highway by ..way ,of New Albany, Faoll, Terre' Haute, which described of our purest to Paris, 111., AND from That place

Plan North AND South Loops. The Commission adopted a Plan look- Ing toward connecting up The North por- tion of The east AND wqst routes with a road along The eastern AND western shores of 'Lake Michigan AND connecting portion with a road from Miami along The WEST coast of Florida, thus making a continuing' loop of The high- way. [?] The Commission voted to invite Michigan into The association to provide The Lake loop, AND pledged itself to ex- tend The east route from Dayton, O., North through Toledo to Detroit. The Florida commissioners were authorized to investigate extensions from Miami up The WEST coast joining The Highway be- tween Tallahassee AND Jacksonville.

State and U.S. Highways

Western division

• IL: 1, 10
• IN: 33, N/A, 22, 5 (US 150)
• KY: US 31, US 68, N/A
• TN: 65?, 1 (US 41), 10, 16, 15?, 2 (US 41), 27
• GA: 1, 4, 3 (US 41), 7 (US 41), 19 (US 41), 49, 3
• FL: 10, 19, 29, 2 (US 41), 2, 86?, 5 (US 41), 27 (US 41), 27 (US 94)

In short: Illinois Route 1, U.S. Route 136 (since 1951), U.S. Route 31, U.S. Route 41, U.S. Route 19 (since 1929-30), and then Florida: U.S. Route 27 (since 1949), U.S. Route 441 (since 1951 south of Orlando), U.S. Route 17 (since 1932), U.S. Route 41

Eastern division

• MI: 12 (US 2), 10 (US 23), 10 (US 10), 56 (US 25)
• OH: 6 (US 25), 6?
• KY: US 25W, US 25, US 25W
• TN: 9 (US 25W), 1 (US 70), 29
• GA: 3 (US 41), 12, 24, 20, 21, 25 (US 17), 27 (US 17)
• FL: 3 (US 17), 4 (US 1)

In short: U.S. Route 23, U.S. Route 25, U.S. Route 27 (since 1934), U.S. Route 41, State Route 24, U.S. Route 17, U.S. Route 1

Michigan loop

• MI: 11 (US 31), 16 (US 16), 13 (US 131), 17 (US 12), 40, 58 (US 31)
• IN: 1 (US 31), N/A, 15

In short: U.S. Route 31

Bay City-Detroit

• MI: 81, 31, 19 (US 25)

Indianapolis-Dayton

• IN: 3 (US 40)
• OH: 11

In short: [{U.S. Route 40]]

Carolina division

• TN: 9 (US 25)
• NC: 20 (US 25), 29 (US 25)
• SC: 21 (US 25)
• GA: 21

In short: U.S. Route 25

Central division

• GA: 11, 32, 15 (US 1)
• FL: 4 (US 1)

In short: U.S. Route 129 (since 1941), U.S. Route 1

Tallahassee-Jacksonville

• FL: 1 (US 90)

In short: U.S. Route 90

Arcadia-West Palm Beach

• FL: 18, 8, 194?, 25

Cultural references

Noting that the "Cultural references" section was deleted, I thought it worth discussing whether this was an appropriate move. As a point of comparison, the article U.S. Route 66 has a subsection entitled Route 66 and pop culture, and the highway has become enough a cultural icon that I don't think an argument for the removal of the section would pass muster. Dixie Highway may not have as much notoriety as Route 66, but it has enough enough that it is worth asking, can a case be made for Dixie Highway being enough of a cultural icon that it deserves mention in the article? --Mwalimu59 21:26, 17 August 2007 (UTC)

If you can find sources that state that it has become a cultural icon, sure. A few songs that mention it does not count. --NE2 02:55, 18 August 2007 (UTC)

I know that there is a yearly celebration of the Dixie Highway called Drivin' the Dixie in many of the towns in Illinois that it passed through. Here's a link to a local newspaper article about the celebration: http://www.commercial-news.com/archivesearch/local_story_159230416.html 130.126.171.107 06:11, 15 September 2007 (UTC)

How about the KFC birthplace that still exists on the "Dixie Highway" in Kentucky (Corbin)? Maps declare its address as W. Dixie Hwy (or US 25W). Is that "cultural" enough? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 139.55.101.10 (talk) 18:41, 24 October 2008 (UTC)

Since I posted the original comment above, the "in popular culture" section has been removed from U.S. Route 66 and relegated to a couple of sentences in the article header. If a popular culture section is no longer considered appropriate for that highway, I doubt if a case can be made for putting one back in this article or any other about a highway. --Mwalimu59 (talk) 22:53, 24 October 2008 (UTC)

Moved from the article

This is a bit too detailed, at least without figures from other years:

By 1925 the Dixie Highway system had 5,786 miles of paved roads. In places it incorporated older local and county paved roads.

This is true of all old roads:

In rural areas, the paved portion was often just a single lane; when two vehicles needed to pass each other, one or both needed to pull partway onto the road's shoulder.

And this needs a reference:

Much of the southern portion of the highway was paved with brick from Alabama.

--NE2 13:37, 18 August 2007 (UTC)

Spitting into state-detail articles

It has been suggested that this be split up, but no rationale has been added to the talk page. At this time, I oppose such an effort as premature. The parent article at the moment is not so overly detailed, nor so overly lengthy, as to call for a split. We can concentrate our editing here for now to improve this article, and if we get too much per WP:SIZE, then we can talk about a split. Imzadi 1979 → 01:47, 22 November 2015 (UTC)

I also oppose a split. At this time, I do not see why the Dixie Highway or any other auto trail should have a state-detail page as all the information can be covered in the main article without overburdening it. Should the main article be greatly expanded, then it may be split into state-detail pages similar to the Interstates and U.S. Routes. Dough4872 05:56, 22 November 2015 (UTC)

Oppose. Not enough content. Plain and simple. KyuuA4 (Talk:キュウ) 00:25, 19 December 2015 (UTC)

I'm removing the split template as there seems to be no consensus for such a move.– Gilliam (talk) 11:23, 19 June 2016 (UTC)

seemingly random organization

I was just looking at the latter part of "After establishment of U.S. Highway System", particularly starting at "The Dixie Highway-Hastings, Espanola and Bunnell Road", I can't grasp how that's organized. (I'm not saying the rest of the article is well-organized, this is just the part that I happened to look at.) Maybe I'm missing something, but it feels like it's just a bunch of random facts.

I understand the desire to "improve" an article by adding relevant facts, but an article that is just a bunch of disorganized facts (though the facts may be related in some way), it's not really an improvement. Alternatively, if we can't establish a sensible way to organize it but feel compelled to add a fact, then make it a bullet list and there will be less expectation that there is some kind of organization. Fabrickator (talk) 05:16, 26 June 2024 (UTC)