Route 52 Is No Second Fiddle to Route 66....

Looking for a drive through an entertaining drive along the rivers and streams and hills and valleys of Americana? Try a cruise down Route 52. Like the more-famous Route 66, Route 52 was  commissioned in 1926 and is over 2,000 miles in length. The northern start point of the Route is in Portal, North Dakota (on the Canadian border) and ends in Charleston, South Carolina. Although most US "even number" highways refer to east/west running highways, Route 52 follows a more northwest/southeast route.

In Ohio,  the sections of Route 52 that run along the Ohio River are known as the Ohio River Scenic Byway, which is part of the larger National Scenic Byway Project.  The Byway also has served as an important stop on the Underground Railroad along its three states of Ohio, Indiana and Illinois. Indeed, some of the prominent Underground Railroad stops along Route 52 include New Richmond, Ripley and Moscow

According to Wikipedia, Route 52 is one of five US-designated highways to cross the Mississippi River more than once.  In fact, US 52 crosses the Mississippi three times: at Minneapolis, St Paul and between Iowa and Illinois . http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Route_52

Having driven US Route 52 in Indiana, Ohio and West Virginia, the sites of the weathered tobacco barns, small cities and villages that exude Americana and the roadside history are incredible. If you are looking for a unique weekend drive, hit US Route 52 along the Ohio River and enjoy the ride.