Doug Gelbert

Look Up, America! I-81: Walking Tours of Towns Along the Appalachian Corridor Doug Gelbert

Interstate 81 was established in 1957 with construction beginning in New York State. The route traced historic US Route 11 through the spine of the Appalachian Mountains. US 11 was created in 1926 and carried early car travelers from New Orleans to the Canadian border. I-81 was not as ambitious, only covering 855 of the 1,645 miles of US II, beginning in eastern Tennessee and running through upstate New York. The Interstate does not enter any major metropolitan areas as it connects the mid-South with the major markets of the Northeast, a circumstance that quickly made the corridor a favorite of truckers. Today trucks account for an estimated 25% to 40% of all traffic on stretches of I-81. The route serves smaller, architecturally interesting industrial cities like Scranton and Syracuse and Binghamton and Roanoke and we will begin our explorations just below the Canadian border in Watertown and flow south. There is no better way to see the towns along Interstate 81 than on foot. And there is no better way to appreciate what you are looking at than with a walking tour. Whether you are visiting a new town or just out to look at your own town in a new way, a walking tour is ready to explore when you are. Each walking tour describes a mix of historical and architectural and ecclesiastical landmarks. Tours Included: Watertown NY Syracuse NY Binghamton NY Scranton PA Wilkes-Barre PA Pottsville PA Harrisburg PA Carlisle PA Hagerstown MD Winchester VA Harrisonburg VA Staunton VA Lexington VA Roanoke VA Abingdon VA