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History

Zane's Trace ends at Maysville

Early commonwealth Mason County

In May 1796, Congress backed Col. Ebenezer Zane's plan to cut a road through the Northwest Territory "to speed up travel times to Kentucky." Built in 1796–97 with his brother Jonathan, son-in-law John McIntire, and a Native guide named Tomepomehala, the road followed old Indian paths such as the Mingo and Moxahala trails.

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Zane's Trace at Maysville

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It ran more than 230 miles from Wheeling to the Ohio River across from Maysville (old Limestone).

For settlers who didn't want to float the river, it made Maysville the overland door into the Bluegrass. That traffic helps explain why the road south from Maysville to Lexington mattered so much later. (Wikipedia)

Kentucky today

Map of Zane’s Trace from Wheeling to the Ohio River opposite Maysville

Map of Zane’s Trace from Wheeling to the Ohio River opposite Maysville

Map: Clement Martzloff Wikimedia Commons License: Public domain

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Zane's Trace at Maysville
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Sources and research

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Cite this story

Published . Last revised .

Chicago

Snowden, Shannon. "Zane's Trace ends at Maysville." Kentucky History Drive. Published November 5, 2026. Last revised November 5, 2026. https://kyhistorydrive.com/stories/zanes-trace-ends-at-maysville/.

MLA

Snowden, Shannon. "Zane's Trace ends at Maysville." Kentucky History Drive, published 5 Nov. 2026, last revised 5 Nov. 2026, https://kyhistorydrive.com/stories/zanes-trace-ends-at-maysville/.

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