Janesville Plank Road
Side A:
The Janesville Plank Road was one of 16 privately-owned toll roads authorized by Wisconsin’s Territorial legislature in 1848. The road was specified to follow a 65 mile route from Milwaukee through East Troy to Janesville. Its roadbed was built on the 1838 Janesville Territorial Road, which followed an Indian Trail extending southwestward from rice marshes near river mouths in the Milwaukee area to Janesville.
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Side B:
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From 1849-1854 only a 24 mile section was completed starting near present day Forest Home Cemetery in Milwaukee and reaching Mukwonago. The road was built primarily of oak planks laid across oak logs. Toll booths placed every few miles collected fees. Rapid decay of waterlogged planks and short-lived commercial success due to the growth of competing railroads led to the demise of the plank road.
Marker is on West Forest Home Avenue ¼ mile west of South 92nd Street, on the right when traveling south.
Courtesy hmdb.org
