Hoosier Dusty Files - December 14, 1799 - Men Required to Work Two Days Each Year on Roads

A Year of Indiana History - 2016
A Year of Indiana History - 2016

December 14, 1799 - Men Required to Work Two Days Each Year on Roads
The Northwest Territory General Assembly met for its first session in Cincinnati from September 16, 1799 until December 19, 1799. The Assembly passed the 1799 Road Law that required men between twenty-one and fifty years of age to work two days a year on public roads. In addition, the law authorized county commissioners to appoint supervisors to oversee the roadwork done. This law revised an earlier law in 1792 that had required ten days of work. This law also required signposts at important road intersections and outlined road specifications. During this period, most roads began near gristmills, an important structure in frontier life.
Indiana possesses a rich history that is fun to read and learn. This Hoosier Dusty Files is in an easy to read “this day in history format” and includes articles from the author's A Year in Indiana History series. Visitors may read the articles as they appear or purchase the book:
A Year of Indiana History - 2016

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