By Alex Bradford Cobb | Published: 7-8-26 | Last updated: 7-8-26
The Historic National Road is America’s first federally funded highway — authorized by President Thomas Jefferson in 1806 and built to open the nation to the west. It runs 156 miles across Indiana from Richmond in the east to West Terre Haute in the west, following US-40 through small towns, historic Pike towns, and Indiana farmland that looks much the same as it did when the first wagons rolled through in the 1830s.
Most people drive Route 66. Fewer people know that Indiana has its own version — older, quieter, and in many ways more historically significant. Richmond is the National Road’s Indiana gateway, and it’s where you should start.
The route: Richmond → Centerville → Cambridge City → Knightstown → Indianapolis → Plainfield → Terre Haute Total distance: 156 miles Drive time without stops: About 3 hours Drive time with proper stops: A full day, comfortably
Start Here: The Old National Road Welcome Center — Richmond
Before you leave Richmond, stop at the Old National Road Welcome Center at 5701 National Rd. E, right off I-70. It’s run by the Wayne County Convention and Tourism Bureau and carries maps, guides, and the official National Road packet with all 15 interpretive panels that run from Richmond to Terre Haute. There’s also a gift shop with made-in-Indiana merchandise and Historic National Road collectibles. It’s the logical starting point — and it costs nothing.
While you’re on the east end of Richmond, look for the Madonna of the Trail Monument in Glen Miller Park — an 18-foot tribute to the pioneer women who traveled west, one of only 12 identical statues placed along the National Old Trails Road from Maryland to California. Dedicated in 1928 by the Daughters of the American Revolution, it’s one of the most significant monuments in Indiana and most people drive past it without stopping.
Stop 1: Uranus Fudge Factory & General Store — Richmond
6400 National Rd. E, Richmond, IN 47374 | I-70 Exit 156B | Open daily 9 AM – 8 PM (EST)
Full disclosure: this is our store. We’re putting it first on the itinerary not because we own it but because it genuinely is the first notable stop heading west on the National Road from the Ohio border — and because getting fudge early means you have snacks for the rest of the drive.
Uranus Richmond is the largest of our three locations — 15,000 square feet on the Historic National Road, right at I-70 Exit 156B. Inside: the full Uranus gift shop, fresh fudge made daily in our on-site kitchen in 19 flavors, a biplane suspended from the ceiling, and a mini golf course and playground with a two-story slide out back. Hot dogs and ice cream are in a separate building. Outside, three dinosaurs with anatomically incorrect wrists guard the parking lot. Ask for Mason or Aimee if they’re working.
The Richmond store is what we like to think of as the National Road’s answer to Route 66’s most famous stops — a roadside destination with something for everyone, right at the start of the drive.
Last week, in June, an entire bus of senior citizens pulled in and had a grande-olde-time.
Stop 2: Centerville — Indiana’s Best-Preserved Pike Town
~8 miles west of Richmond on US-40
Centerville was founded in 1814 — before the National Road even arrived — and it remains one of the finest examples of an early 19th-century Pike town in Indiana. The main street is still lined with commercial buildings and row houses, some up to 200 years old. Several of the oldest homes still feature original covered archways on the side where carriages pulled off the road to reach stables in the rear.
Walk the historic district, stop into a local antique shop, and see the beautifully restored Oliver P. Morton House — home of Indiana’s Civil War-era governor. Centerville is also the heart of Antique Alley, the 40-mile stretch of US-40 between here and Knightstown that contains over 1,200 antique dealers and shops. If antiquing is your thing, you could spend an entire day on this stretch alone.
Stop 3: Cambridge City — Huddleston Farmhouse Inn Museum
~15 miles west of Richmond on US-40
The Huddleston Farmhouse Inn Museum is one of the most genuinely interesting stops on the Indiana National Road. John Huddleston built this Federal-style farmhouse and inn in 1839 specifically to serve National Road travelers — offering food, lodging, and rest for both people and animals making the long journey west. Today it’s a museum operated by Indiana Landmarks, with the original farmhouse, outbuildings, and furnishings restored to period condition.
Standing here, you can picture exactly what the National Road felt like in 1845: dusty, busy, full of wagons and families heading somewhere they’d never been. It’s a rarer feeling than it sounds.
Stop 4: Knightstown — Hoosier Gym & Antique Alley
~35 miles west of Richmond on US-40
Two reasons to stop in Knightstown. First: Hoosier Gym, the actual gymnasium used in the 1986 film Hoosiers — still standing, still looking exactly like it did in the movie. For anyone who grew up watching that film, it’s worth 20 minutes. Second: Knightstown is the western anchor of Antique Alley, so if you’ve been restraining yourself through Centerville and Cambridge City, this is your last chance.
The Texaco Museum in Knightstown is also worth a look — an authentically restored filling station that tells the story of roadside fuel stops along the National Road, which is exactly the kind of hyperspecific local history that makes road trips interesting.
Stop 5: Indianapolis — Washington Street & the Arts Garden
~70 miles west of Richmond
Within Indianapolis, the Historic National Road becomes Washington Street — the city’s main east-west corridor. The road doesn’t lose its identity in the city; it just gets busier.
Worth stopping for: the Indianapolis Arts Garden, a seven-story glass bridge above Washington Street connecting two downtown malls, hosting visual art exhibitions year-round. The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis — the largest children’s museum in the world, with over 105,000 artifacts — is a few blocks off the route and worth the detour if you’re traveling with kids. The Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art is another strong option.
Indianapolis is the obvious lunch stop on the drive. Washington Street has everything from local diners to national chains; for something more distinctive, head a few blocks in either direction from the route.
Stop 6: Plainfield — The Diner & Drive-In
~90 miles west of Richmond on US-40
Plainfield has two classic roadside stops. The Diner is a preserved 1950s stainless steel diner on US-40, the kind that looks like it was airlifted from 1955 and set down intact. Good food, great atmosphere, and the right kind of anachronistic for a National Road road trip.
The drive-in theater in Plainfield — one of the few still operating in Indiana — is worth checking the schedule for if you’re doing this trip over two days. A double feature at a drive-in on the National Road is an excellent way to end a first day on the road.
Stop 7: West Terre Haute — The Western End
~156 miles west of Richmond
The Indiana National Road ends where it meets the Illinois border west of Terre Haute. Before you cross, stop at the Filling Station and Coffee Cottage in Terre Haute — a beautifully restored 1930s stone filling station that’s been converted into a café. It’s the kind of place that makes you slow down, which is the right note to end on.
From here, the National Road continues into Illinois, where it follows US-40 to Vandalia — the original western terminus of the road when federal construction stopped in 1839.
Practical Notes for the Drive
Getting started: The National Road in Indiana begins at I-70 Exit 156B in Richmond. The Old National Road Welcome Center at 5701 National Rd. E has maps, guides, and the official interpretive panel packet — pick these up before you leave Richmond.
Navigation: The route predominantly follows US-40 westbound. Within Indianapolis it becomes Washington Street; I-465 loops around the city for those who want to skip downtown. Watch for Historic National Road signs and the 15 interpretive panels along the route.
One day or two: The full 156 miles takes about 3 hours non-stop. With proper stops — Centerville, Cambridge City, Knightstown, Indianapolis, Plainfield — plan a full day. Two days is comfortable and lets you do the Plainfield drive-in.
Best season: Year-round, but fall is exceptional — the Antique Alley stretch through Centerville and Cambridge City is peak leaf season and the Huddleston Farmhouse looks particularly good in October.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Historic National Road in Indiana? America’s first federally funded highway, authorized by President Jefferson in 1806. In Indiana it runs 156 miles from Richmond to West Terre Haute along US-40, passing through historic Pike towns, Indianapolis, and rural farmland largely unchanged since the 1840s.
Where does the National Road start in Indiana? Richmond, Indiana — at I-70 Exit 156B near the Ohio border. The Old National Road Welcome Center at 5701 National Rd. E is the official starting point and has maps and guides for the full route.
How long does it take to drive the National Road across Indiana? About 3 hours non-stop. With stops at Centerville, Cambridge City, Knightstown, Indianapolis, and Plainfield, plan a full day. Two days is comfortable.
Is the Historic National Road the same as Route 66? No — the National Road is older. Authorized in 1806 and built in the 1810s–1830s, it predates Route 66 by more than a century. Route 66 was established in 1926. The National Road runs east-west from Maryland to Illinois; Route 66 runs from Chicago to Santa Monica. Indiana’s National Road is Indiana’s equivalent of Route 66 — a historic highway with roadside character and small-town stops worth exploring.
Where is Uranus on the National Road? Uranus Fudge Factory & General Store is at 6400 National Rd. E, Richmond, IN 47374 — right on the Historic National Road at I-70 Exit 156B, the first major stop heading west from the Ohio border. Open daily 9 AM – 8 PM (EST).
What towns does the Historic National Road pass through in Indiana? Richmond, Centerville, Cambridge City, Knightstown, Indianapolis (as Washington Street), Plainfield, Greencastle, Brazil, and Terre Haute, before crossing into Illinois.
For things to do specifically in Richmond, Indiana, see our guide at UranusIndiana.com. For the Anderson, Indiana store and things to do in Madison County, see UranusIndiana.com.
Alex Bradford Cobb is a strapping young man who works for the Mayor in a semi-legal indentured servitude arrangement, similar to how Dubai was built, and possibly the pyramids. What works, works, and there’s no need to reinvent the wheel.