This road was originally an old Indian trail.

This road was the main highway before the Civil War and was originally an old Indian trail. About 1840, there were several wagon stands, as they were called, along this road where those who went to haul produce and supplies to and from Alexandria used to stop for the night. One of these wagon stands is on land of Arnold Harpine, two miles from Rinkerton, west of the Middle Road. This road was sometimes called the Harrisonburg Road. Another stand was at Bowman's Crossing at the Big Pond, at the intersection of the roads. This road was also called the Ox Road, and by the Dutch settlers, the Sthross.

The last drove of long horn cattle (Texas) that went over this road was in 1875, and were put up at Rinkerton for the night.

Source: Virginia W.P.A. Historical Inventory Project, 1937

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