Highway 40 Centennial

Timeline of the Road

Two cars stuck on a mud road circa 1910s. [State Historical Society of Missouri, Leonard D. and Marie H. Rehkop Collection of Algert T. Peterson Photographs, C3888-G0043]

Early Cross-Country Travel

Before automobiles, traveling across Missouri was more work than pleasure and required careful navigation of farm roads, stagecoach routes, and even walking paths. While manageable on horseback and somewhat less so by wagon, it was nearly impossible in a car. In 1911, Governor Herbert Hadley announced plans for Missouri’s first cross-state highway. After a seven hour committee hearing in the stifling August heat of Jefferson City, the central route connecting Kansas City and St. Louis via Columbia was finally agreed upon and given the name “Old Trails Road.” Funding eventually fell short for this ambitious project but the foundation had been laid.

Photo: State Historical Society of Missouri, Leonard D. and Marie H. Rehkop Collection of Algert T. Peterson Photographs, C3888-G0043

The Good Roads Movement

Realizing the need for better transportation—and the funds to make it happen—the Good Roads Movement began advocating for a 1920 ballot initiative that would bond for $60 million to build and maintain a cross-state road. Support for paved roads didn’t just come from auto enthusiasts—Missouri “wheelmen” (AKA bicyclists) also threw their weight behind this project. The Good Roads Movement started their campaign in St. Louis with much fanfare and a truck tour of the state—and promptly got stuck in the mud. The whole entourage, trucks included, was loaded onto a train and taken back to St. Louis. In spite of this (or perhaps because of this) the ballot initiative passed in 1921 and by 1931, 7500 miles of road had been built.

Photo: Kansas City Public Library, Missouri Valley Special Collections

Members of the Kansas City Bicycle Club pose with their bikes in the late 1890s. [Kansas City Public Library, Missouri Valley Special Collections]

Hickman High School circa 1950. [Missouri State Historical Society]

Birth of Highway 40

Although the Old Trails Road had been mapped through Columbia, within town the road was known as More’s Boulevard. Columbia’s northernmost road was named after wealthy farmer and landowner E.C. More, who also built the artificial lake that bears his name. By 1926, More’s Boulevard and the Old Trails Road would be incorporated into the new federal numbered highway system. Highway 40 connected two additional auto trails—the National Road and the Victory Road—to create one of America’s first cross-country highways. Columbians recognized the value this road and built Hickman High School on 40 acres of property that had once been home to the Boone County Fair. About decade later, the first cancer hospital west of the Mississippi, Ellis Fischel, was built just down the road on the site of a baseball park used by Columbia’s semi-pro team.

Photo: Missouri State Historical Society

The Travel Boom

While Highway 40 was important during WWII to transport troops and supplies, it came into its own during the post-war period when more Americans owned cars and found time for leisure travel. Service stations began popping up along the street to cater to travelers needing gas and fix-a-flat services. In keeping with the era’s love of Westerns, many of the auto courts and restaurants bore names like the Arrow Head Motel, Teepee Town, or the Wigwam Cafe that likely wouldn’t be chosen today. Others, such as the All States Motor Court or the Drive-eat-eria leaned into the new automobile lifestyle with motels and restaurants designed for drive-up travelers. In fact, Ray Kroc handpicked a spot on the road for Columbia’s first McDonald’s.

Photo: Nancy Obermiller Kiser, You Know You're From Columbia MO When Facebook group

Shoppers at JC Penneys at Parkade Plaza circa 1960s. [Photo on display at Parkade Plaza]

Interstate 70

The Federal-Aid Highway Act was signed in 1956 and Missouri lays claim to building the first interstate in America. Roughly tracing the same route as Highway 40 through the state, I-70 diverted travelers off the highway and onto the new interstate. The interstate also ran through the middle of Columbia, splitting the road in two and creating a barrier for residents. The old Highway 40 was renamed Business Loop 70 and despite the loss of travelers, it continued to be Columbia’s main east-west thoroughfare and popular destination for locals. Parkade Plaza was built in 1962 on the site of the former Parkade Drive-In Theater, and customers flocked to the city’s first mall to shop at J.C. Penney, Ben Franklin, Kroger, Tina Fabrics, and Sunshine Pets. And of course, the Flaming Pit was a top spot for diners, largely because their happy hour started a half an hour before their competitors. The success of Parkade Plaza on the new Business Loop led to 80 downtown businesses either closing or moving to Parkade and a widespread (but incorrect) belief that downtown would never recover.

Photo: On display at Parkade Plaza

Slow Down

The heyday was not to last as the popularity of I-70 continued to pull travelers away from the Business Loop. Despite being a MoDOT road, state and federal funding shifted away from the old highway system and maintenance and repairs along Business Loop slowed. Although serving more as a city street and less as an interstate travel route, neither the funds nor the will existed to bring the Business Loop up to par with other Columbia roads with sidewalks, crosswalks, landscaping, or other amenities. J.C. Penney pulled out of Parkade Plaza and other retailers and restaurants followed them to the newly built Columbia Mall. Still, many long-time businesses, loyal to the street, chose to stay. Business Loop solidified its position with auto sales and services and home improvement businesses thrived. And kids still cruised The Loop on the weekends. Still, the road was becoming more of a convenient way across town rather than a destination deserving of investment.

Photos: Nancy Obermiller Kiser, You Know You're From Columbia MO When Facebook Group

Intersection of Hwy 40 and West Blvd in 1964. [Nancy Obermiller Kiser, You Know You're from Columbia MO When Facebook Group]

The Road Today

Recognizing that Business Loop 70 was not a priority, a group of property and business owners came together to create the Business Loop Community Improvement District (CID), a local organization that would advocate for the street and provide programs and services over and above what MoDOT or the City were providing. A series of high visibility projects including colorful banners and the transformation of a vacant lot into a park demonstrated the group’s commitment to improvements and the public began taking notice. The CID also built a shared commercial kitchen on the street which is now home to more than 45 small food businesses. Within just a few years, the rehabilitation of the Business Loop was underway.

Photo: The Loop Community Improvement District

What’s Next?

Realizing the path forward required city rather thanMoDOT ownership, the Loop CID partnered with the City of Columbia to secure funding for a massive renovation project. The first step was a $2.13 million planning grant award from the US Department of Transportation—and a smaller but equally important Safe Streets for All grant to identify ways to improve safety for drivers and pedestrians alike. Features to be studied will include a complete streets design, storm water management, beautification elements, and design improvements to intersections, bike lanes, and pedestrian connections. Creating these detailed engineering documents is the first step to take in preparation for a capital improvement project that will upgrade the entire street and is estimated to cost between $25 and $45 million. The public planning process will begin this year.

Photo: City of Columbia and CBB Engineering Road Safety Audit Study

A team of volunteers, including someone on a bike and another in a wheelchair, conducting a Road Safety Audit of the Business Loop.

Most Notable Historic Properties

A number of properties along the old Highway 40 have been designated Most Notable by the City of Columbia's Historic Preservation Commission. Although many historic buildings have been lost over the years, the few that remain are a reminder of how important this road was in the development of the city. Additional information, including historic and architectural details, can be found on the city's Historic Properties Viewer.

Municipal Power Plant and More's Lake

Arrow Head Motel

A black and white photo of the original Ellis Fischel Hospital.

Ellis Fischel State Cancer Hospital

Columbia National Bank, now True Media

Calvary Cemetery, an African-American Cemetery established in 1929

Pierce Pennant Motor Hotel

Columbia Airport, now Cosmo Park

Motor Courts

Also known as tourist camps or cottage courts, these early precursors to motels sprung up along Highway 40 as families purchased automobiles and spent their leisure time on cross-country road trips. In Columbia, motor courts began as collections of small cottages and over time grew into larger motels with courtyards and swimming pools. Designed for single night stays, rather than extended vacations, travelers would mark their progress with free postcards. In an era where a quick telephone call was unheard of, it was a simple way to let folks back home know you were safe.