Rural
During the 19th century, most roads were still unpaved. The Good Roads movement formed in 1894 in an effort to improve the muddy, unstable condition of roads. This movement was urged in part by the bicycle enthusiasts of the 1890s who found getting around quite difficult and dangerous. This effort, though, was slow going, as few roads were paved yet in the early 20th century.
The Post Office Appropriation Bill of 1912 sought to improve roads into rural areas for mail delivery.
The 1920s were the Golden Age of road building. During this time many roads were flattened, straightened, and paved with cement or asphalt.
Although a significant amount of road improvement took place in the 1920s, there was still much to be done. As part of Roosevelt's New Deal, between 1933 and 1938, WPA workers paved old roads and constructed new ones. A significant amount of roadwork was done in Vermont during this time, much of which was documented photographically.
Rural Vermont Highways: Images courtesy of the University of Vermont Landscape Change Program and the Vermont State Archives.
