Running from Fort Kent, Maine, to Key West, Florida, U.S. One has served as the site and symbol for East Coast travel for much of the twentieth century. Stretching 2,377 miles, Route One got its name in 1925—when federal highway numbering began—as a recognition of the road's history as the primary conduit for passengers, commerce, information, and culture along the Atlantic seaboard. Much like Route 66, Route One became a popular site for exploring "local color" and roadside excursions. In 1938, the Federal Writers' Project published a popular guidebook highlighting distinctive landmarks, historical sites, and even local foods found along the route. Although still in active use by the late 1990s, U.S. One has lost much of its traffic to newer Interstates that allow travel at faster speeds.

Further Reading:

Malcolm, Andrew, and Roger Straus. U.S. 1: America's Original Main Street. New York, St. Martin's Press, 1991.