RECOGNIZING THE HISTORY OF THE JEFFERSON HIGHWAY Speaker: Congressman Pat Fallon Publication: Congressional Record Date: 22 September 2023 Subjects: American Government , Roads & Highways Topic: Jefferson Highway

  Mr. FALLON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the remarkable 
history of the Jefferson Highway that runs through Bonham, Texas. This 
route was America's first north-south intercontinental roadway and was 
inspired by the east-west Lincoln Highway that connected Times Square 
in New York City, New York, to Lincoln Park in San Francisco, 
California.
  The Jefferson Highway was first laid in the 1910s as part of the 
National Auto Trail system and was named for President Thomas 
Jefferson. Its southern terminus was in New Orleans, Louisiana, and ran 
through several North Texas cities, including Bonham, before finally 
coming to a stop in Winnipeg, Canada. It was aptly known as the ``Pine 
to Palm Highway'' for the types of trees that drivers could find at 
either end of the route.
  In its early years, Bonham residents were fierce advocates for the 
Jefferson Highway to run through their town to improve automobile 
access across state lines. In fact, in the Jefferson Highway 
Declaration in January of 1918, the citizens of Bonham famously 
declared: ``May Bonham live a thousand years less a day, for Bonham 
would not care to be on the map should the Jefferson Highway go some 
other way.''
  Over a hundred years ago, millions of Americans took the same 
highway, drove on the same roads, and pushed the boundaries of 
innovation to lay the foundations of the civilization that we know 
today.
  I have requested the United States flag to be flown over our Nation's 
Capital to recognize the importance of the Jefferson Highway
to Bonham and the Lone Star State. As the City of Bonham celebrates its 
175th anniversary this year, we should always look to the past every 
now and then to protect and preserve our Nation's history for future 
generations to admire.