With the beginning of the present century, the topography of Madison County was unbroken by a single road, and for years after its organization what were called roads were little better than wagon-tracks through the forest and prairie, following the Indian trails. At a session of the Associate Judges of Franklin County, September 8, 1803, the following item appears as a part of the record of that session: "On the prayer of a petition signed by a number of citizens, house and free holders of Franklin County, praying for the view of a road to lead from the public square in Franklinton to Springfield, Greene County, to be on the straightest and nearest direction toward Springfield as the nature of the ground and circumstances will admit of a good road: Ordered, that Thomas Morehead, Alexander Blair and George Skidmore be appointed Viewers of said road, who, or any two of them, shall view the same as far as the line between Franklin and Greene Counties, and make report to our January term next. It is further ordered that Capt. John Blair be appointed Surveyor to attend said Viewers on the above premises, and survey said road, and return a fair plat or survey thereof, as required by law, to our January session next." At the March term of 1804, these Viewers reported to the court that they had marked out said road as far as Big Darby. The court received the report and ordered the Supervisor "to open said road thirty-three feet wide, and make it passable for loaded wagons." At the same session it was "ordered that Lucas Sullivant be appointed Surveyor, to attend the Viewers of the road from Franklinton to Springfield, and to survey and return a plat thereof of that part which has not been viewed."
This road crossed Big Darby about one mile south of the present site of the Little Miami railroad bridge; thence west to the town of Hampton (Jefferson); thence, taking the same direction, passing through Lawrenceville and about a mile north of the site of Somerford, striking the line between Madison and Clark Counties after passing through what used to be known as "Bailey's Woods." It was one of those primitive "corduroy," mud roads, well remembered by the old settlers yet living, and it was a common occurrence, during the wet seasons, for the stages and wagons to break down or stick so fast in the mud that the passengers would be compelled to get out and walk. Each man would get a rail and carry it along to pry the vehicle out of the deeper mud-holes, thus assisting the jaded horses in their laborious work. In dry weather, this class of roads were very fine to travel on, being preferable, in fact, to the pikes of a later day. On the 19th of March, 1811, Michael Dickey was appointed Road Commissioner by the Board of Commissioners of Madison County, to expend $175 on the State road inside the limits of this county. The money had been appropriated two years previously, by the Ohio Legislature, toward the improvement of said road.
Upon the erection of Madison County, the inhabitants dwelling within its boundaries soon realized the necessity of public roads, and we find that the people of Union and Stokes Townships petitioned the Commissioners, September 3, 1810, for a road to run from Miner's Ford, on Deer Creek, to the Greene County line. Jeremiah Miner, Andrew Cypherd and John Mozer, Viewers; Patrick McLene, Surveyor. This road was surveyed and viewed in October, 1810, at the expense of Robert Hume, and is called Hume's road on the records. In December, the Commissioners ordered this road to be opened fifty feet wide for a public highway. On the 3d of September, 1810, the inhabitants of Union and Pleasant Townships petitioned for a road to begin on the Fayette County line, at the end of the road established by the Commissioners of Ross County, ere the erection of Fayette and Madison, running thence in a northwesterly direction through Pleasant and Union Townships, on the best route to Urbana, Champaign County. The Viewers were Peter P. Helphenstine, Hugh Montgomery and William Lewis; Patrick McLene, Surveyor. The road was laid out in February, 1811, and in March the Commissioners ordered the same to bo opened as a public highway, its width not to exceed sixty-six feet. It ran some distance west of London, to a certain point on the line between Madison and Champaign Counties. Among the old settlers it bore the name of "Langham's trace."
In December, 1810, James Ewing petitioned for a road to run from the east line of Madison County, starting about three miles south of the northeast corner of the same, and run westwardly on the best and most direct line to Urbana. James Ewing, William Chard and George D. Roberts, Viewers; Joshua Ewing, Surveyor. The petition was granted and the road ordered to be opened. At the same session, John Blair presented a petition for a road beginning on the east line of Madison County, about three or four miles south of the northeast corner of said county, and run in the highest and best course to Blairsville. William Chard, John Blair and Abijah Cary were the Viewers, and Joshua Ewing surveyed the road. Both of these roads were opened in the spring of 1811, and their respective width was not to exceed sixty-six feet. In 1812, a road was opened from London to Dyer's Mill, on Big Darby. It was viewed by John Murfin, Hugh Montgomery and John Wilson, and surveyed by Patrick McLene.
Throughout these earlier years, roads were opened in every portion of the county, and running in every direction. These highways were wide enough, but, as a rule, were execrable in wet weather. The undrained country partly explains the cause. At certain times, when the ground was frozen and worn smooth, or dry and solid, no roads were better; but for many years the proceeds of the road laws, in money or labor, were totally inadequate to keep them even in tolerable condition at the time most wanted, and only within recent years has it dawned into the minds of our road makers that a good drainage is essential to a good road-bed. Fifty years ago, in every section of the county, the "corduroy" was found on every road, which was the name given to the roads made of rails or poles placed crosswise, through the soft and miry places. Occasionally, heavy loads at this day will cut through the gravel crust and tear up fragments of the hidden "corduroy."