Black and Yellow Trail
Encyclopedia
The Black and Yellow Trail was the promotional name for the portion of US 14 nominally linking the Black Hills
of South Dakota
to Yellowstone National Park
. Established in 1912, the signed route was extended by promoters to Chicago in the east. In 1919, it was proposed as a brand for a continuous route from Boston, Massachusetts to Seattle, Washington
with the motto "a good road from Plymouth Rock
to Puget Sound
." The headquarters for the promotional association were established in Huron, South Dakota
with the aim of diverting traffic from the better-known Yellowstone Trail
to the north. The Black and Yellow Trail also included portions of US 16, US 20, and US 41.
The Black and Yellow Trail is notable for a 1924 speech by South Dakota
state historian Doane Robinson
given to the route's organizers, where he first mentioned his proposal to carve figures of historical figures at Mount Rushmore
.
Black Hills
The Black Hills are a small, isolated mountain range rising from the Great Plains of North America in western South Dakota and extending into Wyoming, USA. Set off from the main body of the Rocky Mountains, the region is something of a geological anomaly—accurately described as an "island of...
of South Dakota
South Dakota
South Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
to Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone National Park
Yellowstone National Park, established by the U.S. Congress and signed into law by President Ulysses S. Grant on March 1, 1872, is a national park located primarily in the U.S. state of Wyoming, although it also extends into Montana and Idaho...
. Established in 1912, the signed route was extended by promoters to Chicago in the east. In 1919, it was proposed as a brand for a continuous route from Boston, Massachusetts to Seattle, Washington
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
with the motto "a good road from Plymouth Rock
Plymouth Rock
Plymouth Rock is the traditional site of disembarkation of William Bradford and the Mayflower Pilgrims who founded Plymouth Colony in 1620. It is an important symbol in American history...
to Puget Sound
Puget Sound
Puget Sound is a sound in the U.S. state of Washington. It is a complex estuarine system of interconnected marine waterways and basins, with one major and one minor connection to the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Pacific Ocean — Admiralty Inlet being the major connection and...
." The headquarters for the promotional association were established in Huron, South Dakota
Huron, South Dakota
Huron is a city in Beadle County, South Dakota, United States. The population was 12,592 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Beadle County. Huron was the home of now-defunct Huron University since 1897. Huron is also the home of the South Dakota State Fair...
with the aim of diverting traffic from the better-known Yellowstone Trail
Yellowstone Trail
The Yellowstone Trail was the first transcontinental automobile highway through the upper tier of states in the United States. It ran from Massachusetts to Seattle. It was conceived by J.W. Parmley of Ipswich, South Dakota in 1912. Originally, Parmley and his business colleagues wanted a good road...
to the north. The Black and Yellow Trail also included portions of US 16, US 20, and US 41.
The Black and Yellow Trail is notable for a 1924 speech by South Dakota
South Dakota
South Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
state historian Doane Robinson
Doane Robinson
Jonah LeRoy "Doane" Robinson was a state historian of South Dakota who conceived of the idea for the Mount Rushmore National Memorial.-Early life:...
given to the route's organizers, where he first mentioned his proposal to carve figures of historical figures at Mount Rushmore
Mount Rushmore
Mount Rushmore National Memorial is a sculpture carved into the granite face of Mount Rushmore near Keystone, South Dakota, in the United States...
.