# data[].attributes.location_name
Cumberland, Maryland - Start of National Road

# data[].attributes.body
Construction began on America's first federally-funded road! The National Road (also called Cumberland Road) started in Cumberland, Maryland, and eventually stretched to Vandalia, Illinois. This major highway allowed countless settlers to move west and helped connect the growing nation. It was nicknamed 'The Main Street of America' and cost about $13,000 per mile to build.

# data[].attributes.location_name
Rome, New York - Erie Canal groundbreaking site

# data[].attributes.body
Governor DeWitt Clinton broke ground on the ambitious Erie Canal project. This 363-mile waterway would connect the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean through the Hudson River. Known as 'Clinton's Ditch' by critics, it proved them wrong by becoming a huge success, dramatically reducing shipping costs and time.

# data[].attributes.location_name
New York Harbor - Erie Canal completion ceremony

# data[].attributes.body
The Erie Canal was finally completed! To celebrate, Governor Clinton performed the 'Wedding of the Waters' ceremony, pouring water from Lake Erie into the Atlantic Ocean. The canal reduced freight costs from $100 to $5 per ton and cut travel time from weeks to just days.

# data[].attributes.body
This 62-mile turnpike was America's first long-distance paved road! It connected Philadelphia to Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and became a model for future turnpike construction. Travelers paid tolls to use this well-maintained road, which was surfaced with crushed stone and gravel.

# data[].attributes.location_name
Baltimore, Maryland - B&O Railroad starting point

# data[].attributes.headline
1827: Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Chartered

# data[].attributes.subject
1827: Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Chartered

# data[].attributes.body
The B&O Railroad became America's first commercial railroad! Baltimore merchants wanted to compete with the Erie Canal and created this revolutionary transportation line. The first 13-mile stretch would open in 1830, using horse-drawn cars before steam locomotives arrived.

# data[].attributes.body
This important canal connected the Chesapeake Bay to the Delaware River, creating a vital shipping route. The 14-mile canal took nearly 5 years to build and required over 2,600 workers. It was an engineering marvel featuring deep cuts through solid rock and four lock systems.

# data[].attributes.location_name
Schenectady, New York - Mohawk & Hudson Railroad

# data[].attributes.body
New York's first railroad began operation between Albany and Schenectady! The famous locomotive 'DeWitt Clinton' made its maiden voyage, carrying passengers the 16-mile distance in just 40 minutes - a journey that previously took all day by stagecoach.

# data[].attributes.location_name
Boston, Massachusetts - Boston and Worcester Railroad terminus

# data[].attributes.body
New England's first major railroad began operations! This important line connected Boston to Worcester, Massachusetts, and later became part of the Boston and Albany Railroad. It helped establish Boston as a major commercial hub and sparked New England's railroad boom.