The Meaning of “R/W”
If you come across a marker bearing R/W, the abbreviation is an important clue.
It generally refers to right of way.
That doesn't necessarily mean the marker identifies the exact edge of the road surface. Instead, it can indicate the boundary of the legally established road corridor.
That's an important distinction.
A road might have been much narrower than its overall right-of-way width.
So if you're standing beside an old path and discover one of these markers several feet away from what appears to be the former roadway, don't immediately assume the marker is in the wrong place.
It may be telling you about the larger parcel or corridor associated with the road.
What Can an Old Road Marker Tell You?
Quite a lot, especially when you combine it with other clues.
A single marker can suggest that the area was once carefully surveyed and that the road corridor had an official boundary.
But the real fun begins when you start looking around.
You might notice:
- A shallow depression running through the woods
- A raised strip of earth
- Old gravel beneath the vegetation
- A wider clearing than the surrounding forest
- A drainage ditch
- A straight or unusually consistent line through the trees
- Additional concrete markers
- Remnants of an old bridge or culvert
- An abandoned road intersection
- Old fencing following an otherwise mysterious line
Suddenly, the landscape begins to make more sense.
What looked like random bumps and vegetation may actually be the remains of an engineered route.
Why Old Roads Can Be Difficult to See
One of the fascinating things about abandoned roads is how quickly nature can hide them.
A road that once carried cars, trucks, farm equipment, or other traffic can become surprisingly difficult to recognize after decades of neglect.
Grass grows through cracks.
Leaves accumulate.
Roots push through old surfaces.
Rain washes soil across the roadway.
Trees establish themselves along the former shoulders.
Eventually, the distinction between road and forest can become surprisingly subtle.
That's why old infrastructure can be so valuable to historians, hikers, landowners, and people who simply enjoy exploring.
A tiny artificial object can provide a clue that the landscape itself no longer provides.
Look for the Shape of the Land
If you find an old right-of-way marker, don't stop looking at the marker.
Look at everything around it.
The land itself may preserve the outline of the former road.
For example, an old road may leave behind a relatively level strip through otherwise uneven terrain.
You might notice a slight embankment where the road was built up.
Or perhaps there's a shallow ditch running parallel to the route.
Drainage features can be particularly interesting because roads need somewhere for rainwater to go.
Even after the roadway disappears, those subtle changes in elevation can remain visible.
Gravel Can Be Another Clue
Another thing worth watching for is unusual gravel or crushed stone.
A patch of gravel in the middle of a wooded area isn't automatically evidence of an old road. Natural geology and modern activity can create similar features.
But if gravel occurs in a long, relatively straight corridor alongside other clues, the possibility becomes more interesting.
This is where several small pieces of evidence can become more meaningful together.
Why Markers May Appear in Unexpected Places
One of the most surprising things about an old road marker is where you might find it.
You could discover one beside a modern-looking road.
You could find another in an overgrown field.
And occasionally, a marker may appear beside a path that barely resembles a road anymore.
That doesn't necessarily mean the marker was moved.
The surrounding landscape may have changed dramatically while the marker stayed where surveyors originally placed it.
The forest moved in.
The road changed.
The surrounding property changed.
The concrete post simply remained.
What Does “State Road Department” Mean?
The exact terminology can vary by state and by period.
Many states historically had agencies called something along the lines of a State Road Department, while later transportation agencies adopted different names and organizational structures.
That's one reason older infrastructure can contain terminology that sounds unfamiliar today.
A marker referring to a State Road Department may therefore provide a useful clue about the era and governmental organization associated with the road project.
However, the lettering alone isn't always enough to determine an exact date.
If you're trying to identify the age of a particular marker, additional evidence—such as historic maps, road plans, deeds, transportation records, or archival photographs—can be much more useful.
Could This Be an Old Railroad Marker Instead?
This is an important question when you find a marker beside an old railroad bed.
Not every concrete post near an abandoned corridor is necessarily a road right-of-way marker.
Railroads had their own surveying, property, engineering, and boundary markers.
Utility companies and private landowners also used concrete markers.
So the surrounding context matters.
If the marker actually says R/W, that provides an important clue toward a right-of-way interpretation, but the full wording, location, shape, and any other markings should be considered before reaching a firm conclusion.
Old infrastructure is full of objects that look similar but served very different purposes.
How to Investigate an Old Road Marker
If you stumble across one while exploring, you don't necessarily need sophisticated equipment to start investigating.
1. Photograph the Marker
Take several photographs.
Get one from the front, another from the side, and a wider photograph showing its relationship to the path or road.
If there are letters or numbers, photograph them clearly.
2. Look for Other Markers
Walk the area carefully and look for additional posts.
Don't assume there will be another one immediately nearby. Marker placement depended on the particular survey and property boundary.
3. Follow the Landscape
Look for a consistent line through the vegetation.
Does the terrain appear unusually level?
Is there a ditch?
Does gravel continue in one direction?
Do fences or property boundaries seem to follow the same alignment?
These clues can help reconstruct the former route.
4. Check Historical Maps
This can be where the investigation gets really fun.
Compare modern maps with older topographic maps, county maps, property maps, aerial imagery, and historical road records.
A road that disappeared decades ago may still appear on an older map.
5. Look for Historic Road Names
An abandoned road may have had a name that no longer appears on modern maps.
If you can identify an old name, it can make searching historical records much easier.
Why I Love Discoveries Like This
Large historic sites get all the attention.
An old bridge immediately looks historic.
A ruined building tells you that people once lived or worked there.
A railroad trestle is obviously something worth stopping to examine.
But a little concrete post?
That's different.
It's small enough to walk right past.
It doesn't look impressive.
It doesn't have a plaque explaining what it is.
And unless you know what you're looking at, you might never give it a second thought.
That's precisely what makes it fascinating.
A simple marker can be a physical connection to a landscape that has almost completely changed.
The Forest May Be Hiding More Than You Think
This is one of my favorite things about exploring old roads and railroad corridors.
Once you start recognizing the clues, you begin seeing the landscape differently.
A straight line through the trees doesn't look quite so random.
A strange depression in the ground makes you wonder whether it was once a road.
A patch of gravel suddenly seems worth investigating.
And that little concrete post becomes something more than an abandoned piece of concrete.
It becomes a clue.
Perhaps the road is gone.
Perhaps the signs disappeared decades ago.
Perhaps the people who remember driving along it are no longer around.
But the marker stayed.
And sometimes that's enough to start reconstructing the story.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does R/W mean on a concrete road marker?
R/W generally stands for right of way. On a road-related marker, it can indicate the boundary of the legally established road corridor.
Is a right-of-way marker the edge of the pavement?
Not necessarily. A right-of-way boundary can be located outside the actual paved or traveled portion of a road.
How old are State Road Department markers?
There isn't one universal age for all State Road Department markers. The terminology and marker styles varied by state and period, so identifying a particular marker's age requires additional evidence.
Can an abandoned road still have right-of-way markers?
Yes. Physical markers can remain long after a road has been abandoned, relocated, or substantially altered.
Why do old roads disappear so completely?
Once maintenance stops, vegetation, erosion, weather, and natural processes can gradually obscure the road surface and surrounding features.
How can I tell if a path was once an old road?
Look for multiple clues, such as a consistent route, unusual grading, drainage ditches, gravel, embankments, old bridges, fencing, historic markers, and historical maps.
Does finding an R/W marker prove there was a road there?
It can be strong evidence of a formally established right-of-way, but the marker's exact meaning should be confirmed from its markings, location, and historical records.
The Little Marker That Opens a Much Bigger Story
The next time you're walking along an old road, railroad bed, or wooded trail and notice a weathered concrete post sitting quietly beside the path, take a closer look.
It might be nothing more than an old piece of concrete.
Or it might be a small surviving piece of a much larger story.
A State Road Department right-of-way marker can represent a surveyed boundary, an old transportation route, and a piece of infrastructure that has outlived the road it once helped define.
And that's what I love about discoveries like this.
History doesn't always announce itself with a giant sign or a beautiful historic building.
Sometimes it sits knee-high in the weeds, quietly waiting for someone to notice.
Have you ever found an old concrete road marker, abandoned road, or forgotten piece of infrastructure while exploring? I'd love to hear what you discovered—and what you eventually learned about it!
