The Weston & Gauley Bridge Turnpike was built between 1849 and 1858, running about 110 miles from Weston to Gauley Bridge. It was one of the few north-south roads built before the Civil War and passed through rugged mountains.

Funded by the state and local governments, it was a dirt road with a few covered bridges and a special wire suspension bridge at Sutton. During the Civil War, the road was badly damaged and hard to maintain. After West Virginia became a state in 1863, counties took control but had little money for repairs.

In the 1920s, parts of the route were improved and became part of U.S. Route 19. Some original parts of the old turnpike, such as the section near Bulltown, still exist today.