Travelers on North Georgia's Dixie Highway in the first half of the 20th century experienced a unique excursion. The first interstate highway to link the American South to the urban North was conceived as a tourism route. Local communities lobbied the Dixie Highway Association for a place on the route, a chance to show off local attractions, and for a piece of the economic action. The highway drew visitors to natural wonders, Native American historic sites, and Civil War battlefields. Local entrepreneurs built tourist courts, cabins, inns, and motels and opened hot dog stands, diners, and...