November 8, 1930 was a “grand and glorious” day of celebration for the Ridgeway area as a new gravel road from Ridgeway to Highway 69 was officially opened. US Highway No. 69 had been commissioned in 1926 to take over the old Missouri Rt. 11 that ran from Kansas City to Leon, IA. The road bypassed Ridgeway by 4 miles and prior to this new gravel road, there would have been no easy way for anyone to reach Ridgeway from the new highway, especially during inclement weather. Ridgeway businesses lost customers to towns located along the new pavement and the business owners were feeling the pinch. The celebration was hope that their customers would return.
Residents celebrated with a barbeque provided by the Ridgeway Bakery. A steer weighing around 800 pounds on the hoof was dressed and baked in their ovens until the meat was tender and juicy, then served to people as a sandwich with a cup of coffee. No record was kept of the number of people served, but the meat soon disappeared. There were speeches, free prizes were given out, merchants offered special prices and children completed in contests. The Ridgeway Band played throughout the day. The day ended with a dance in the vacant building just north of the First National Bank building. The celebration was sponsored in part by the newly formed Chamber of Commerce whose members were working “wholeheartedly to do things”. (Ridgeway Journal, Nov. 13, 1930)
Route A was updated in the early 1970s when it was resurfaced and widened to 22 feet. The route was altered slightly to eliminate two sharp curves and avoid the steepest grade of Witt Hill before meeting up with the new Interstate 35. Mrs. Clayton Polley, who wrote the Ridgeway news column at that time, announced its completion and said that it was a “beautiful blacktopped road”. (Bethany Republican-Clipper, Dec. 17, 1975)
