"The John H. Bankhead National Highway was one of the earliest American auto trails. It connects the nation's capital, Washington, D.C., and San Diego, California on the Pacific. The Bankhead Highway was an important transcontinental route, and its name still appears on many roads to this day."
Graphic and description source: www.americanroads.us. Used with permission from Steven Varner.

 
In Washington DC, just across the South Lawn from the White House and outside the fence where tourists gather stands a monument that marks the beginning of the Bankhead Hwy, the transcontinental route that ran from Washington DC through Garland and on to San Diego. The highway split in several locations but Garland was on the "mainline" route.
 
Council member John Willis found the monument and pointed it out to Council Member Laura Cox and me during our trip to the National League of Cities last March. John has been investigating the route and is supporting Rep Carol Kent's efforts, who represents part of west Garland, to create a historic roads program and to designate the Bankhead route a Texas historic highway, HB 2642 and HB 2644, respectively. Both bills have passed the House and have been recommended for the local and uncontested calendar in the Senate, about as good as it gets for expectation of passage.
 
Nationally, the legislation that created the Bankhead Hwy was introduced by Sen John Hollis Bankhead of Alabama in 1916.
 
The highway followed Main St (once named "Bankhead") and S Garland Rd (US 67) as it traversed the city. Businesses such as Nick's Cafe, Scotty's Place, Scogin's Cafe, Morrison's Garage, and auto dealerships lined the road. Pictures of each of these businesses and more can be seen at the Garland Landmark Society website.
 

Monument next to the White House and inscribed: "Starting point Second Transcontinental Motor Convoy over the Bankhead Highway XIV JVN MCMXX" (14 Jun 1920)

A banner spans the Bankhead Hwy, now Main St, in 1938, welcoming Smiley Burnette and Roy Rogers to Garland as they promoted their new movie "Under Western Stars." Today Dos Banderas and Vetoni's restaurants can be found on the left side. Source: Garland Landmark Society website

 
UPDATE: Both bills did pass and the Bankhead is now an official historic highway in Texas.