The Jefferson Highway,(named for President Thomas Jefferson) established in 1910 CE as part of the National Auto Trail system, was an early automobile highway traversing through the central United States from New Orleans, Louisiana to Winnipet, Manitoba in Canada.

This highway was nicknamed the Palm to Pine Highway because of the type of trees that were found at either terminus. This highway designation was subsequently replaced with the new numbered US Highway system in the late 1920s, however, portions of the now existing highway are still named the Jefferson Highway, including: (1.) Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, (2.) East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana; (3.) Lee′s Summit, Missouri; (4.) Osseo, Minnesota; and (5.) Wadena, Minnesota.

The southern terminus of the Jefferson Highway was in the central business district of New Orleans, Louisiana at the intersection of St. Charles Avenue and Common Street. It is marked by a six-foot tall Georgia granite obelisk donated by the New Orleans chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. The obelisk was installed on April 15, 1918, and thereafter was formally dedicated the following January.

The Jefferson Highway followed St. Charles Avenue, Canal Street, City Park Avenue and then Metairie road leaving east out of New Orleans and continues on US 61 through La Place and Baton Rouge. Upon leaving out of Baton Rouge, the Jefferson Highway continue northwest along the west bank of the Red River on what is now Louisiana State Highway 1 (SH1), and continued northwest through Alexandria, Natchitoches and Shreveport. At Shreveport, SH1 entered the downtown section and took the west bound exit of US 80, currently called Texas Avenue. At this intersection, eastbound US 80 turned right and crossed Long-Allen Bridge over the Red River to continue eastward.

The Jefferson Highway, now traversing westbound on US 80 soon crossed into Texas and traveled through Marshall, Texas and soon after passing through Longview, Texas, turns north on US 271, then turns left on US 77 to Greenville, Texas. After passing through Greenville, the Jefferson Highway turns right on US 69 to Denison, Texas, crosses into Oklahoma and traverses this state nearly entirely through it. Just before the Jefferson Highway leaves Oklahoma, it splits onto two separated roadpaths, first to follow Us 69 north through Kansas and a second route following US 71 north in Missouri. Both route merge at Kansas City but divide again, one route to continue north on US 69 in Missouri and the second to goes north on US 169, first to Saint Joseph, Missouri, then on to Stanberry, Missouri. The two roadpaths finally join again as one and then continue north together on US 69, first through Bethany, Missouri.

Next, the Jefferson Highway crosses into Iowa, continues northbound through Weldon, then Des Moines, after which, the Jefferson Highway moves northeast to US 65 to continue northbound to Iowa Falls, and Mason City, both still in Iowa. Then after crossing into Minnesota, the seventh and final US state, the Jefferson Highway turns onto US 61 (now IH 35) and continues north to the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul, travels to the northernmost area of these cities and then turn eastbound on US 10 and continues northeast through Little Falls to Wadena, Minnesota where the Jefferson Highway turn north again, this time on US 71 at Waderna, and continue north on US 71 right past Lake Itasca state park and on to Bemidji, Minnesota. Upon leaving north from Bemidji, the Jefferson Highway turns left on US 2 until it arrives at US 59, turns north again and continues through Red Lake Falls, Thief River Falls and arrives at Karlstad, Minnesota where the Jefferson Highway turns left SH 11, the Waters of the Dancing Sky Scenic Byway and continues to Donaldson, Minnesota.

Finally, at Donaldson, the Jefferson Highway turns right onto US 75 and follows this route north to the US-Canadian border where it crosses into Canada at Emerson and then continues north on CAN 75 to Winnipeg, Canada.

(Note: the border crossing at US 75 has been closed due to the opening on a new border crossing one mile to the west where IH 29 enters Canada. In order to access the new border crossing, when on US 75, turn left onto SH 171 and St. Vincent Junction and drive west. At two miles, cross the Red River [of the North] and continue west in North Dakota for almost one mile through Pembina, North Dakota to the IH 49 northbound entrance. Once driving north on IH 29, it is only about two mines to the border station.)

When Louisiana numbered its state highways in 1921, the entire length of the Jefferson Highway through Louisiana was designated as State Route 1. This route was in effect until the 1955 Louisiana Highway renumbering.

When the U.S. Highway System was designated in 1926, the Jefferson Highway was split into four U.S. Highways in Louisiana: US 61 from New Orleans to Baton Rouge (before it was rerouted onto the Airline Highway), US 71 from Baton Rouge to Clarence, US 171 from Mansfield to Shreveport, and US 80 from Shreveport west into Texas.

The section between Natchitoches and Mansfield was not included in the U.S. Highway System and remained SH 1.