How people view a landscape is often related to their familiarity with it.

A rural resident who travels to the city may be impressed with the abundance of large buildings and the multitude of signs, which may go unnoticed by local inhabitants. Conversely, an urban dweller may view a rural road surrounded by open farm fields as romantic, while local residents see its practical use. Compare these pictures of streets. What is familiar to you?

Another aspect of our view is our perception of what is heroic and what is ordinary.

In modern times, automobiles and extensive, well-maintained roads make long-distance travel relatively easy. But distances that a car can make in minutes may have taken hours, or even days, by horse-and-buggy or foot. The hardship faced by wagon trains in pioneer days, without good roads or places to stop for food, may astonish a modern traveler. However, to someone unfamiliar with railroads or automobiles the idea of traveling hundreds of miles in a single day may seem like a heroic feat.

Consider the Madonna of the Trail monuments erected along Route 40, such as the one below in Vandalia, Illinois. What does this statue say about our view of travel before the advent of modern roads?

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Familiarity

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