The act in incorporation of 1827, authorizing subscriptions at Winchester, Romney, Moorefield, Beverly, Kingwood, Pruntytown, Clarksburg, and Parkersburg made the mistake of arbitrarily locating the route through important towns without proper consideration of the physical features of the country. After finding a way through Hampshire County via Mechanicsburg Gap in Mill Creek Mountain, and pushing on into Preston County, the engineers encountered insurmountable obstacles to the Kingwood route, causing the stock to languish.