From 1790, it was developed into the Prussian Chaussee, the first paved road link from Frankfurt/Main via the Siegerland to the Ruhrgebiet. A toll booth with a barrière (Plattdeutsch Porreijer = barrier) was set up at Heerstraße 10, which was relocated to the inn when the junction was expanded.
In 1811, the Wetterauer Straße was connected to the Chaussee as the new Bergische Eisenstraße (today B 237, Kölner Straße) from Remscheid via Hückeswagen, Wipperfürth and Rönsahl, because it was used to supply steel and iron to the Remscheid-Solingen area from the Sauerland and Siegerland.
In 1856, the Wetterauer Straße was extended to the Tannenbaum inn on the new road through the Volmetal (B 54) and the road junction at Wildenkuhlen was built. In 1843, the revenue of the road toll office amounted to 1,100 thalers from around 18,600 carts with 23,250 horses. The single-axle carts were loaded with approx. 10 hundredweight and transported approx. 450,000 hundredweight of iron per year for the Märkische hammer mills, hard coal and other goods to the Siegerland and on to Frankfurt. In addition, there were around 12,150 carts with steel, iron and other trade goods to Remscheid in the Bergisch region - a total of around 100 carts a day at this busy crossroads.
All information without guarantee!