The large rock cutting at Hooker was created for strategic reasons in the 1940's. It was war years and a huge rock stood in the way of the most important east-west connection across the country. It is said that a heavily loaded truck took a full day to drive from Devil's Elbow to the top of the rock.
In 1943 the new four-lane road was completed. At the time, the Hooker Cut was the deepest man-made indentation in the country. Today, most parts of the road are still in their original condition and are in surprisingly good condition for their age, considering the amount of traffic that passed through them.