Boston Post Road
The Boston Post Road was a system of individual postal routes between New York and Boston , Massachusetts , along which the first major highways in the United States later developed.
The route can be divided into three major segments: The Lower Post Road along the coast near Providence (today's US Highway 1 ), the Upper Post Road from New Haven in Connecticut to Springfield , Massachusetts (today's US Highway 5 and US Highway 20 ) and Middle Post Road , which branched off from Upper Road in Hartford and ran northeast via Pomfret to Boston.
In some cities, the Boston Post Road area was added to the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) because the road was often the first of its kind in the area and some historically significant buildings had been erected along its route. The Boston Post Road Historic District in New York has been declared a National Historic Landmark . Boston Post Road is also known for its 18th century milestones , many of which still exist today. The stones are fully recorded in the NRHP as 1767 milestones .
history
The Upper Post Road was originally called the Pequot Path and was primarily used by the Indians long before the Europeans arrived. There was so much traffic on some of these important Indian trails that they have been pushed two feet into the ground over the years. Today's Old Connecticut Path and the Bay Path form the essential components of the Upper Post Road . The routes were used by John Winthrop, Jr. in November 1645 to travel from Boston to Springfield.
The colonists initially used the paths to deliver the mail via post riders . The first exploratory rides to determine the course of the Upper Post Road began on January 1, 1673. After the work was completed, the path was widened and leveled so that the road could also be driven by horse-drawn carts and stagecoaches . The first successfully operated long haul for a stagecoach service was opened by Levi Pease in October 1783 and ran along Upper Post Road .
In the 19th century, toll companies took over the route and expanded many sections. Much of the various routes are still called King's Highway and Boston Post Road . Today it is mainly covered by Highways 1, 5 and 20. The partially preserved milestones were used to determine the position on the route, starting at the intersection between Broadway and Wall Street in New York and on the old Boston city line on Washington Street in Boston near today's Massachusetts Turnpike .
The Metropolitan Railroad Company was commissioned in 1853 thus, tram lines along the Washington Street to Roxbury set up by the now Silverline the MBTA be served. The Upper and Lower Post Roads were converted into Highways 1 and 20 in 1925. Route 20 was heavily modified over the following years, however.
Route
new York
Manhattan
Much of the Manhattan routing known as Eastern Post Road was abandoned between 1839 and 1844 with the introduction of the street grid as part of the Commissioners' plan of 1811 . The following sections still exist today:
- From Broadway via Park Row , Bowery , Park Avenue and Wall Street as the southern end of Post Road to Madison Square Park
- There is a large gap in midtown Manhattan before the Post Road north of Central Park continues again
- From Saint Nicholas Avenue , starting at 110th Street and changing to Broadway at 169th Street to 228th Street
- From 228th Street along Broadway over the Harlem River to Kingsbridge
There were the following milestones along the original route:
- 1 - Start of the route on the Bowery on the west side on Rivington Street, south of Houston Street . The One Mile House , which served as the meeting place for the Tammany Hall politicians , was demolished in 1921 with a lot of media attention. The One Mile House painted sign on the side of a building on the east side of the Bowery was not removed until the 1980s.
- 2 - On the southwest corner of Astor Place and Park Avenue
- 3 - corner of Madison Avenue and 26th Street
- 4 - East side of Third Avenue halfway between 45th Street and 46th Street
- 5 - West side of Second Avenue at 62nd Street
- 6 - Northwest corner of Third Avenue and 81st Street
- 7 - In Central Park , west of Fifth Avenue between 97th Street and 98th Street
- 8 - On the west side of St. Nicholas Avenue between 115th Street and 116th Street
- 9 - On the west side of St. Nicholas Avenue across from the north line on 133rd Street
- 10 - On the southwest corner of St. Nicholas Avenue and 153rd Street
- 11 - On the west side of Broadway near 170th Street or 171st Street
- 12 - On the west side of Broadway off or near 190th Street
- 13 - At a point east of Broadway between Academy Street and 204th Street
- 14 - On the west side of Broadway in what is now the Harlem River Ship Canal
The bronx
In southwestern Westchester County , now the Bronx , the Boston Post Road came off Kings Bridge and turned east shortly afterwards, while the Albany Post Road continued north to Albany . The route ran over the Williams Bridge over the Bronx River , left the Bronx on Bussing Avenue and became Kingsbridge Road in Westchester County.
Westchester County
The Boston Post Road led on Kingsbridge Road in today's Westchester County , bent at the corner of Third Avenue - Columbus Avenue to the north ( New York State Route 22 ) and then chained to the Colonial Place from. The route continued on Sandford Boulevard east and southeast around the hill and met Colonial Avenue at the intersection with the Hutchinson River Parkway . It then merged with the course of US Route 1 and led from there to the Connecticut border along Route 1, with only a few exceptions. Overall, the Boston Post Road ran through Pelham Manor , New Rochelle , Larchmont , Mamaroneck , Rye and Port Chester .
The Upper Post Road
The Upper Post Road was the most used of the three routes because it was furthest from the coast and therefore had the fewest and shortest river crossings. In addition, according to popular opinion at the time, there were the best taverns along the route , which also contributed to the increase in popularity. The Upper Post Road runs today approximately over the US Highway 5 from New Haven to Hartford , then on the Connecticut Route 159 continues to Springfield , on the US Highway 20 and the Massachusetts Route 67 by Warren , on the Massachusetts Route 9 further over Worcester on Shrewsbury and finally again on US Highway 20 to Boston. Several historic milestones from the 18th century can still be seen along the route between Springfield and Boston .
In Connecticut , Upper Post Road runs through the cities of New Haven, Wallingford , Berlin , Wethersfield , Hartford, Windsor and Suffield .
In Massachusetts , the route runs through Agawam , Springfield , Wilbraham , Palmer , Warren , Brookfield , East Brookfield , Spencer , Leicester , Worcester , Shrewsbury , Marlborough , Sudbury , Waltham , Watertown , Wayland , Cambridge , Brookline and Roxbury to Boston .
The Lower Post Road
The Lower Post Road led along the coastline of Long Island Sound to Rhode Island and from there further north via Kingston and Providence to Boston. This is the best known of the three routes today and roughly corresponds to the original route of US Highway 1 in eastern Connecticut, Rhode Island and Massachusetts.
In Connecticut , the route runs through the cities of Greenwich , Stamford , Norwalk , Westport , Fairfield , Bridgeport , Stratford , Milford , New Haven , Old Saybrook , Old Lyme (this part of the road is a National Historic District ) and New London .
In Massachusetts , the Norfolk and Bristol Turnpike was established in 1803 as a direct link between Pawtucket and Roxbury , and for the most part ran west of Post Road . In many cities through which the route passed, the street is known as Washington Street . As the route ran away from the inhabited area, its southern half was rarely used. In addition, to the west of it there was another, heavily used route along what is now Massachusetts Route 1A .
The Post Road itself met in Massachusetts first over South Attleboro on Newport Avenue in Attleboro and then ran to the northeast along the Massachusetts Route 123 . There it split up and continued on Newport Avenue, on the one hand, and on North Attleboro on the other . South of central North Attleborough, the route is known as Old Post Road . Today, most of it runs along US Highway 1.
The Lower Post Road ran along Washington Street through the center of North Attleborough and crossed the Ten Mile River north of it , then continued on five different routes via Elmwood Street and Highway 1 or alternatively via Massachusetts Route 1A through Plainville to Boston respectively. In Plainville, Elmwood Street becomes Messenger Street and merges with Massachusetts Route 106 before crossing Massachusetts Route 152 at Wilkins Four Corners and arriving at Foxborough .
From Sharon the route runs as Old Post Road to Walpole and from there to Norwood , Islington (part of Westwood ), Dedham and Roxbury to Boston.
Middle Post Road
overview
The Middle Post Road was the shortest, fastest and most recent part of the route. The route led from Hartford to the Eastern Upper Highlands , an area with large Indian populations. During the King Philip's War in 1675, traveling in this area was often very dangerous for settlers, which is why settlement of this area only began at the end of the war and with the establishment of the colonial postal system. The Middle Post Road was the fastest route for horses and stagecoaches. The Eastern Upper Highlands are still relatively sparsely populated compared to other parts of Connecticut, so some parts of the original Post Road have been preserved due to various circumstances.
It separated from Upper Post Road in Hartford and originally ran along what is now US Highway 44 through Bolton towards Mansfield Four Corners . From there it went on via Ashford , Pomfret and Thompson along the Thompson Road to Massachusetts. There the Middle Post Road follows parts of what is now Massachusetts Route 16 to Mendon and through Bellingham , and then leads over Massachusetts Route 109 from Medway to Dedham , where it merged with Lower Post Road and ended in Boston.
Hartford, Connecticut
Starting at the old government building in Hartford , the road crosses the Connecticut River at the point where the Founders Bridge now stands and a ferry used to be used.
East Hartford, Connecticut
This part of the route near East Hartford quickly became a major transportation hub, so much of the historic road was destroyed. Just the course of Interstate 84 / Route 6 to Manchester is reminiscent of Middle Post Road .
Manchester, Connecticut
Manchester was part of Hartford until 1783, which is why settlements and parishes still exist in the area. The Post Road can along the present-day Middle Turnpike East through the center of Manchester are pursued. It later led through Manchester Green and reunited with Route 6 and, for the first time, with US Highway 44 . Shortly before leaving Manchester, Post Road leaves the highway and returns to Middle Turnpike East .
Bolton, Connecticut
Bolton has a special role with regard to Middle Post Road , as the city formed the border between the flat and quiet valley of the Connecticut River and the hilly and turbulent Eastern Upper Highlands . Those who reached Bolton on the Middle Turnpike East came to a fork in the road and could choose between heading southeast over Bolton Center Street into the center of Bolton and staying on the turnpike, which rejoined Route 44 and headed east led through Bolton Notch on the original Mohegan Indian Trail . This was a natural depression in the ridge , which, due to its largely flat course, allowed a significant increase in travel speed and served as a dividing line between the two geological landscape types. In Bolton itself, the White's Tavern is worth mentioning, which during the American Revolutionary War housed the staff of General Rochambeau , whose unit was stationed in the city. North Route 44 continues to Coventry.
Coventry, Connecticut
Between Bolton and Mansfield, the Post Road ran through the community of North Coventry , following the course of what is now US Highway 44, which is also known at this point as the Boston Turnpike . On the nearby Willimantic River, on the Mansfield border, is the Brigham Tavern , which prides itself on being the only inn that housed George Washington during the Revolutionary War . The corresponding plaque can still be seen on the front of the building to this day, although it is now used as a private residence.
Mansfield, Connecticut
Here, too, Post Road follows Route 44. After crossing the Willimantic River, the road continues through Mansfield Four Corners towards Ashford.
Ashford, Connecticut
The Post Road runs right through the Ashford city area on Route 44 . In Phoenixville , she leaves Route 44 and continues north on US Highway 198 towards Eastford . Before reaching the city, Post Road turns onto US Highway 244 (“Bayman Hollow Road”) to Pomfret.
Pomfret, Connecticut
In the center of Pomfret , the route continues northwest to Putnam and from there to Douglas in Massachusetts.
Douglas, Massachusetts
The Post Road reached Massachusetts in the town of Douglas on the South West Main Street . This section runs through Douglas State Forest and is one of the most remote areas of the route that is still used as a public road today - approximately 1 mile (1.6 km) long was unpaved until 2002. In the center of Douglas, which follows Post Road of Massachusetts Route 16 the east towards East Douglas . Where Route 16 turns south, Post Road continues east on Northeast Main Street towards Uxbridge. This route was already chosen by the French General Lafayette to stop in Douglas and join his troops with those of George Washington.
Uxbridge, Massachusetts
Upon entering Uxbridge , the name of the street changes to Hartford Avenue . This is well developed and the entire length of the Post Road is identical . The portion from the Douglas city limits to the intersection with Massachusetts Route 122 is Hartford Avenue West , and the portion from there to the Mendon city limits is Hartford Avenue East . The stone arch bridge over the Blackstone Canal is still in use today. There was a field camp near the bridge during the American Civil War , the road was used by troops during the French and Indian Wars and as a supply route during the British-American War . George Washington also made a few stops here, including when he took command of the Continental Army in Boston in 1775 and traveled through New England in 1789 after his inauguration .
Mendon, Massachusetts
The Middle Post Road reached the city of Mendon of Uxbridge, take the Hartford Avenue West and follows her on Route 16 for about half a mile east of Maple Street , which leads into the city center. From there, Middle Post Road follows what is now Providence Street and runs south of the city center as Hartford Avenue East towards the east to the city limits of Bellingham . Historic milestone No. 37 is located along the route.
Bellingham, Massachusetts
The Hartford Avenue comes from Mendon, is just before the junction with Interstate 495 to the Massachusetts Route 126 and continues to the outskirts of Medway.
Medway, Massachusetts
The Post Road originally followed the Village Street through Medway to the Tavern and Inn near the Charles River . Today Post Road or Village Street runs through Millis, which was part of Medway until 1885. In the early 19th century, the Hartford and Dedham Turnpike (now Massachusetts Route 109 ) was built, a straight road through the Great Black Swamp and up a large hill into the center of town.
Millis, Massachusetts
The original Post Road followed Village Street in Millis from Medway and followed what is now Dover Road to a series of bridges over the Charles River towards Medfield. Massachusetts Route 109 was built between 1806 and 1810 and served as an alternative route from then on.
In pop culture
- The novel The Long Walk by Stephen King , which he under his pseudonym Richard Bachman published in 1979, concerns about the contestants of a murderous competition hiking along a route that follows roughly the Boston Post Road and goes beyond them.
- In the 1957 episode Lucy Raises Tulips of the American sitcom I Love Lucy , Lucy loses control of a ride-on lawnmower and later describes her journey on the Boston Post Road "for a mile and a half, against traffic all the way".
literature
- Eric Jaffe: The King's best highway . the lost history of the Boston Post Road, the route that made America. Scribner, New York 2010, ISBN 978-1-4165-8614-2 ( limited preview in Google Book Search).
- Gail Gibbons: From path to highway . the story of the Boston Post Road. Crowell, New York 1986, ISBN 0-690-04514-X .
- Laurie Lawlor: Horseback on the Boston Post Road, 1704 . Aladdin Paperbacks, New York 2002, ISBN 0-7434-3626-1 .
Web links
- West Brookfield Historical Commission: The Old Post Road. May 25, 2007, archived from the original on December 18, 2009 ; accessed on October 28, 2011 (English).
- George W. Nash; Hopper Striker Mott: The Milestones and the Old Post Road. (PDF; 814 kB) Frederick A. Stokes Co., 1915, accessed on October 28, 2011 (English, scanned book, 16 pages).
- New York Press: The Post Road. October 22, 2002, accessed October 28, 2011 .
- Francis D. Donovan: THE HARTFORD & DEDHAM TURNPIKE IN MEDWAY. 1995, archived from the original on May 16, 2008 ; accessed on October 28, 2011 (English).
Individual evidence
- ↑ Russell Bourne: The Red King's rebellion . racial politics in New England, 1675-1678. Atheneum, New York 1990, ISBN 0-689-12000-1 .
- ^ George Larkin Clark: A history of Connecticut . its people and institutions. 2nd Edition. Putnam, New York 1914, OCLC 38694393 ( limited preview in Google Book search).
- ↑ Daughters of the American Revolution Magazine . tape 50 . RR Bowker Co, New York January 1917, OCLC 1589148 , p. 386 ( limited preview in Google Book Search).
- ↑ a b Javier Zarracina: How the Post Road wrote New England's history. In: Boston.com. Retrieved October 26, 2011 .
- ^ Forgotten New York: DE-CLASSIFIED 4-A. July 29, 2001, accessed October 26, 2011 .
- ↑ BOWERY LANDMARK IN $ 170,000 LEASE . One-Mile House at Rivington Street Corner Is Taken for Restaurant Use AT $ 7,200 NET A YEAR. In: The New York Times . New York April 1, 1921 (English, query.nytimes.com [PDF; accessed October 26, 2011]).
- ^ Course of the Norfolk and Bristol Turnpike in Massachusetts
- ^ Post Road from North Attleboro to Boston
- ^ Preserve America Community: Mendon, Massachusetts. April 29, 2009, accessed October 28, 2011 .
