19th-century turnpikes in Massachusetts

In the late 18th century and early 19th century, turnpikes, as opposed to ordinary roads of the same time, were roads where gates barred travelers from continuing and at which payments were demanded for the use of the road. The word "turnpike" itself comes from the fact that these gates, called "pikes," were "turned" once the toll was paid. The privilege of building and operating turnpikes was conferred by the state legislature to "turnpike corporations". Turnpikes were constructed using private capital, were privately owned, and were operated for revenue from toll collection. The turnpike era in Massachusetts began in 1796, when the first act of incorporation for a turnpike was passed. By 1850, most turnpike corporations had either been dissolved or had stopped collecting tolls. In all, 118 acts of incorporation were passed (ten of these were in the territory that later became the state of Maine). Typical toll rates were twenty-five cents for every coach with additional charges of four cents for every man and horse.

Map of the 19th century turnpikes in Massachusetts.

List of turnpikes

The following 19th century turnpikes were chartered and built in Massachusetts:

Turnpike name Routing or location Dates of operation Modern designation
First Massachusetts Turnpike North WilbrahamPalmerWarren 1796–1819 US 20Old Warren RoadRoute 67
Second Massachusetts Turnpike[1] North AdamsDruryCharlemont 1797–1833 Route 2
Third Massachusetts Turnpike Pittsfield lineWorthingtonNorthampton 1797–1829 Grange Hall Road/Robinson RoadRoute 143East Street/Chesterfield Road
Williamstown Turnpike New York state lineWilliamstownNorth Adams Route 2
Fifth Massachusetts Turnpike Greenfield AtholLeominster
(with branch from Athol to Northfield)
1799–1832 Route 2
Sixth Massachusetts Turnpike AmherstGreenwichOakhamShrewsbury 1799–1829 Local roads west of Rutland and east of Holden; Route 122A (Rutland–Holden). Pelham–Greenwich is now under the Quabbin Reservoir.
Eighth Massachusetts Turnpike BecketChesterRussell 1800–1844 US 20
Ninth Massachusetts Turnpike DouglasMendonBellingham 1800–1833 Southwest Main StreetHartford Avenue (old Middle Post Road)
Tenth Massachusetts Turnpike New York lineLenoxBecketSandisfieldConnecticut line 1800–1855 Route 8 / US 20local streets north of Lenox
Third New Hampshire Turnpike New Hampshire lineTownsend 1801–1826 Old Turnpike Road (connects to NH 124)
Twelfth Massachusetts Turnpike EgremontSheffieldConnecticut line 1801–1857 US 7Egremont RoadRoute 23
Salem Turnpike BostonLynnSalem 1802–1868 BroadwayRoute 107
Norfolk and Bristol Turnpike Dedham Washington StreetUS 1 / Route 1A
Quincy TurnpikeQuincy
Fourteenth Massachusetts TurnpikeShelburne
Camden TurnpikeCamden, Maine
First Cumberland TurnpikeCumberland, Maine
Belchertown and Greenwich TurnpikeBelchertown
Fifteenth Massachusetts TurnpikeGreat Barrington
Wiscasset and Augusta TurnpikeAugusta, Maine
Medford TurnpikeSomerville
Braintree and Weymouth TurnpikeWeymouth
Chester TurnpikeMiddlefield
Cambridge and Concord TurnpikeConcord
Newburyport TurnpikeDanvers
Becket TurnpikeBecket
Essex TurnpikeMiddletonRoute 114
Wiscasset and Woolwich TurnpikeMaine
North Branch TurnpikeWinchendon
New Bedford and Bridgewater TurnpikeWeymouth
Petersham and Monson TurnpikeAthol
Union Turnpike (Massachusetts)Concord - Leominster1804 - 1830
Taunton and New Bedford TurnpikeNot marked
Blue Hill TurnpikeMilton
Hartford and Dedham TurnpikeMillis
Dorchester TurnpikeDorchester
Bath or Governor King's TurnpikeMaine
Brush Hill TurnpikeMilton
Andover and Medford TurnpikeReading
Middlesex TurnpikeCambridge to TyngsboroParallel to US 3; portions survive as present Broadway and Massachusetts Avenue in Cambridge, Massachusetts Avenue and Lowell Street in Arlington, Lowell Street in Lexington, Middlesex Turnpike in Burlington, Bedford, and Billerica, Old Middlesex Turnpike and a segment of River Street in Billierica, Turnpike Road, North Road, a segment of Princeton Street, and Tyngsboro Road in Chelmsford, and Middlesex Road in Tyngsboro.
Worcester and Fitzwilliam TurnpikeWinchendon
Ashby TurnpikeAshbyRoute 119
Worcester and Stafford TurnpikeHolland
Plum Island TurnpikeNewbury
Worcester TurnpikeBoston to WorcesterRoute 9
Housatonic River TurnpikeWest Stockbridge
Alford and Egremont TurnpikeEgremont
Lancaster and Bolton TurnpikeBolton
Wrentham and Walpole TurnpikeWalpole
Stoughton TurnpikeStoughton
Taunton and South Boston TurnpikeRandolph
Hingham and Quincy TurnpikeHingham
Hudson TurnpikeWest Stockbridge
Douglas, Sutton and Oxford TurnpikeDouglas
Great Barrington and Alford TurnpikeEgremont
Mill DamBoston
Barre TurnpikeBarre - Princeton MA Rt.62
Chester TurnpikeChester
Watertown TurnpikeWatertown
Central TurnpikeFramingham
Turnpike from Cambridge to WatertownWatertown
Gore TurnpikeDouglas
Pontoosac TurnpikeChester
Taunton and Providence TurnpikeTaunton
Hampden and Berkshire TurnpikeOtis
Granite Turnpike[2]

References

  • Frederic J. Wood (1997) [1919]. The Turnpikes of New England [abridged]. Branch Line Press. ISBN 0-942147-05-7.
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