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America’s Historic Roads

Puzzle 11 · Post Roads and the New Republic · Page 25 in print

Lancaster Turnpike

The Lancaster Turnpike was paved with layers of crushed stone. It was also widened, straightened and engineered for good drainage.

Jump to a word

The words

  1. Bingham

    William Bingham, leader of the turnpike company. Company leader financing the Lancaster road.

    philadelphiaencyclopedia.org: Turnpikes (opens a new tab)

  2. Brandywine

    Brandywine River at the Lancaster Turnpike crossing.

    philadelphiaencyclopedia.org: Turnpikes (opens a new tab)

  3. Canals

    Competing canals that drove the turnpike’s decline.

    FHWA: The Philadelphia and Lancaster Turnpike (opens a new tab)

  4. Crushed Stone

    Layered stone paving of the turnpike.

    philadelphiaencyclopedia.org: Turnpikes (opens a new tab) · FHWA: The Philadelphia and Lancaster Turnpike (opens a new tab)

  5. Dividends

    Payments to the turnpike company’s investors.

    philadelphiaencyclopedia.org: Turnpikes (opens a new tab)

  6. Downingtown

    Pennsylvania town at the Brandywine road crossing.

    philadelphiaencyclopedia.org: Turnpikes (opens a new tab)

  7. Drainage

    Engineered drainage of the turnpike.

    philadelphiaencyclopedia.org: Turnpikes (opens a new tab)

  8. Gravel

    Gravel surfacing on the turnpike.

    FHWA: The Philadelphia and Lancaster Turnpike (opens a new tab)

  9. Lancaster

    Western terminus of the 1795 turnpike.

    philadelphiaencyclopedia.org: Turnpikes (opens a new tab)

  10. Philadelphia

    Eastern terminus of the turnpike.

    philadelphiaencyclopedia.org: Turnpikes (opens a new tab)

  11. Railroads

    Competing railroads that drove the turnpike’s decline by 1843.

    FHWA: The Philadelphia and Lancaster Turnpike (opens a new tab)

  12. Shares

    Stock shares that privately financed the turnpike.

    philadelphiaencyclopedia.org: Turnpikes (opens a new tab)

  13. Ship Inn

    Historic Ship Inn along the Lancaster Turnpike.

    philadelphiaencyclopedia.org: Turnpikes (opens a new tab)

  14. Taverns

    Inns and taverns, reportedly one per mile, along the turnpike.

    philadelphiaencyclopedia.org: Turnpikes (opens a new tab)

  15. Turnpike

    Private toll road; this was America’s first important one.

    FHWA: The Philadelphia and Lancaster Turnpike (opens a new tab)

Sources

  1. TurnpikesEncyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia (Rutgers–Camden)
  2. The Philadelphia and Lancaster Turnpike Road - 1795 | Paintings of Carl RakemanFederal Highway Administration
  3. TurnpikesEncyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia (Rutgers–Camden)

How we choose sources and photographs