A picture of Chester Pike from about 1900. The houses on the left are still standing, looking for a location and some guesses.
NOTE: There was a lot of interest in Chester Pike and it's history last week so I have written about the early history of the pike. The road was there as far back as the 1680's but it was not until 1706 that it was officially laid it. Please enjoy!
Early History of Chester Pike
March
19, 1705/6 – A petition was rendered to the “Leutt. Govern: of the Providence of Pennsylvania and the 3
lower counties etc. to his Councils” by the inhabitants of the Town and county
of Chester that they were much impressed by the future advantages and growth of
the Town of Chester, and were in dire want for a direct road from there to
Philadelphia. Inasmuch as the petition
goes on to request the Queen’s Road (Anne was on the Throne) to be laid out
from Darby to Chester, it can again be assumed, and not particularly relevant
to these notes, that that part of the ancient road from Darby to Philadelphia
gave satisfaction. The petition further
avers that the request is “to answer the Bridge on Chester Creek”. As stated, this bridge (Third Street) was not
built until 1708, but for years the progressive citizens on both banks had been
building the approaches and fighting hard to divert said ancient road as described
elsewhere in these notes, to approximately what we now know it. (Petition on file Logan Papers Vol. 3, p.122,
Pennsylvania Historical Society, Philadelphia.) The same day, an order was issued by
Council to Jasper Yeates, Caleb Pusey, Jeremiah Collect, Robert Barber, Richard
Crosby, and John Hendrixson directing ythem to lay one such road, and their
return is dated June 28, 1706. (Collect
and Hendrixson did not sign), length, 7 miles.
In compliance with the order of Council, the road was promptly laid out,
and the supervisors for Chester, Ridley and Darby Townships directed by the
Court and notified by the Sheriff to clear the same. (Original plan or draft on file at Harrisburg
in the Department of Highways.)
August 13, 1747 – Two petitions filed
to lay out this road again (now King’s Road as George II was on the Throne)
from Cobb’s Creek over Chester Bridge to New Castel County Line, there being
doubt as to the 1706 road being duly recorded.
Petitions read in Provincial Council August 17, 18, 1747.
September 7, 1747 – The Secretary
reports having reached and found sundry orders relating to parts of the road.
September 8, 1747 – Ordered by the
Council “That the said road shall be re-surveyed and laid out according to the
courses it now runs, beginning at the South Boundary of the city of
Philadelphia, and from thence extending to the Lower Ferry, and from thence to
Darby Creek, and from thence by the courses described in the recorded return made
in the year 1706 to Chester Bridge, from thence by the present courses thereof
to the limits of New Castle Government”.
One jury was appointed to lay out that part in the County of
Philadelphia, another jury consisting of Caleb Cowpland, Joseph Parker, Joseph
Bonsall, Samuel Levis, James Mather, John Davis, Peter Dicks, Thomas Pearson,
and John Sketchley, or any five of them, to lay out that part thru Chester
County.
October 5, 1747 – Report of Surveyor
General that road was laid out as far as Darby, but could proceed no farther
with the Jury because the Order confined them to follow the courses of the 1706
Road from Darby to Chester, and since that time, alterations had occurred which
barred their following the said order.
(The travelled road in some places was 330 feet to 660 feet south of the
courses laid down in 1706).
March 2, 1747/8 – A petition was read
from the Jury and sundry inhabitants abutting the route of the proposed road to
the effect that between Darby and Chester, the Road could not be laid out as
recorded in 1706, due to encroachments on improved land, and deviations through
woodland etc., from the present route.
The petitioners ask council to appoint a Jury for the purpose of laying
out the Road “in the most convenient place to accommodate the Public”. Petition dated December 3, 1747. The Council, after inspecting maps of courses
of 1706, and as now existed; rescind their order of September 8, and order and
direct the Committee (Jury) to lay the same out “in the manner it now runs”.
July 16, 1748 - Return of the Road from Philadelphia to New
Castle dated July 15, 1748, received and confirmed 60 feet wide, except in
Chester and Darby where it is to retain its present width. Joseph Bonsal and John Davis were the
Commissioners appointed to survey and lay out this Road, and this date filed
their return. Signed by all the Jury
except Parker. From the description in
the return, Cobb’s, Ridley and Chester Creeks were bridged, and the road still
sported stumps and posts within its limits.
(The original plan or draft is on file at Harrisburg in the Department
of Highways).
The first mention thus far found of
tollgates being established on this Road was in 1799 when an Act of Assembly
was passed on April 11 to help lighten the burden of our Small County, then ten
years old, in maintaining bridges. This
Act authorized the Commissioners to erect such gates for five years, and to
collect toll from all travelers. One
tollgate was placed at Ridley Creek Bridge.
Coach, light, wagon, or other
pleasurable carriage, with
four wheels and four horses 25¢
Coach,
light wagon, ow other pleasurable carriage,
with two wheels and two horses 15¢
Chairs,
sulky, etc., with one horse 10¢
Sleight
with two horses 6¢
Man
and horse 2¢
Wagon
with four horses 12¢
Wagon
with two horses 8¢
Cart
and horse 4¢
Every
additional horse to carriages of pleasure 4¢
Every
additional horse to carriages of burden 2¢
Transportation
in the early days was by horseback, the female, if accompanying the man, riding
“side saddle” on a pillion back of the saddle.
A custom here the middle of the eighteenth century, and relating to
marriage, was for the bride-to-be to ride in this fashion to the ceremony
behind her father, or best friend, but to leave in position behind the
groom. Horse’s blocks were common –
sometimes formed of three steps – for females to more readily munt behind their
escorts.
The
county and/or Townships becoming too poor to properly take care of and maintain
this road, an Act of Assembly was passed April 14, 1851 incorporating the Darby
and Ridley Turnpike or Plank Road Company, with power to construct a turnpike
road on the Great Southern Post Road from the westerly side of the bridge over
Darby Creek to the bridge between Darby and Ridley Townships (Muckinipates
Creek). this Act was under authority of
a previous Act passed January 26, 1849 which authorized the Legislature to
incorporate road companies, and with a stipulation that if the road be 50 feet
wide, the company must build a 19 foot wide stone road, and if the road be 40
feet wide, then the improvement to be of plank.
A supplementary Act passed February
19, 1853, changed the name to the Darby and Chester Turnpike Plank Road
Company. Other supplementary Acts were passed
March 5, 1858, April 25, 1869, and May 4, 1869, again modifying the name to
Darby and Chester Plank Road Company, and finally, the Chester and Darby
Turnpike or Plank Road Company, with the westerly terminus changed to the east
wing walls of the bridge over Ridley Creek (now River). Authority was granted in the supplements,
among other things, to issue stock to liquidate existing indebtedness.
On February 13, 1889, one of the
stockholders of the old company had a writ issue against it in the amount of
$898.34, and sale took place April 20, 1889, the amount being $500! This transfer was ratified by deed dated May
6, 1889.
New life was given to the old road by
an Act passed March 11, 1890, when the Chester and Darby Telford Road Company
was chartered (Harrisburg, Charter Book 29, page 281; Media, Charter Book A,
page 387, March 12, 1890). This
corporation was formed for the purpose of building and maintaining an
artificial road or turnpike of stone gravel and earth”, and was a trifle over 6
miles between the bridges at Darby and Ridley Creeks.
Thru the relocation of the
Pennsylvania Railroad from Eddystone to Philadelphia to the site as we now know
it (in 1873), the Turnpike, assumed renewed life due to the development along
its bounds, and this ever-increasing prosperity to this area of the County
induced the reviving of the road company as above set out. The increased demand for more, and modern
means of transportation induced the Company to enter into an agreement and
lease with the newly chartered Chester, Darby, and Philadelphia Railway
Company, for an annual rental of $1000, April 22, 1893. A stipulation of the agreement was that a
trolley track was to be laid along the north side of the roadway, and the top
of the rails placed to conform with the camber (crown) of the improved roadway
laid down by the Road Company. This
stipulation the Trolley Company failed to provide for, and it became necessary to
take them into Court (#146 Sept. T. 1900), which suit, after affirmation by the
State Supreme Court March 11, 1907, the Trolley Company lost, and they were
therefore required to regrade their tracks.
It was during this period that the Telford Road again became almost an
impassable highway, and the Road company’s bill of complaint averred that due
to the track at places being from 2” to 18” above the established grade of the
Pike, that bad drainage conditions prevailed, causing destruction of road
surfaces, wash outs, and in this same period, causing the Boroughs of Ridley
Park and Norwood to have entered condemnation proceedings against the Road
Company, in which, however, the County does not seem to have joined.
Newlin Grist Mill Events
Virtual “Newlin Series” Talks To Be Offered GLEN MILLS, PA
Colonial Plantation Events
The Colonial Pennsylvania Plantation invites you to a Civil War Skirmish and Camp Saturday, September 26, 2020 10:30am—4pm Sunday, September 27, 2020 11am-3pm The Colonial Pennsylvania Plantation will be hosting a Federal and Confederate skirmish and camp on Saturday, September 26th and Sunday, September 27th. Visit the Plantation to witness firearm demonstrations, drills, and camp life. Skirmishes will take place on Saturday at 11:30pm and 2:30pm. Sunday’s skirmish is at 1:00pm. Note: While the skirmishes are in action, no one will be admitted to the Plantation, so please plan to arrive before or after the skirmishes. The Plantation’s hours are 10:30am to 4pm on Saturday (last admission at 3pm) and 11am to 3pm on Sunday (last admission at 2pm.) Admission is $12 for adults and $8 for children ages 4 to 12. Children under age 4 are free, as are members. No discounts or passes will be accepted for this special event. Please purchase tickets in advance by visiting www.colonialplantation.org GPS Address: 3900 North Sandy Flash Drive, Newtown Square, PA 19073.
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