Pennsylvania turnpike highway, pennsylvania, united. The abandoned pennsylvania turnpike architectural afterlife. Constructed across and through 160 miles of rugged ridges and narrow valleys, the turnpike was both an engineering marvel and precursor of. The pennsylvania center for the book pennsylvania turnpike.
Moreover, the new highway was to include toll booth and service plazas. Through chester county, pennsylvania by quillman, stuart h. Items similar to linen postcard, greetings from gettysburg, pennsylvania, large letter, ca 1945 on etsy reserve quite the stir bungalow in gettysburg, pa for short term or long term stays and step into history at gettysburg, pa. The turnpike was opened in 1940, and because of these seven tunnels, it quickly became known as the tunnel highway. A controlledaccess highway, it runs for 360 miles 580 km across the state. When the pa turnpike opened on october 1 1940, it had seven tunnels. Includes vintage car hauler, mayflower van lines, early turnpike service plaza. But there is a mile stretch of the turnpike, with three tunnels and a travel plaza, east of the breezewood area, that was bypassed in 1968 and dubbed the abandoned pennsylvania turnpike. The pennsylvania railroad had a monopoly on east to west rail transportation through the state. Known as americas first superhighway, this iconic road officially began service in 1940, around the time when road trip was entering the american lexicon, and 2020 marks the 80th. Drivers could remember their travels on the pennsylvania turnpike with this souvenir booklet. The pennsylvania turnpike was and still is a marvel of engineering. Pennsylvania turnpike pennsylvania history postcard book pittsburgh pa aerial view america post card cards vintage a history of the pennsylvania turnpike with pictures of the turnpike tunnels and abandoned tunnels. Pennsylvania turnpike is a toll highway operated by pennsylvania turnpike commission in pennsylvania.
Pennsylvania state police troop t patrols the pennsylvania turnpike northeast extension. Eisenhower signed the interstate highway act, which authorized construction of 43,000 miles of limitedaccess highway system. Online publishing support for western pennsylvania history is provided by the penn state university libraries open publishing program, in partnership with the publisher, the senator john heinz history center. The abandoned pennsylvania turnpike back in time general. Pennsylvania turnpike simple english wikipedia, the free. The original consisted of more tunnels that were two lane and later bypassed or new dual lane one added.
The pennsylvania turnpike was opened to traffic on october 1, 1940, making it americas. Historic pa turnpike midway service plazas interesting. History conestoga turnpike through chester county pennsylvania. However, formatting rules can vary widely between applications and fields of interest or study. History and pictures of the pennsylvania turnpike and tunnels. A history road trip along the pennsylvania turnpike visitpa. Jones and his crew were approached by a woman asking for their autographs.
Online publishing support for western pennsylvania history is provided by the penn state university libraries open publishing program, in partnership with the publisher, the senator. Pennsylvania turnpike pennsylvania turnpike mainline highlighted in green route information maintained by ptc length 360. The book is a great comprehensive photographic history of the pa tpke. My overall impression of the book was a very positive one. Pennsylvania turnpike vintage postcards graphic art abandoned past america history places philadelphia.
Pennsylvania turnpike highway, pennsylvania, united states. Dec 05, 2016 the pennsylvania turnpike was opened to traffic on october 1, 1940. Some of the interesting information that this book mentions is the following. Theres a history lesson in the rising turnpike tolls opinion. In the 1930s, men of great vision conceived, planned, and. The turnpike is a limitedaccess highway, which means cars must use ramps to get onto the highway. The bypass is located just east of the heavily congested.
Over the years i have visited the site, and it, as well as the entire turnpike, and is documented in images of america. Theres a history lesson in the rising turnpike tolls. Heavily illustrated history of the turnpike in the images of america format. Online publishing support for western pennsylvania history is provided by the penn state university libraries open publishing program, in partnership with the publisher. The pennsylvania turnpike didnt actually start out as an idea for a superhighway. Routes highway history bibliography general highway. The pennsylvania turnpike is a toll road a road cars have to pay to drive on operated by the pennsylvania turnpike commission in the commonwealth of pennsylvania in the united states. The book gives a detailed history of the pa turnpike in only 2 pages. The glory years of the pennsylvania turnpike by mitchell e. Historic pa turnpike midway service plazas photo credit to the state museum of pennsylvania aside from the tunnels and the classic toll booths on the pennsylvania turnpike, the rest stops are one of the most familiar images to longtime travelers of americas first superhighway. Pennsylvania turnpike, tells the story in text and images, of the background and construction of americas first modern, express highway, the pennsylvania turnpike. The pennsylvania turnpike, a history cupper, dan on.
However, few realize that just a few hundred yards away from them is one of the states oddest attractions. In 1881 this railway was planned, after the rightofway was considered as a route for the pennsylvania railroad back in the 1840s. It has several photos and is well done in the kindle format. Once again, both authors have teamed up to tell the story of the creation of this remarkable road, its. By 1956,the pa turnpike stretched for 360 miles from new jersey to ohio. Most pennsylvania turnpike travelers are unaware that its construction was inspired by the route of the never completed south pennsylvania railroad. The turnpike was being so heavily used that traffic congestion warranted the pennsylvania turnpike commission to conduct studies on either expanding or bypassing the. I picked this book up on a whim at the eastbound midway service plaza of the pennsylvania turnpike, principally because i have driven that turnpike so often in recent times, but also because the turnpike was central to our family vacations in the 1960s. Choose our history of pennsylvania books at arcadia publishing. The success of the pennsylvania turnpike demonstrated the american publics desire for limitedaccess multiplelane roads.
The pennsylvania turnpike, images of america, arcadia publishing, 2004. Visiting the abandoned turnpike interesting pennsylvania. Visiting the abandoned pa turnpike near breezewood, pennsylvania. Building the pennsylvania turnpike, pennsylvania images. This circa1940 footage shows the construction of the pennsylvania turnpike. This comprehensive volume details the history of the pennsylvania turnpike on its seventyfifth anniversary. Nov 23, 2019 the pennsylvania turnpike was the true forerunner to the interstate highway system. Most pennsylvania turnpike travelers are unaware that its construction was inspired by the route of the never completed south pennsylvania. Four members are appointed by the governor of pennsylvania, while the fifth member is the pennsylvania. The pennsylvania turnpike commission operates the road system that launched the american superhighways. It is important to note that the first engineered turnpike in the united states was the 62mile privately constructed toll road, the philadelphia and lancaster turnpike, built between 1793 and 1795 to connect philadelphia to lancaster, but was later replaced by a canal in the 1800s. Shank, professional engineer and lehigh university graduate, has been authoring books on transportation history in his native state of pennsylvania for over 40 years.
It really had its birth in the 1880s as a railroad conceived by william vanderbilt of the new york central railroad and was intended to be competition for the pennsylvania railroad. Pennsylvania turnpike, mid 1950sincluding laurel hill. The fabled and amazing pennsylvania turnpike started off as a folly of a railway plan. A history of the pennsylvania turnpike with pictures of the turnpike tunnels and abandoned tunnels. Schorr coauthored the pennsylvania turnpike, a concise pictorial history of one of the nations most famous highways. F ollowing the ceremony that signaled the start of americas superhighway in the late 1930s, turnpike commission chairman walter a.
Breathtaking views, picturesque small towns, and important historic sites dot the journey along the 552mile pennsylvania turnpike, a toll highway stretching across the southern portion of pennsylvania. Visiting the abandoned pa turnpike near breezewood. But there is a mile stretch of the turnpike, with three tunnels and a travel plaza, east of the breezewood area, that was bypassed in 1968 and dubbed the. The abandoned pennsylvania turnpike general highway history. Traffic had become incredibly heavy by the late 1950s. In this case, the sideling hill tunnel and rays hill tunnel were bypassed, as was one of the turnpike s travel plazas.
From opening night, the pennsylvania turnpike has been one of the most photographed and storied superhighways. Search the history of over 424 billion web pages on the internet. The woman replied, so that my children can say that they saw history being made. The road opened on october 1, 1940, between irwin and carlisle.
Apr 12, 2020 as a true fan of the pennsylvania turnpike, i discovered the abandoned section in 1973 while i was still in college. Millions of people travel along the pennsylvania turnpike through bedford and fulton counties each year. To see what led up to the bypassing of this stretch of the highway is to go back in time to the turnpike. It has headquarters in highspire and a substation at pocono.
William penn and his fellow colonists upon their arrival encountered native inhabitants who had their own name for this land and their own starting point for its history. A colorful souvenir book of the pennsylvania turnpike system. The abandoned pennsylvania turnpike is the common name of a mile 21 km stretch of the pennsylvania turnpike that was bypassed in 1968 when a modern stretch opened to ease traffic congestion in the tunnels. The patronage crisis at the pennsylvania turnpike, the general. Before there was a pennsylvania turnpike colonial america s commitment to building americas roads president george washington publicly favored the establishment of roads to promote the westward expansion of our nation.
Until the first shovels of dirt were thrown, the ptc relied on funds from the federal government, the department of highways, and loans from engineers from private industry. However, before the motorists could head down into the history books, local officials congratulated. This is a nice concise history of the pennsylvania turnpike. The pennsylvania turnpike draws from the extensive photograph collection in the pennsylvania state archives. Built using the rightofway and unfinished tunnels of the never completed south pennsylvania railroad, it was a supreme achievement of civil engineering. Laurel hill tunnel is one of three original pennsylvania turnpike tunnels which were abandoned this one in 1964. Once again, both authors have teamed up to tell the story of the creation of this remarkable road, its fall from grace, and the highways ultimate rebirth. In his landmark 1993 book on turnpike corruption, when the levee breaks. Pennsylvania turnpike maps, exits, plazas and traffic.
The first people to live in pennsylvania were part of the earliest waves of human migration into the western hemisphere. The pennsylvania turnpike is one of the bestknown highways in the united states. Published by howard johnsons, the book contains scenic images of the turnpike and the service stations with howard johnsons restaurants. The pennsylvania turnpike is a toll highway operated by the pennsylvania turnpike. Please pardon the appearance and technical issues on this page. When the pennsylvania turnpike opened for business on october 1, 1940, it was just 160 miles long stretching from carlisle to irwin. A colorful souvenir book of the pennsylvania turnpike. Relive some of the many iconic moments in motion past and present on this historic toll highway through the captivating photographs on the pages of the new book, the pennsylvania turnpike. Pennsylvania turnpike map and exit list, including individual exit maps, service plazas, and traffic cameras, where available. The turnpike begins at the ohio state line in lawrence county, where the road continues west into ohio as the ohio turnpike. Building the pennsylvania turnpike, pennsylvania images of. During the 1930s the pennsylvania turnpike was designed to improve automobile transportation across the mountains of pennsylvania, using seven tunnels built for the abandoned south pennsylvania railroad in the 1880s. Throughout the turnpikes history, various plazas have been added or.
To see what led up to the bypassing of this stretch of the highway is to go back in time to the turnpike s origin. For more information, and to purchase current issues of the journal, please visit the senator john heinz history center website for western pennsylvania history. By the late 1940s, the superhighway concept had caught americas fancy and travelers longed for a turnpike which crossed pennsylvania from border to border. The united states entered a new era of transportation in 1941 and the interstate highway system was built on the forgiving road concepts learned and tested on the pennsylvania turnpike. Featured texts all books all texts latest this just in smithsonian libraries fedlink us genealogy lincoln collection.
When it opened in 1940, the pennsylvania turnpike made history as the first limited access superhighway in the nation. It focuses mainly on the competition between the railroads which led the vanderbilts to select a route for a new railroad across southern pennsylvania and partially complete several tunnels before abandoning the project. The new highway immediately captured the publics imagination and proved to be an unqualified success. The unfinished history of the last great american highway, simon and schuster, 2010. This book tells about the history of the pa turnpike. When completed, the original section of the pennsylvania turnpike was the greatest single highway project in the history of the united states. Pennsylvania turnpike pennsylvania history postcard book pittsburgh pa aerial view america post card cards vintage.
It was the prototype of the modern american highspeed, limited access superhighway that became a world standard for long distance highway travel. This comprehensive volume details the history of the pennsylvania turnpike. Whether it is the roadways numerous tunnels or stone faced service plazas, the turnpike has become a part of the american fabric. Discusses extension of i69 from indianapolis to the border, focusing on the. The abandoned pa turnpike the abandoned pa turnpike was created by the rerouting of the highway in 1968. He was instrumental in founding the pennsylvania canal society and the american canal society. The building of the great pennsylvania turnpike pennsylvania. Pennsylvania turnpike, one of the earliest major limitedaccess express highways in the united states, opened in 1940 as a staterun toll road running through the allegheny mountains and connecting harrisburg in the east to pittsburgh in the west. Jun 16, 2004 the pennsylvania turnpike draws from the extensive photograph collection in the pennsylvania state archives. History and information on the pennsylvania turnpike. The pennsylvania turnpike, written by mitchell dakelman and neal schorr. Constructed across and through 160 miles of rugged ridges and narrow valleys, the turnpike was both an engineering marvel and precursor of the national interstate highway system. See more ideas about pennsylvania turnpike, pennsylvania and pennsylvania history.