Bethlehem Pike facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bethlehem Pike
Route information
Maintained by PennDOT
Length	42.21 mi (67.93 km) Length source data gathered using historical 19th Century USGS maps.
Existed	1763–present
Component highways	PA 309 from near Fort Washington to Center Valley
Major junctions
South end	Germantown Avenue in Philadelphia
	PA 309 near Fort Washington US 202 in Montgomeryville PA 313 / PA 663 in Quakertown PA 309 in Center Valley
North end	Main Street in Bethlehem
Location
Counties:	Bucks, Lehigh, Montgomery, Philadelphia
Highway system
Roads in Pennsylvania Interstate • US • State • Legislative

Bethlehem Pike is a historic road in Pennsylvania. It is about 42.21 mi (67.93 km) long. This road connects the cities of Philadelphia and Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. It started as an old Native American path. This path was later called the King's Road in the 1760s. Today, most of Bethlehem Pike is part of Pennsylvania Route 309.

History of Bethlehem Pike

The Road's Early Days

The Bethlehem Pike began as a Native American trail. It was known as the Minsi Trail. The Minsi Indians, a group of Lenape people, named it. This trail ran between the Blue Mountains and the lands to the south.

In 1740, a group led by David Nitschmann traveled this trail. They went to Bethlehem and Nazareth. A year later, more people joined them. Nicolaus Zinzendorf was one of these new travelers. He visited the first settlers near the Monocacy Creek. On Christmas Eve, Zinzendorf held a special service. During this service, the new settlement was named Bethlehem.

King's Road and Colonial Travel

After Bethlehem was founded, more towns grew along the trail. This made the road very busy. People started calling it the King's Road. The first regular trips between Philadelphia and Bethlehem began in 1763. George Klein used a stage wagon for these trips. He traveled weekly, starting from Bethlehem on Mondays. He returned from Philadelphia on Thursdays.

Bethlehem Pike and Germantown Avenue were key parts of the King's Highway. This was the main road for people and goods traveling north from Philadelphia. In northern Philadelphia, the pike crossed the Old York Road. There's a story that a great Indian chief named Tamanend gave land to early German settlers. They named the spot "Rising Sun" after a special ceremony.

Bethlehem Pike During the American Revolution

The Bethlehem Pike was very important during the American Revolutionary War. British officers gathered near the southern end of the pike. This was before their army faced the Continental Army at the Battle of Whitemarsh. Further north, in the Whitemarsh Valley, George Washington's army camped. This spot became known as Church Hill. Washington and his army stayed there on December 11, 1777. They then moved on to Valley Forge.

Bethlehem was crowded with officers, prisoners, and soldiers during the war. On September 13, 1777, there was great excitement. The Patriot Army retreated from Philadelphia. A letter arrived saying that military supplies were sent north on Bethlehem Pike. There were 700 wagons carrying these supplies. Even church and state bells were sent along the pike for safety.

The wagon carrying the Liberty Bell broke down in Quakertown. This happened on September 25, 1777. The bells had to be unloaded. After the wagon was fixed, the bells were sent to Allentown. They were hidden there on Hamilton Street to keep them safe.

The Bethlehem Turnpike Era

A milestone marker on Bethlehem Pike in Flourtown

In 1804, the road became a toll road. This meant travelers had to pay a fee to use it. It was then called the Bethlehem Turnpike. In 1834, Pennsylvania's governor, George Wolf, allowed the company to set up toll gates. They could collect money from people on horses, with cattle, or in carriages.

After 100 years, in 1904, the Bethlehem Pike became a free road. The tolls were completely removed by 1910. In 1911, Pennsylvania started taking over many highways. The Bethlehem Pike became known by special legislative route numbers. It was LR 297 in Northampton County and LR 153 in Lehigh County. It was also LR 153 through Bucks and Montgomery counties.

Numbered Roads Today

In 1926, the U.S. Numbered Highway System was created. Roads across the country were given numbers. Most of Bethlehem Pike became U.S. Route 309 (US 309). For about 30 years, a part of the road from Bethlehem to Center Valley was Pennsylvania Route 12 (PA 12). South of Center Valley, it was US 309. By 1960, Pennsylvania Route 191 replaced PA 12.

Later, US 309 was moved to a new highway near Fort Washington. By 1970, US 309 was changed to Pennsylvania Route 309. PA 309 was then moved to a new freeway that bypassed Sellersville. Six years later, Interstate 378 was removed. Part of its route became Pennsylvania Route 378.

Bethlehem Pike Today

Bethlehem Pike heading north in Flourtown

Today, much of Bethlehem Pike is part of Pennsylvania Route 309. This is true in the Lehigh and Delaware Valley areas. In Philadelphia, the road is called SR 4017. About 15,000 vehicles use it daily. In Montgomery County, it's SR 2018, running next to PA 309.

North of Fort Washington, the road is PA 309. About 17,000 to 21,000 vehicles use it each day. In Sellersville, it's SR 4013 and SR 4085. From Quakertown to Center Valley, there's an older part of the pike. This part is west of the current PA 309. In Quakertown, the PA 309 section of the pike sees about 18,000 vehicles daily.

North of Center Valley, the road is PA 378, Old Bethlehem Pike, and Old Philadelphia Pike. PA 378 has about 17,000 vehicles daily. The very northern end of the pike is called Main Street in Bethlehem.

A project was planned to improve Bethlehem Pike in Lower Gwynedd. This project was estimated to cost $500,000.

Major intersections

County	Location	mi	km	Destinations	Notes
Philadelphia	Philadelphia	0.00	0.00	Germantown Avenue	Formerly part of US 422
Montgomery	Whitemarsh Township	3.07	4.94	PA 73 east (Church Road)	Southern terminus of overlap
		3.27	5.26	PA 73 west (East Skippack Pike) – Norristown	Northern terminus of overlap
	Fort Washington	4.85	7.81	Invalid type: road to I-276 / Penna Turnpike	Formerly PA 731
	Lower Gwynedd Township	8.98	14.45	PA 309 south (Fort Washington Expressway) – Philadelphia	Interchange; Bethlehem Pike becomes PA 309 north of this junction
		9.38	15.10	PA 63 (Welsh Road)
	Montgomeryville			US 202 – Doylestown, Norristown	Interchange
		11.58	18.64	US 202 Bus. south (Dekalb Pike) – Norristown	Southern terminus of overlap; former segment of US 122
		12.47	20.07	PA 463 (Cowpath Road / Horsham Road) – Lansdale, Hatboro US 202 Bus. north (Doylestown Road) – Doylestown	Northern terminus of overlap; former segment of US 122
Bucks	Hilltown Township	18.60	29.93	PA 309 north (Sellersville Bypass)	Interchange; Bethlehem Pike becomes SR 4013 north of this junction
		18.89	30.40	PA 113 (Souderton Road)
	Sellersville	20.51	33.01	PA 152 north (State Road) to PA 309 – Telford	Southern terminus of overlap
		21.36	34.38	PA 152 south (East Park Avenue)	Northern terminus of overlap; former segment of PA 413
		21.63	34.81	East Walnut Street	Formerly PA 813
	West Rockhill Township	22.71	36.55	PA 563 (Ridge Road)
		25.08	40.36	PA 309 south (Sellersville Bypass)	Interchange; Bethlehem Pike becomes PA 309 north of this junction
	Quakertown	28.07	45.17	PA 663 south (John Fries Highway) to Penna Turnpike NE Extension – Pennsburg PA 313 east (Broad Street) – Quakertown	Western terminus of PA 313; northern terminus of PA 663
Lehigh	Center Valley	34.41	55.38	PA 309 north – Allentown PA 378 begins	Bethlehem Pike becomes PA 378 north of this junction; southern terminus of PA 378; former segment of PA 312
Northampton	Bethlehem	40.07	64.49	PA 412 south (Broadway) – Hellertown	Northern terminus of PA 412; former segment of PA 43
		40.43	65.07	PA 378 north / Invalid type: road	Bethlehem Pike becomes Main Street north of this junction
		41.12	66.18	Sun Inn Preservation on Main Street
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi