Centre Turnpike facts for kids

The Centre Turnpike, also known as the Reading-Sunbury Road, was an important early toll road in Pennsylvania. A toll road is a special road where you pay money to use it. This money helps pay for building and keeping the road in good shape. The Centre Turnpike followed an older path called the King's Highway.

This turnpike stretched about 75 miles (121 km) from Reading to Sunbury. Work on the road began in 1808 and it was mostly finished by 1814. It cost about $208,000 to build, which was a lot of money back then! The Centre Turnpike Road Company, formed in 1805, was in charge of building and taking care of the road. The last time tolls were collected on this road was in 1885. Today, parts of the original turnpike are covered by Pennsylvania Route 61 and Pennsylvania Route 54.

What Was the Route Like?

The Centre Turnpike started in Reading on Penn Street. It generally followed the Schuylkill River for a while. Then, it turned northwest towards Pottsville. This was about 35 miles (56 km) from where it began.

From Pottsville, the road continued northwest. It went past a place called Broad Mountain, where one of the toll gates was located. The turnpike then headed towards the village of Fountain Springs.

Next, the road reached Ashland, which was about 48 miles (77 km) from Reading. Another toll gate was just past Ashland. The turnpike then crossed Locust Mountain and entered Mount Carmel. It continued northwest over Red Ridge and up Big Mountain to Natalie.

From Natalie, the Centre Turnpike went down the other side of Big Mountain to Bear Gap. Bear Gap was about 58 miles (93 km) from Reading and had the first toll house in Northumberland County. Near Bear Gap, another turnpike, the Danville Turnpike, joined the Centre Turnpike.

Finally, from Paxinos, the turnpike followed what is now Pennsylvania Route 61. It crossed Shamokin Creek and then followed Highland Avenue. The road ended on Market Street in Sunbury, reaching its northern end.

How Did Tolls Work?

People paid tolls to use the Centre Turnpike. This money helped the company maintain the road. On average, the turnpike collected about $6,572 each year during its first eleven years.

Here are some examples of what people paid per mile in 1822:

• Wagons with narrow wheels and four horses: about 3.2 cents.
• Wagons with wide wheels (4 to 4.5 inches or 10 to 11 cm): about 1.6 cents.
• Wagons with very wide wheels (more than 4.5 inches or 11 cm): these could use the road for free!
• Carriages with two horses: about 2.6 cents.
• A person riding a horse: about 0.6 cents.

History of the Turnpike

The Centre Turnpike was built on the path of an older road called the King's Highway, which was mapped out in 1770. Construction started in 1808 and the road was mostly finished by 1814. The Centre Turnpike Road Company was created in 1805 to manage the road.

In 1884, a big change happened. The Pennsylvania Railroad Company wanted to build a new railroad line. This new line would go from Reading to Pottsville, and the Centre Turnpike was in the way! So, the railroad company decided to buy the Centre Turnpike Company.

On June 1, 1885, the Pennsylvania Railroad Company officially took over the turnpike. But the railroad didn't need the old road for its trains. So, between 1885 and 1886, the railroad company gave parts of the turnpike to the local townships it passed through. This meant the toll gates were taken down, and the road became free for everyone to use!