Searights Tollhouse, National Road facts for kids
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Searights Tollhouse, National Road
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Western side of the tollhouse
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 Location in Pennsylvania
Location in the United States
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| Nearest city | Uniontown, Pennsylvania |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1835 |
| NRHP reference No. | 66000665 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | October 15, 1966 |
| Designated NHL | January 29, 1964 |
The Searights Tollhouse is a historic building located near Uniontown, Pennsylvania. It sits right on U.S. Route 40, which used to be part of the famous National Road. This tollhouse was built way back in 1835.
It's special because it's one of only two tollhouses left in Pennsylvania from the six that were originally built. These buildings were used to collect "tolls," which were fees travelers paid to use the road. Today, the Searights Tollhouse has been fixed up and is looked after by a local history group. It was even named a National Historic Landmark in 1964, meaning it's a very important historical place!
What is a Tollhouse?
A tollhouse was like a checkpoint on old roads. People who traveled long distances, especially with wagons or goods, had to pay a small fee to use the road. This money, called a "toll," helped pay for the road's upkeep and repairs.
The person who collected the money was called a toll collector or tollkeeper. They often lived right in the tollhouse.
About the Searights Tollhouse Building
The Searights Tollhouse is about 5 miles (8 km) northwest of Uniontown. It's easy to spot on the west side of US 40. The building is made of brick and has a very unique shape.
Its most noticeable part is a tall, eight-sided tower. This tower is about 20 feet (6 meters) high and has an eight-sided roof on top. There's also a porch that wraps around most of the tower. Two smaller rooms extend from the tower, one to the north and one to the west.
The tollhouse was designed so the tollkeeper could see the road clearly in both directions. This helped them keep an eye on who was coming and going. It even had a swinging gate that could block the road when needed!
History of the National Road
The National Road was one of America's first big public projects. It was built by the federal government between 1811 and 1818. This road made travel much faster between Cumberland, Maryland, and Wheeling, West Virginia.
The part of the road that went through Pennsylvania was especially important. It helped towns and businesses grow along its path. In 1835, the federal government handed control of the road over to the state of Pennsylvania.
To keep the road in good shape, Pennsylvania decided to start collecting tolls. They built six tollhouses along the road for this purpose. The Searights Tollhouse was built near a tavern owned by William Searight, who was in charge of the road for the state.
People paid tolls on the National Road until the 1870s. After that, the tollhouse was no longer used for collecting money. It was later restored and now stands as an important historical reminder of early American travel.
