A guide book of art, architecture, and historic interests in Pennsylvania
History
A guide book of art, architecture, and historic interests in Pennsylvania
Architecture -- Pennsylvania; Art -- Pennsylvania; Historic buildings -- Pennsylvania; Pennsylvania -- Guidebooks; Pennsylvania -- History
George Washington in 1753, crossed through Addison Township, with four
frontiersmen, one as Indian interpreter, one French interpreter; every
spot of earth that Washington trod in the line of duty is sacred soil
for all true Americans; he passed through Somerset eleven times; on
Braddock’s ill-fated expedition in 1755, he lay for ten days at Great
Crossing, on a bed of sickness, exempt by order of General Braddock.
First road cut in 1754 was under Washington’s direction, afterwards
substantially the Braddock Road, following Nemacolin’s trail, the chief
who guided him; it began at Cumberland, Maryland, then a fort, and
reached the Youghiogheny River, south of present village of Somerfield,
at the Great Crossing; marked, only historic marker in the county.
The National Turnpike, commenced in 1811, has the same general course,
occasionally using the same roadbed, crosses the Youghiogheny at
Somerfield over a great stone bridge, still in good repair, completed
July 4, 1818, and turned over to the United States on that day.
President James Monroe and members of his Cabinet attended the opening
of the bridge; this road became a great highway, over which passed a
vast commerce, both east and west, wayside inns were nearly every mile,
now none exist; the “Endsley,” stone house, in Somerfield, built, 1818,
long a noted tavern, is now a private residence.
Next great road in the county was the Forbes, or Bouquet Road, cut by
Colonel Bouquet in 1758, it
[Illustration: STEPPING STONES, KIMBERLY RIVER]
traversed the county from east to west, and like the Braddock Road, was
purely military, constructed under protection of a strong army; over it
passed the army of General Forbes on way to conquer Fort Duquesne;
George Washington was with this expedition in command of the first
Virginia regiment. The road started at Bedford and followed an Indian
trail, it was improved between 1785-95 and became known as “The Great
Road”; afterwards about 1806 as the Stoyestown and Bedford Turnpike;
later taken by the State Highway Department, it is now a great speedway,
“The Lincoln Highway,” entering the county at BUCKSTOWN, crossing Stoney
Creek at KANTNER, one mile west is Stoyestown over one hundred years
old; six miles farther west is JENNERSTOWN, laid out in 1822 by General
James Wells, who, in 1771, was wounded by Indians.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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