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Old Roebuck Road: Difference between revisions
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=== History === | === History === | ||
The '''Old Roebuck Road''' started as an ancient American Indian footpath connecting Massachusetts Bay to Narragansett Bay. In colonial days Europeans expanded that trail into a wagon road going 43 miles (69 kilometers) from '''[[Boston, Massachusetts]]''' to '''[[Providence, Rhode Island]]'''.<ref name="HBG">''Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America'', 9th ed. (Logan, Utah: Everton Pub., 1999), pages 531 and M-48. {{WorldCat|48077118|disp=At various libraries (WorldCat)}}; {{FHL|740321|item|disp=FHL Book 973 D27e 1999}}.</ref> Boston was founded in 1630; Providence was established in 1636. The Old Roebuck Road attracted European settlers along its route in Massachusetts and Rhode Island because it provided access to markets for settler goods and services. | The '''Old Roebuck Road''' started as an ancient American Indian footpath connecting [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massachusetts_Bay Massachusetts Bay] to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narragansett_Bay Narragansett Bay]. In colonial days Europeans expanded that trail into a wagon road going 43 miles (69 kilometers) from '''[[Boston, Massachusetts]]''' to '''[[Providence, Rhode Island]]'''.<ref name="HBG">''Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America'', 9th ed. (Logan, Utah: Everton Pub., 1999), pages 531 and M-48. {{WorldCat|48077118|disp=At various libraries (WorldCat)}}; {{FHL|740321|item|disp=FHL Book 973 D27e 1999}}.</ref> Boston was founded in 1630; Providence was established in 1636. The Old Roebuck Road attracted European settlers along its route in Massachusetts and Rhode Island because it provided access to markets for settler goods and services. | ||
'''Overlapping routes'''. Part of the '''Old Roebuck Road''' followed the exact same route as a part of the '''[[Bay Road]]''' (to New Bedford) at least as far as Norwood. Moreover, the whole of the Old Roebuck Road also became a leg on the '''''lower [[Boston Post Road]] ''''' between Boston and New York City. In the 1760s and 1770s it was also part of the '''''[[King's Highway]] ''''' from [[Boston, Massachusetts|Boston]] to [[New York City New York genealogy|New York City]] and all the way south to [[Charleston, South Carolina|Charleston]], South Carolina. | '''Overlapping routes'''. Part of the '''Old Roebuck Road''' followed the exact same route as a part of the '''[[Bay Road]]''' (to New Bedford) at least as far as Norwood. Moreover, the whole of the Old Roebuck Road also became a leg on the '''''lower [[Boston Post Road]] ''''' between Boston and New York City. In the 1760s and 1770s it was also part of the '''''[[King's Highway]] ''''' from [[Boston, Massachusetts|Boston]] to [[New York City New York genealogy|New York City]] and all the way south to [[Charleston, South Carolina|Charleston]], South Carolina. | ||
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'''Stagecoach service'''. In the 1760s stagecoaches began to traverse these roads carrying regular mail and passengers. Inns for stagecoach passengers usually were established near the time of American Revolution. By 1800 an advertisement suggested stage service from Boston to Providence took only ten hours.<ref>Frederic J. Wood, ''The Turnpikes of New England and the Evolution of the Same Through England, Virginia, and Maryland'' (Boston: Marshall Jones, 1919), 86-87. [https://archive.org/details/turnpikesofnewen00woodrich Internet Archive version online].</ref> Nevertheless, travel between colonial towns was more often by sea than it was over land until just before the American Revolution.<ref>Wood, 25.</ref> | '''Stagecoach service'''. In the 1760s stagecoaches began to traverse these roads carrying regular mail and passengers. Inns for stagecoach passengers usually were established near the time of American Revolution. By 1800 an advertisement suggested stage service from Boston to Providence took only ten hours.<ref>Frederic J. Wood, ''The Turnpikes of New England and the Evolution of the Same Through England, Virginia, and Maryland'' (Boston: Marshall Jones, 1919), 86-87. [https://archive.org/details/turnpikesofnewen00woodrich Internet Archive version online].</ref> Nevertheless, travel between colonial towns was more often by sea than it was over land until just before the American Revolution.<ref>Wood, 25.</ref> | ||
'''Cobb's Tavern'''. The history of Cobb's Tavern reflects on the history of the Old Roebuck Road. Cobb's Tavern is about half way between Boston and Providence, about a day's stagecoach travel from each. The land which eventually held the Cobb's Tavern in Easton was first purchased in 1725 by the Hixon brothers. Later, Elizah Fisher purchased the land in 1797. Fisher operated a tavern there. He sold out, and Jonathan Cobb significantly expanded the tavern as traffic along the Old Roebuck Road improved about 1800. In 1819 he was appointed postmaster, and the role of the building as post office continued until at least 1895.<ref>[http://www.risingstarlodge.org/history/cobbs_tavern.aspx Cobb's Tavern] in ''Rising Star Lodge, A.F. and A.M.'' (accessed 16 October 2014).</ref> | '''Cobb's Tavern'''. The history of Cobb's Tavern reflects on the history of the Old Roebuck Road. Cobb's Tavern is about half way between Boston and Providence, about a day's stagecoach travel from each. The land which eventually held the Cobb's Tavern in Easton was first purchased in 1725 by the Hixon brothers. Later, Elizah Fisher purchased the land in 1797. Fisher operated a tavern there. He sold out, and Jonathan Cobb significantly expanded the tavern as traffic along the Old Roebuck Road improved about 1800. In 1819 he was appointed postmaster, and the role of the building as post office continued until at least 1895.<ref>[http://www.risingstarlodge.org/history/cobbs_tavern.aspx Cobb's Tavern] in ''Rising Star Lodge, A.F. and A.M.'' (accessed 16 October 2014).</ref> | ||
'''Toll roads'''. Massachusetts and Rhode Island developed turnpike (toll) systems for wagon roads in the early 1800s including most of the route from Boston to Providence. The Norfolk and Bristol Turnpike in Massachusetts charged tolls from 1806 to 1856.<ref>Wood, map between 56 and 57, and 86-100.</ref> The Providence and Pawtucket Turnpike in Rhode Island was authorized in 1807 and the last toll houses were closed in 1869.<ref>Wood, map between 286 and 287, and 302-306.</ref> Most of these early pathways continue as roads today. Modern freeways usually parallel the older road systems. | '''Toll roads'''. Massachusetts and Rhode Island developed turnpike (toll) systems for wagon roads in the early 1800s including most of the route from Boston to Providence. The Norfolk and Bristol Turnpike in Massachusetts charged tolls from 1806 to 1856.<ref>Wood, map between 56 and 57, and 86-100.</ref> The Providence and Pawtucket Turnpike in Rhode Island was authorized in 1807 and the last toll houses were closed in 1869.<ref>Wood, map between 286 and 287, and 302-306.</ref> Most of these early pathways continue as roads today. Modern freeways usually parallel the older road systems. | ||
'''Decline'''. However, the use of early roads and turnpikes for moving settlers waned with the introduction of railroads. Settlers could travel faster, less expensively, and safer on railroads than on wagon roads. So, as railroads entered an area, the wagon-road traffic in that area declined. The first railroad from Providence, Rhode Island to Worcester, Massachusetts was opened in 1847.<ref>Wood, 305.</ref> In 1863 a horse-rail line from Providence to Central Falls laid its tracks in part of the turnpike and horse-rail travelers on that line passed toll houses until they were closed six years later.<ref>Wood, 305-306.</ref> | '''Decline'''. However, the use of early roads and turnpikes for moving settlers waned with the introduction of railroads. Settlers could travel faster, less expensively, and safer on railroads than on wagon roads. So, as railroads entered an area, the wagon-road traffic in that area declined. The first railroad from Providence, Rhode Island to Worcester, Massachusetts was opened in 1847.<ref>Wood, 305.</ref> In 1863 a horse-rail line from Providence to Central Falls laid its tracks in part of the turnpike and horse-rail travelers on that line passed toll houses until they were closed six years later.<ref>Wood, 305-306.</ref> | ||
=== Route === | === Route === | ||
Settlers who traveled the '''Old Roebuck Road''' from '''[[Boston, Massachusetts|Boston]]''' to '''[[Providence, Rhode Island|Providence]]''' passed through these places: | Settlers who traveled the '''Old Roebuck Road''' from '''[[Boston, Massachusetts|Boston]]''' to '''[[Providence, Rhode Island|Providence]]''' passed through these places: | ||
[[Suffolk County, Massachusetts]] | [[Suffolk County, Massachusetts]] | ||