Centre Turnpike

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The old Centre Turnpike, also known as the Reading-Sunbury Road, was an early American turnpike located in Pennsylvania. Running from Reading to Sunbury, it was some 75 miles in length, and was completed on August 4, 1811 at a cost of US$208,000. The Centre turnpike was the longest road chartered and completed at that period and the most expensive one to construct, due to the large mileage of mountain work, which amounted to some 27 miles. The final toll was collected near Bear Gap in 1855. The general path of the original turnpike is now covered partly by Pennsylvania State Routes 61 and 54.

[edit] Route

It started on Penn street near Fourth in Reading and followed the Schuylkill river to Pottsville, a distance of 35 miles. From here it went to New Castle, at the foot of Broad mountain, thence northwest to the top of Broad mountain, and then west along the north side of the mountain to the village of Fountain Springs. It then entered Ashland, 48 miles from Reading, crossed Locust mountain and entered Mt. Carmel at the southeast corner of the borough. It passed through Mt. Carmel diagonally in a northwest direction, crossing Shamokin creek at Vine street. In continued in a northwest course over Red Ridge and up the south side of Big mountain to Natalie at the top. From here the road went down the north side of Big mountain to Bear Gap. Bear Gap was 58 miles from Reading, and here was located the first toll house in Northumberland county. From Bear Gap the road ran west and crossed Shamokin creek at the location of the present bridge just east of Paxinos. About one-half mile west of Bear Gap is the point where the Danville turnpike, incorporated in 1815, joined the Centre turnpike. From Paxinos the turnpike followed the present State highway until it crossed Shamokin creek, just east of Sunbury. Here was located another toll house. From here it followed Highland avenue, cutting diagonally across the lots of the George B. Reimensnyder and Charles Rockefeller properties, and joined Market street in front of the Derr home. It followed Market street to the square, where the 75th milestone is supposed to have stood.