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The Boston Post Road was a system of roads from New York City to Boston, Massachusetts, containing some of the first major highways in the United States. It began as a path to deliver the post using post riders (the first ride to lay out the Upper Post Road starting January 22, 1673), and developed into a wagon, or stage road in later colonial times. During the 19th century, pieces of the road were taken over and improved by turnpike companies. In the 1910s and 1920s, the Lower Post Road alignment (and realignments made to the route) was a National Auto Trail known as the Boston Post Road. Large sections of the various routes are still given the name Boston Post Road, much of it is now U.S. Route 1.
Mileposts were measured from the intersection of Broadway and Wall Street in New York (one block west of Federal Hall) and from the old Boston border on Washington Street near the Massachusetts Turnpike.
The three major alignments were the Lower Post Road (now U.S. Route 1 along the shore and through Providence, Rhode Island), the Upper Post Road (now US 5 and US 20 from New Haven, Connecticut via Springfield, Massachusetts), and the Middle Post Road (which split from the Upper Road in Hartford, Connecticut and ran diagonally to Boston).
In some towns, the area near the Boston Post Road has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places, since it was often the first road in the area, and buildings sprung up along it.
The Post Road is also famous for its milestones from the 18th century, many of which remain to this day.
New York
Manhattan
Much of the route in Manhattan was abandoned between 1839 and 1844, when the current street grid was laid out as part of the Commissioners' Plan of 1811.Declassified 4-A: Fourth Avenue and Avenue A, accessed may 22, 2006The following sections of the road still exist:- Broadway-The Bowery-Fourth Avenue-Broadway from Wall Street (the southern end of the Post Road) to Madison Square Park
- large gap through Midtown Manhattan
- St. Nicholas Avenue-Broadway from 110th Street to 228th Street (with a realignment near 145th Street)
- 228th Street-Kingsbridge Avenue from Broadway to the old Kings Bridge over the Harlem River
These milestones were once present in Manhattan:
- 1 - The Bowery south of Canal Street
- 2 - southwest corner of Astor Place and Fourth Avenue
- 3 - Madison Avenue and 26th Street
- 4 - east side of Third Avenue, halfway between 45th Street and 46th Street
- 5 - west side of Second Avenue at 62nd Street
The Bronx
In The Bronx, the Boston Post Road came off the Kings Bridge and quickly turned east, with the Albany Post Road continuing north to Albany, New York. It passed over the Bronx River on the Williams Bridge, and left The Bronx on Bussing Avenue, becoming Kingsbridge Road in Westchester County. In more detail, it used the following roads:- Kingsbridge Avenue-230th Street-Broadway-231st Street
- Albany Post Road continued north on Albany Crescent
- Albany Crescent-Kingsbridge Terrace-Heath Avenue
- gap across Jerome Park Reservoir
- Van Cortlandt Avenue
- gap at Williamsbridge Reservoir
- Reservoir Place-Gun Hill Road-White Plains Road (southbound lanes)
- gap from near 217th Street to near 231st Street
- Bussing Avenue
- gap from Grace Avenue to De Reimer Avenue
- Bussing Place-Bussing Avenue
Westchester County
The Boston Post Road entered Westchester County on Kingsbridge Road, and turned north on Third Avenue-Columbus Avenue (Route 22), forking off onto Colonial Place. It continued across Sandford Boulevard where there is no longer a road, and curved east and southeast around the hill, hitting Sandford Boulevard-Colonial Avenue at the Hutchinson River Parkway interchange. It then continued east on Colonial Avenue-Kings Highway, merging with U.S. Route 1. From there to the Connecticut border, the Post Road used US 1, except for several places, where Post Road used the following roads:- The southbound side of US 1 through New Rochelle
- Old Boston Post Road north of downtown New Rochelle
- Old Post Road-Orienta Avenue south of downtown Mamaroneck
- Mamaroneck Avenue-Prospect Avenue-Tompkins Avenue north of downtown Mamaroneck
- Old Post Road at Playland Parkway
Upper Post Road
The Upper Post Road was the most traveled of the three routes, being the furthest from the shore and thus having the fewest and shortest river crossings. It was also considered to have the best taverns, which helped it remain the most popular.
Connecticut
Massachusetts
Lower Post Road
The Lower Post Road stayed near Long Island Sound into Rhode Island, and then turned north through Providence to Boston. This is now the best-known of the routes, though newer turnpike alignments are often known as the Boston Post Road.
Connecticut
- Groton
- Old Lyme
- Greenwich
- Stamford
- Darien
- Norwalk
- Greens Farms
- Southport
- Fairfield
- Bridgeport
- Stratford
- Milford
- Orange
- West Haven
- New Haven
Rhode Island
Massachusetts
In Massachusetts, the Norfolk and Bristol Turnpike was established in 1803 to build a straighter route between Pawtucket and Roxbury, mostly west of the Post Road. Due to its avoidance of built-up areas, the southern half of this road was little-used. In addition, another well-used route passed west of this turnpike along current Route 1A. The Post Road entered Massachusetts into the town of Attleboro along Newport Avenue (Route 1A) through the settlement of South Attleboro. It continued northeast on Newport Avenue along Route 123, splitting to the north (staying with Newport Avenue) to cross into North Attleborough. South of North Attleborough center, the old road is known as Old Post Road. The old road crossed the turnpike (now US 1) just south of the intersection with Route 120, forming a small curve before merging with the turnpike north of the intersection. This curved alignment is now gone, so traffic must use US 1. Additionally, US 1 leaves the turnpike at the Route 120 intersection to bypass North Attleborough center on East Washington Street.The Lower Post Road passed through North Attleborough Center on Washington Street, later used as part of the turnpike. Another short curved alignment still exists to the west of Washington Street north of the center. Just north of this, the route crosses the Ten Mile River and then enters a complicated five-way intersection with US 1 and Route 1A. US 1 straight ahead is the old turnpike, and US 1 to the right was built in the 1930s. The Post Road went to the right onto Elmwood Street. The fork to the left onto Route 1A through Plainville center was an alternate route to Boston.
Elmwood Street enters the town of Plainville, where it becomes Messenger Street. The road merges with Route 106 before crossing Route 152 at Wilkins Four Corners and entering Foxborough.
- East Walpole (part of Walpole)
Middle Post Road
The Middle Post Road was the shortest and fastest route, but was less populated and thus less traveled.
Connecticut
Massachusetts
milestone 37 *See also
External links
- West Brookfield milestones (upper 67-69)
- Warren milestones (upper 70-75)
- North American Auto Trails
- New York Press - Post Road
References
- From Path to Highway: The Story of the Boston Post Road by Gail Gibbons, ISBN 069004514X, HarperCollins 1986
- Horseback on the Boston Post Road, by Laurie Lawlor, ISBN 0743436261, Aladdin, 2002
- Boston Post Road#Maps (0-73)
Historic trails and roads in the United States | Auto trails in the United States | U.S. Route 1 | U.S. Route 20
"Boston Post Road"