Travel In the Old Days

In the previous articles we mentioned many times about the modes of travel through Bedford County a hundred years or more ago. The main road, as you will recall, was the Forbes trail. Later this roadway was rebuilt in segments which were the Chambersburg-Bedford, Bedford-Stoystown Turnpike, the Bedford-Somerset and branches such as the old Wheeling Turnpike, Hollidaysburg and the road to Cumberland. All these roads passed through the small hamlets of the country side.

There were five classes of traffic passing over these roads. Drovers with their herds and flocks, heavy freight wagons, stage coaches, riders on horseback or by foot.

The cattle, hogs and turkeys were driven five to six miles daily and then turned into fields to graze. Horses, generally tied four abreast, were driven in large numbers to eastern markets.

According to facts passed down from land owner to land owner over the years, certain places were famous for their hospitality to these drovers. The farm now owned by Mr. Carl Amick, which is located just east of the Forks Inn, was one of the principal stopping places for the drovers to stop for the night. Fields about the tavern would be filled with live stock.

The Conestoga wagons were so called because they were first built in Conestoga in Lancaster County These wagons were immense Not only were they covered with a high canvas cover and fitted with wide rimmed wheels but their bottoms were made with a wide curve. The purpose was to keep the load from shifting if the wagon. traveled over a slope in the road. The usual weight per load was between six and seven tons.

They were drawn, usually, by six horses. About fifteen miles was a normal day's travel. Each driver took pride in his team. Many had arches fastened on the harness on which he had hung a series of bells. If one driver came upon another whose wagon had become mired in a deep rut or snow drift and his team could not move the load, the other driver would challenge the owner of the mired wagon. If his team pulled the wagon free, then he would remove the bells from the defeated driver's team.

The drivers were a tough and rowdy group. They made quite a scene with their long black-snake-whips. Their constant brags and vile oaths were common at the tavern bars.

The stage coaches were built to haul eight or nine passengers inside and three could be seated on top with the driver. To the rear was a space called a boot in which luggage and pouches of mail could be carried. On good roads the drivers traveled at an average of eight to twelve miles per hour. Horses were changed at about every twelve to fifteen miles. When the coaches reached the foot of a mountain or steep and long hill, they would be able to stop at a position where extra horses would be hitched on the front of the regular team thus assisting in getting the stage up and over the top.

On December 31, 1850 the following notice appeared in the Bedford Enquirer—"In the course of a few days a line of stages will be placed on the route from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh to run through in three days. The proprietors are Messrs. Reeside and Slaymaker. Ten of their stages which are very splendid and do great credit to the proprietors have already passed through this place to their stations. Those who now make this trip in so many hours can scarcely form an idea of the commotion caused in the stage towns on this route at that time, when blowing horns, flying streamers and horses at full run announced the arrival or departure of the stage coaches."

The arrival of these coaches in the towns must have been an interesting sight, especially when several rival drivers were trying to reach the tavern first. The sparks flying from the metal shoes of the horses as they galloped on the stones on the roadway and the blowing of the horns of the drivers announced their arrival.

Many of these old taverns, farmhouses and barns have disappeared over the past century, but there are a few still standing. If these old stone foundations and heavy beamed structures could talk, what tales they could tell us.

A very busy spot around every tavern was the water trough where the teams would be watered. These old appliances are almost unknown today. Gone also is the old hitching post or rails.

The most popular room in these old taverns was the bar-room and the main source of heat was from the huge fire places. According to stories handed down through my own family tree, one of my ancestors had a tavern on top of the Allegheny mountain which had a fire place twelve feet wide. In order to supply the logs for it, a horse would be hitched to a log and then pull it into the doorway on one side of the room. A door was opened on the other side to allow the horse to leave the room after the log was released from the drag chain. Each fire place had its huge poker. Some were longer than six feet. Only the bartender was permitted to handle the poker.

The old highway had its share of those who had to travel by foot. Quite often a husband, wife and child would be found walking westward seeking friends, relatives or a place they might make a home and a fortune for themselves.

The old stately stone taverns that still remain now wait in vain for the Conestoga wagons with their tinkling bells and the stage coaches bearing important personalities or the polished gambler with his gold chain and large watch fob. Gone are the blaring horns and the galloping horses. Their brief stay in history is over. The last stage has gone over the hills and mountains on its last run.