Improvements were not only applied to the road, but to ordinaries and inns along the turnpike as well. In Botetourt County, an account along the route states: "The Fincastle-Blue Ridge Turnpike was completed in 1835, connecting to the Lynchburg-Salem Turnpike over the mountain through Black Horse Gap. Joseph and Polly operated the White Horse Stagecoach Inn on their farm, housing and feeding many Turnpike travelers."[1]
The turnpike was over 248 miles long, and the basic improvements were not completed until 1841. The entire length of the wagon turnpike was to have a standard width of at least eighteen feet, with the center of the road at least eighteen inches higher than either side along the horizontal line, allowing for the runoff of rain and snow. Soft spots in the roadbed could not exceed 5% of the length of each section. The Commonwealth retained $2,752.00 worth of stock in the Fincastle And Blue Ridge Turnpike Company.[2]
Until the 1850s, in Tazewell County, Virginia, the Fincastle Turnpike was the principal thoroughfare used by the farmers for sending their products to the eastern markets. Everything purchased in the eastern counties for consumption in Tazewell were sent there over the turnpike. Cattle droves in the thousands were herded up and down the turnpike as the farmers sent their cattle to market in eastern and northern Virginia.[3]
Collapseedit
Many of the counties simply refused to maintain the turnpike. Constant bickering and arguments over the turnpike made political cooperation between and within the counties impossible. Tolls stops were expected every fifteen miles, but disputes about rates, contracted toll collections, bonded debt for construction and excess funds returned to the Commonwealth made the turnpike unworkable. By 1846, it was recognized that a standardized turnpike could not be cooperatively maintained through this part of Virginia. The turnpike roadbed was turned over to the various counties by the state, and alternate and less argumentative routes were proposed. "Shortly after turning the Fincastle Turnpike over to the counties the state authorized the construction of the Southwest Turnpike from Salem, Virginia to Bristol, Virginia, thus bypassing the counties that refused to support the Fincastle Turnpike. The Southwest Turnpike survives today as Interstate 81."[4]
Referencesedit
^. Archived from the original on 2015-04-13. Retrieved 2015-06-23.
^"Funds and Resources of the Commonwealth." Annual Reports of Officers, Boards, and Institutions of the Commonwealth of Virginia, for the Year Ending September 30, 1849. Doc. No. 5, page 5.
^Pendleton, William C. 1920. History of Tazewell County and Southwest Virginia: 1748-1920. Page 534.
Botetourt County 1770-1970. Roanoke, Va: Roanoke Historical Society, 1970. Journal of the Roanoke Historical Society, v. 6, no. 2. Turnpike through Botetourt. by Edmund P. Goodwin.
"The County's First Highway." Johnson, Charles A. 1988. A Narrative History of Wise County, Virginia. Pages 67–77. This chapter also includes the text of the original acts of the General Assembly for the surveying and construction of the turnpike.
Schreiner-Yantis, Netti. Archives of the Pioneers of Tazewell County, Virginia. Springfield, VA: N. Schreiner-Yantis, 1992. Notes: Originally published 1973. Reprinted 1992, with map insert ("flyleaf"): Fincastle-Cumberland Gap Turnpike, containing names referenced in the index. Description: 345 pages: illustrations, genealogical tables, maps; 29 cm + 1 map.
"The Turnpikes of Southwest Virginia." 2002. Journal, History Museum & Historical Society of Western Virginia. Volume 15. Page 29 et seq.
Virginia. Fincastle and Blue Ridge Turnpike Company Records. 1833. Abstract: The records contain letters sent, field notes (1833), 1 vol., map, n.d., reports, lists of stockholders, certificates of stock subscriptions, and contracts.
fincastle, turnpike, also, known, fincastle, blue, ridge, turnpike, company, approved, 1834, virginia, general, assembly, maintain, toll, turnpike, that, followed, part, wilderness, road, from, fincastle, virginia, cumberland, also, connected, narrows, virgini. The Fincastle Turnpike also known as the Fincastle and Blue Ridge Turnpike Company was approved in 1834 by the Virginia General Assembly to maintain a toll turnpike that followed part of the Wilderness Road from Fincastle Virginia to the Cumberland Gap The Fincastle Turnpike also connected Narrows Virginia and Tazewell Virginia along the way to the Cumberland Gap following roughly what is today parts of Virginia State Route 42 and Virginia State Route 61 Contents 1 Toll road 2 Collapse 3 References 4 Bibliography 5 External linksToll road editWith the increase in commerce during the 1830s Virginia increased the length and number of roads and turnpikes in the state The Fincastle Turnpike was envisioned to assist commerce between the far southwestern parts of the state that were partially isolated due to difficult road conditions In order to keep costs low each county that the Fincastle Turnpike passed through was responsible for maintaining and improving their section The turnpike passed through Botetourt County Craig County Virginia Giles County Virginia Bland County Virginia Tazewell County Virginia Russell County Virginia and then rejoined the Wilderness Road in Scott County Virginia and Lee County Virginia Improvements were not only applied to the road but to ordinaries and inns along the turnpike as well In Botetourt County an account along the route states The Fincastle Blue Ridge Turnpike was completed in 1835 connecting to the Lynchburg Salem Turnpike over the mountain through Black Horse Gap Joseph and Polly operated the White Horse Stagecoach Inn on their farm housing and feeding many Turnpike travelers 1 The turnpike was over 248 miles long and the basic improvements were not completed until 1841 The entire length of the wagon turnpike was to have a standard width of at least eighteen feet with the center of the road at least eighteen inches higher than either side along the horizontal line allowing for the runoff of rain and snow Soft spots in the roadbed could not exceed 5 of the length of each section The Commonwealth retained 2 752 00 worth of stock in the Fincastle And Blue Ridge Turnpike Company 2 Until the 1850s in Tazewell County Virginia the Fincastle Turnpike was the principal thoroughfare used by the farmers for sending their products to the eastern markets Everything purchased in the eastern counties for consumption in Tazewell were sent there over the turnpike Cattle droves in the thousands were herded up and down the turnpike as the farmers sent their cattle to market in eastern and northern Virginia 3 Collapse editMany of the counties simply refused to maintain the turnpike Constant bickering and arguments over the turnpike made political cooperation between and within the counties impossible Tolls stops were expected every fifteen miles but disputes about rates contracted toll collections bonded debt for construction and excess funds returned to the Commonwealth made the turnpike unworkable By 1846 it was recognized that a standardized turnpike could not be cooperatively maintained through this part of Virginia The turnpike roadbed was turned over to the various counties by the state and alternate and less argumentative routes were proposed Shortly after turning the Fincastle Turnpike over to the counties the state authorized the construction of the Southwest Turnpike from Salem Virginia to Bristol Virginia thus bypassing the counties that refused to support the Fincastle Turnpike The Southwest Turnpike survives today as Interstate 81 4 References edit A Place Apart A Place of Transformation A not so brief history of Camp Bethel pre and post 1927 Archived from the original on 2015 04 13 Retrieved 2015 06 23 Funds and Resources of the Commonwealth Annual Reports of Officers Boards and Institutions of the Commonwealth of Virginia for the Year Ending September 30 1849 Doc No 5 page 5 Pendleton William C 1920 History of Tazewell County and Southwest Virginia 1748 1920 Page 534 Fincastle Turnpike History and Heritage Bibliography editBotetourt County 1770 1970 Roanoke Va Roanoke Historical Society 1970 Journal of the Roanoke Historical Society v 6 no 2 Turnpike through Botetourt by Edmund P Goodwin The County s First Highway Johnson Charles A 1988 A Narrative History of Wise County Virginia Pages 67 77 This chapter also includes the text of the original acts of the General Assembly for the surveying and construction of the turnpike Schreiner Yantis Netti Archives of the Pioneers of Tazewell County Virginia Springfield VA N Schreiner Yantis 1992 Notes Originally published 1973 Reprinted 1992 with map insert flyleaf Fincastle Cumberland Gap Turnpike containing names referenced in the index Description 345 pages illustrations genealogical tables maps 29 cm 1 map The Turnpikes of Southwest Virginia 2002 Journal History Museum amp Historical Society of Western Virginia Volume 15 Page 29 et seq Virginia Fincastle and Blue Ridge Turnpike Company Records 1833 Abstract The records contain letters sent field notes 1833 1 vol map n d reports lists of stockholders certificates of stock subscriptions and contracts External links editFincastle Loop Fincastle Turnpike Wilderness Road Virginia s Heritage Migration Route Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Fincastle Turnpike amp oldid 1144717123, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
