toll house

[Woody14]

Just checking to see if anyone has info on what a toll house was in the 1800's. Im sure it was used for the roads, but was it used like toll gates are used today? Any info on it would be great thanks. Oh and before anyone says, its not where cookies are made

 

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[WV Hillbilly]

Just checking to see if anyone has info on what a toll house was in the 1800's. Im sure it was used for the roads, but was it used like toll gates are used today? Any info on it would be great thanks. Oh and before anyone says, its not where cookies are made

It's a good thing you put that last line on there . I was getting ready .

 

[wildrider]

Most early roads were not maintained by the govenment. They cut across private farms and many farmers wanted money for the convenience of using their road. A pay (toll) road also didn't mean you were paying for smooth sailing. You might acually have more pot holes and quagmires on these than on other roads. Some weren't more than deer trails and indian paths.

So yes, they were similar to todays toll terminals. I think it usually consisted of a home to the side of the road and some sort of blockade across the road itself.

If a stage left a town in the morning and the destination was longer than a day away (not many travelled after dark) you would usually find an inn and/or tavern. Don't think that these places provided your own room. Nope ,you ate together out of the same pot and you slept together, generally on the floor or wherever you could find a spot.

Also carry a good variety of coins as the tavern keeper would not have change and you would either paying him more than the going rate or they might cut a coin and give you change. But a bad cut would usually go in favor of the tavern/toll/innnkeeper. Do you really think they are going to lose money?

I actually got this info from a book about early stage lines travelling through Kentucky.

Stage couch drivers were called jehus (I wonder if this is pronounces "yea-hoos" which around here has a connotation of wild folks?) and were highly competetive. They would often run other stages off of the road so that they could get places first.

If you are looking for spanish coins, cut silver and old items, these have been pretty productive on the sites I have hunted. Generally, they are good sites because you have to compare old maps that show where these buildings were against newer maps. (OK, there is a good hunting tip for you!)

Now get out and research and find some good old stuff.

HH
wildrider