En route to Lancaster--Story of an old town--Lancaster and Lebanon towns--Gettysburg by way of Columbia and York--Chambersburg and Shippensburg--Picturesque old town--From Carlisle to Harrisburg--Westward Ho to Pittsburgh--Washington, Penna. and the Braddock Trail--Fort Bedford, Hollidaysburg and Jenny Lind--The city of the beautiful spring--Up the Susquehanna, to Sunbury and Wilkes-Barre--Pennsylvania retreat for royalty--Down the Schuylkill to Pottsville and Reading--Allentown, Bethlehem and Chester.
"This first edition, printed on permanent all-rag paper, is limited to five hundred copies." --Pref.
The region described comprises mainly the counties of Lancaster, York, Berks, and Montgomery and some portions of Bucks and several other counties, without completely covering any county.
The last chapter contains a brief account of the author's maternal great-grandfather, Matthias Helm of Freeburg, Pennsylvania.
Chapters: A roundabout journey from Philadelphia to Easton - On the Lackawanna Trail, from Easton to the line of New York State - From Philadelphia to Allentown, Bethlehem, Mauch Chunk, and Wilkes-Barre - From Philadelphia to Reading, Pottsville, and Sunbury - South of the Lincoln Highway and East of the Susquehanna - From Philadelphia to Harrisburg - From Downingtown to Harrisburg - From Philadelphia, by Valley Forge and Reading, to Harrisburg - From Phoenixville to Lancaster - From Harrisburg to the New York line - Up the north branch of the Susquehanna River, from Sunbury to Athens - From Harrisburg to York and Gettysburg, and return to Harrisburg - From Harrisburg to Carlisle, Chambersburg, Bedford, and Hollidaysburg - From Harrisburg to Hollidaysburg and Altoona - From Altoona to Williamsport - By the roadside in Fairmount Park
Summary
Published in 1917, John T. Fariss Old Roads Out of Philadelphia offers readers a glimpse into the history of ten historic roads that originate in Philadelphia: the Kings Highway to Wilmington, Baltimore Pike, Westchester Turnpike, Lancaster Turnpike, Gulph Road, Ridge Road, Old Germantown Road, the road to Bethlehem, Old York Road, and the road between Bristol and Trenton. Following the paths of these highways, most of which still exist today in one form or another, Faris provides a history of each while discussing important towns and landmarks along its route. Illustrated with photos of these landmarks, many of which have since been torn down, this book presents a snapshot of the days when stages ruled the roads, as well as of how these highways looked in 1917, during the early days of the automobile. For contemporary readers, the book was meant as a companion for auto and trolley touring on the original roads. While most of these historic roadways have been replaced as the major thoroughfares out of Philadelphia, they still exist as secondary and back roads, primarily following their original routes.
