Pennsylvania Highways Blog

Let me tell you kids about the good ol' days as some folks like to call them. Back in the day, human knowledge was published into "books" which were like Websites. These "books" were similar to a Kindle, iPad, or Slate, but were comprised of "paper" rather than microchips and didn't require being recharged every other day nor a WiFi or cellular connection.

In this simpler time, a simpler "superhighway" comprised of asphalt and concrete rather than fiber optics and routers was being built to accommodate the automobile and to connect the farthest reaches of the country with the other farthest reaches. In the early days of the highway system, there were no signs nor maps and of course GPS devices wouldn't be available at the local Sears, Roebuck and Company for about another eight decades.

Associations formed around the United States to solve the problems that early travelers faced on unmarked and unnumbered trails by marking continuous routes by names such as the Lincoln Highway and the Yellowstone Trail. States saw what these groups were doing and decided to take matters into their own hands and begin marking those routes by numbers rather than names. Pennsylvania was one of the first to number main highways in 1925 and to assign a single designation to cross-state routes. To spread the word amongst the traveling public about these routes and help tourism across the Commonwealth, PennDOT's predecessor the Department of Highways published a booklet in 1927 entitled Pennsylvania Highways.



I didn't know about this publication when I named the Website, which was originally entitled Pennsylvania Highways and Byways. My uncle, who lives in what would have been the path of the North-South Parkway or what was commonly referred to as the "New 48," found this gem on eBay about 80 years after it was printed and gave it to me as a birthday present.

The booklet begins with a message about being the keystone of highway system from Governor John S. Fisher and one about the highway program from Secretary of Highways, James Lyall Stuart. Further articles talked about the Pennsylvania Highway Patrol (State Police), how motorists benefit from maintenance from the Department of Highways Chief Engineer, and even one on the highways of Pennsylvania from the perspective of a woman. One article that stood out was from the President of the Pennsylvania Motor [AAA] Federation Richard C. Haldeman, who proclaimed in the title, "Pennsylvania Has Best Highway System in America."

Much like the modern electronic version, the booklet contains descriptions of the routes under the State's jurisdiction as well as pictures from various points along those routes. The routes that were covered were:

PA 1 - Lincoln Highway
PA 2 - Lackawanna Trail
PA 3 - William Penn Highway
PA 4 - Susquehanna Trail
PA 5 - Lakes to Sea Highway
PA 6 - Old Monument Trail
PA 7 - Roosevelt Highway
PA 8 - William Flinn Highway
PA 9 - Yellowstone Trail
PA 10 - Buffalo-Pittsburgh Highway
PA 11 - National Pike
PA 12 - Baltimore Pike
PA 13 - Harrisburg to Maryland State Line via Carlisle
PA 17 - Benjamin Franklin Highway
PA 19 - Lewistown to Narrowsburg, via Wilkes-Barre and Scranton
PA 24 - Harrisburg to the Maryland Line, through Gettysburg and Emmittsburg
PA 41 - Harrisburg to Lancaster
PA 44 - Buchanan Trail
PA 64 - From State Line, North of Cumberland, Maryland to Susquehanna Trail, South of Lawrenceville
PA 88 - Perry Highway

A map section in the middle shows these primary routes as well as others that were signed. It was noted on the map section for the central part of the state that the gold on blue route shields could be found painted on telephone or telegraph poles.



Since the highway system was still a work in progress, an explanation of "DETOUR" and "TEMPORARY" routes is included. Depictions of various signs that one would find along the roadways of the Commonwealth peppered the booklet to let motorists what they'd find to help them navigate the still burgeoning highway system. It is interesting that signs for things such as speed limits and passing zones were the same shape as the keystone markers that were installed at the entrances to towns.

Of course there were no Interstates or toll roads, or even US routes for that matter. The reason can be found in the map section:

The numbers assigned transcontinental highways by the Joint Board named by the Secretary of Agriculture will not be used on Pennsylvania Highways in 1927. Until a final decision has been made on all routes and the decision is accepted by the Pennsylvania Department of Highways, the markings will not be found on Pennsylvania highways or officially recognized by the Pennsylvania Department of Highways.

I guess that decision came quickly because US routes would appear on the 1928 Department of Highways map.

The tourism component was provided by pieces on the historic sights listed by county with specific historical points such as Lake Erie and President James Buchanan's Birth Place written about in greater depth. Listings of state parks and tourist camp sites were provided for those who wanted to enjoy the great outdoors. Directions between cities were provided by either means of a direct route and one or several alternate routes as well as noting if the routes were improved or not. Even directions to out-of-state destinations such as New England and Florida were also included. The last part of the booklet was written by Benjamin G. Eynon, Registrar of Motor Vehicles who explained its function as well as providing information on titles, plates, required equipment for cars, and rules of the road. The final page has a list, with pictures, of flowers that may be found along Pennsylvania's highways detailing which should not be picked and which may be picked in case anyone wanted to remember their journey via horticulture.

It's always interesting to find gems like this that detail transportation in a long-ago era and to see the more things change, the more they stay the same. Next kids, I'll tell you a fantastic story of when MTV played music videos and The Weather Channel broadcast weather reports!