Steeples : Sketches of North Adams




Steeples : Sketches of North Adams




Steeples : Sketches of North Adams

History of North Adams.





ROADS AND STREETS,
CHAPTER VI.

One of the oldest roads in the county is that which now comes over Florida mountain, down Church Hill, forming, our Main street and on to Williamstown. This must have been a trail or road previous to the year 1744, as Fort Massachusetts was built in that year, and a road of some kind was an actual necessity to the settlers. In the grant of 200 acres of land given Captain Williams in 1750, which grant included the fort, one stipulation was that he shall “be required to keep an open highway two rods wide, on the northerly side of said fort, leading, towards Albany. In 1746 Samuel Rice petitioned for a grant of 200 acres, on condition that he “build a new and better road over the Hoosac mountain.” The almost insurmountable difficulties which attended the making, of the first roads in this town have already been alluded to. Such enormous tree stumps, formidable boulders, rapid running streams and up and down hill routes were enough to discourage any men excepting those who did not know of such a word as “impossible.” Most of the roads were built over the hills instead of around them for the reason that the early settlements were on the uplands and the roads must run past the houses. The meadows on the Hoosac river were frequently overflowed (especially in South Adams and Cheshire) and it was considered unsafe to settle near the stream. The highways were therefore built and maintained with heavy labors and expense, running as they did on unfavorable routes. Stump machines, like those now in use were not then invented, though some of the ingenius mechanics, like Capt. Colgrove and Charles Peck contrived means for “snaking” out ugly stumps, with a moderate expenditure of muscular strength and at a saving of whisky and hard work.

At the first regular town meeting, in Adams, March 8, 1779, it was voted to raise 100 pounds to make and repair highways. Eight persons were chosen highway surveyors, and they acted in districts, — the village from Furnace hill to the top of Hoosac mountain forming one district. In 1780 the highway tax was 120 pounds and the number of surveyors was increased to 13; in 1781 the tax went up to 200 pounds. In 1795, the roads having been built to a convenient extent, the tax for repairing was only £160 and the number of surveyors was 15. Among them was Jeremiah Colegrove, Sr., whose name now appears for the first time in the town records, it being about a year after his arrival in town. He was a most efficient, practical and thorough road worker, and possessed the faculty of inspiring other men with his own industry. In 1806 the road tax had risen to $1,200, or nearly four times as much as the first year. This sum was all paid in labor and materials. Eighty-three cents a day was allowed (in 1779 it was just half as much) for the labor of a man, and the same for a span of horses or a yoke of oxen. The town records contain many surveys of the roads, some in almost every year. July 1, 1782, a town meeting, was held for the special purpose of considering, certain proposed alterations in the road. In 1785, no less than twenty-one surveyors of highways were elected, showing that there must have been an uncommon amount of road making. In 1786 the highway surveyors wore done away with, for the town “Voted that the Selectmen See to the Laying Out the money Voted on the roads to the best Advantage.”

In 1794 the main roads leading into and out of the village were the same as now, with three exceptions, as follows:

First, The road from Eagle street through the Union to Clarksburg, which was opened as far as the Union in 1832 and continued to Clarksburg afterwards. Messrs. Birrke, Ingalls and Wells, 0. and H. Arnold and Gad Smith offered to build the upper Union bridge if the town would lay the road up there and build the lower bridge. This was done against considerable opposition, some persons saying that the scheming manufacturers would build a mill on some stream and then request the town to make roads and bridges for them; and we shall all be ruined if such policy prevail.

Second, The old Clay road was the first road to the Union, and must have been opened as early as 1780 to reach the mills of 0liver Parker.

Third, State street was not laid out from Main south to Ivory Witt’s residence until 1833. Previous to this time the west road to the South village passed over the Main street bridge and along





Edited and adapted from the original by Laurel O’Donnell
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