On the Road: Highways and History in Bedford County

Byways to the Past Series

On the Road: Highways and History in Bedford CountyFor thousands of years the Snake Spring Valley of Bedford County has been a vital transportation corridor through the mountains of south-central Pennsylvania. The Snake Spring Valley contains a series of important historic trails and roads, each built on the remains of those that came before. From early native trails to the modern Pennsylvania Turnpike, each resulted from steady improvement in technology and the public's desire for increased mobility, speed, and convenience. Although many of the early routes were obliterated by later development, traces still survive in the landscape. Recent historical and archaeological studies completed in connection with improvements to US Route 30 provided an opportunity to rediscover the area's fascinating transportation history.