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The Fifth Massachusetts Turnpike was one of over 60 toll roads in operation throughout Massachusetts in the first half of the 19th century. An act establishing the Corporation was approved by the Massachusetts legislature on March 1, 1799. The Preamble to the act reads: :''Whereas the high way leading from Northfield …through Warwick & Orange to Athol & also from Greenfield through Montague & unimproved Lands up Miller’s River to Athol aforesaid thence through Gerry (), Templeton, Gardner, Westminster & Fitchburgh to Leominster… is Rocky & Mountainous, & the expense of straitening, making & repairing the same through the said Towns so that the same may be conveniently travelled with Horses & Carriages is much greater than reasonably ought to be required of said Towns; Be it therefore Enacted…''〔Acts & Laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. 1798, Chapter 85, ("An Act for Establishing a Corporation by the Name of the Fifth Massachusetts Turn Pike Corporation" )〕 ==Route== The eastern terminus of the road was at the tavern of Jonas Kendall on what is now West St. in Leominster. With the completion of the Cambridge and Concord Turnpike and the Union Turnpike from Concord to Leominster, the traveler was able make a direct connection from the Fifth to Boston. From the Kendall Tavern, the Fifth proceeded west through a portion of south Fitchburg along a road which still carries the turnpike name. From Fitchburg, the Turnpike ran through Westminster and Gardner along what is now East and West Broadway, through Templeton, Phillipston (then named "Gerry"), and then to Athol and Brooks Tavern on the Uptown Common at the junction of Main and Chestnut streets, the center of Athol before the arrival of the railroad. From the Common in Athol the Turnpike split into two branches. The Greenfield Branch continued west down Chestnut Street, then along a portion of South Athol Road and crossed the Millers River near the current railroad bridge and joined South Main Street.〔Lord, William G. ''History of Athol, Massachusetts'' (1953), p.180.〕 The Turnpike followed the current Route 2A through Orange and into Erving where it departed from Route 2A for approximately 1.4 miles (2.3 km) and ran through a wooded area which is now a part of Erving State Forest. It then rejoined Route 2 and continued west traveling briefly along the route of Old State Road before again crossing the Millers River at the village of Millers Falls. Here it followed what is now Millers Falls Road and then Turnpike Road to Montague City Road where it crossed the Connecticut River into Greenfield just north of its junction with the Deerfield River. The river crossing here was initially by ferry and later by bridge. The turnpike went up what is now Mountain Road through Temple Woods onto Crescent Street and then Main where it reached its western terminus at tavern of Calvin Munn. The Turnpike opened a direct route to the eastern part of the state which up to this point had only been accessible for long distance commerce by the Connecticut River.〔Wood, Frederick J.,''The Turnpikes of New England'' (1919)〕 The second branch of the Turnpike leaving Athol was the Northfield Branch which crossed the Millers River at Crescent Street to Fish Street, Pequoig Avenue and Pinedale Avenue where it headed west crossing the conservation area and then the Tully River. On the west bank of the river, the Turnpike ran north past the Sentinel Elm passing through Orange (now North Orange) on Main Street and entering Warwick on Hastings Heights Road. At this point the original route turned west crossing what is now Gale Road and then northwest through the present-day Arthur Iversen Conservation Area to the Mayo Inn in Warwick Center. The Turnpike left Warwick on Northfield Road and turned onto White Road then into what is now a wooded area where the old Turnpike right-of-way is now used as a portion of the Metacomet-Monadnock Trail. After crossing the border into Northfield, the Turnpike passed through present-day Northfield State Forest emerging onto Warwick Avenue and then turning north on Main Street where the original charter indicates road terminated at the tavern of Captain Elisa Hunt near School Street. Wood indicates, however, this was changed to Houghton's Corner.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Fifth Massachusetts Turnpike」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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