From The Connecticut River Valley in Southern Vermont and New Hampshire: Historical Sketches by Lyman S. Hayes, Tuttle Co., Marble City Press, Rutland, VT., 1929, page 120:
"TURN-PIKES" USED IN VERMONT BETWEEN THE ERAS OF "POST-ROADS" AND "HIGHHWAYS"
The era of "turn-pikes" in this section of the Connnecticut river valley, which succeeded the years of the old post-road, and later became a part of the present highway system, was inaugurated during the very last years of the 18th century, and continued in this town and vicinity until about 1840. The name "turn-pike" originated from the "gate on a road to obstruct passenngers, in order to take toll-originally consisting of cross bars armed with pikes, and turning on a post or pin." A "turn-pike road" was a "road made by individuals, or by a corporation, on which tolls were collected," and their construction was a popular mode of investment.
The first through this town was the "Green Mounntain Turn-pike," chartered by the legislature Novemmber 3, 1799. It extended from the east line of Clarendon to Bellows Falls. Among its first owners and incorporaators were John Atkinson, the Englishman who invested his money in the building of the canal here and lost the most of it; Dr. William Page, the civil engineer who built the canal, father of the late Governor John B. Page, and the first postmaster of Bellows Falls; and Daniel Farrand, one of the first lawyers in this town, later judge of the Supreme Court.
There were to be four gates on the road, one near its east end in Rockingham, one in Cavendish, one in Ludlow and one in Shrewsbury. The tolls established by law varied from 30 cents for a single horse carriage or coach, to 56 cents if drawn by two horses, with a [121] schedule of additions to be made for additional horses, and varying amounts for different animals. These rates were to be collected at each of the four gates. However, the charter provided that "no person shall be obliged to pay any toll at either of said gates who shall be going to or from public worship or to or from any grist mill or saw mill, or on any militia duty or on the ordinary duty of family concerns," which it might seem would cut out a material amount of the tolls. Among the other provisions of the charter, toll gatherers must not delay travelers, and the corporation should be liable for any damages because of the insufficiency of the road. If any person should turn out for the purpose of going around any gate he should forfeit triple toll as a fine, and plain signs should be displayd at each gate showing the rates of toll.
A charter was granted in 1807 to a company for the building of a turnpike connecting with the Green Mounntain Turnpike at Chester and continuing over the mountain to Manchester, Vt. This later became a part of the most popular stage route between Boston and Saratoga Springs, and one toll gate on the west side of the mountain has been kept in use collecting toll until within a very few years, being the last gate on a turn-pike in Vermont.
Another charter was granted by the legislature of 1800 to· the Connecticut River Turn-pike Company to build a turn-pike through Rockingham. It was empowered to build a road "from the new turn-pike north of the bridge at Bellows Falls to the south line of Thettford, in such place or places as said corporation shall Choose. " There were to be four gates in the distance, [122] and the rates were the same as those quoted for the Green Mountain Turn-pike except that they began with 31 cents instead of 56, and all were correspondingly lower. It was provided, however, that "no one of the gates contemplated in this act shall be erected in the Town of Windsor."
These turn-pikes were built and maintained by priivate capital for about forty years, after which the diffferent towns through which they were laid arranged to purchase them and they became important parts of the present highway system of the state.
Older residents still refer to certain sections of road as "the turn-pike."