The Wayside Inns on the Lancaster Roadside Between Philadelphia and Lancaster

Abstract

During its heyday at the turn of the nineteenth century, the Lancaster Turnpike was one of the nation’s most modern and important roads. Julius Sachse’s Wayside Inns provides a picture of the many inns and taverns that sprung up along the highway to cater to its travelers. Brief descriptions of sixty-two inns, in order from east to west, are accompanied in this volume by tales of the turnpike, its inns and innkeepers, and the teamsters and travelers who frequented these establishments. Several in-depth chapters explore the history and importance of inns such as the famous General Warren, Spread Eagle, and Paoli. After decades of disrepair, Pennsylvania acquired and resurfaced Lancaster Turnpike for automobile use in the 1910s, paving the way for renewed interest in the road among a new generation of travelers. Published in 1915, Wayside Inns catered to this timely interest. Sachse’s travels and encounters on the neglected turnpike during the 1880s inspired him to photograph and document many of the inns included in this volume. For readers in 1915 and today, these photographs are all that remain of many of these local landmarks, which were torn down or in ruins by the time the book was published.