Searight's Tollhouse
Posted by: 
renruts
N 39° 56.845 W 079° 47.657
17S E 603000 N 4422617
Drive along the National Road in Fayette County and you will encounter a toll house built in 1835.
Waymark Code: WM24PR
Location: Pennsylvania, United States
Date Posted: 09/03/2007
Views: 93
This toll house was one of six used in Pennsylvania for the frontier highway. The tollhouse was erected in 1835 and during the years immediately following construction, the house saw a never ending stream of traffic from both east and west. Wagoners, drovers, stage drivers, and mail expresses left their colorful imprints on the road's history but with the coming of the railroads to Western Pennsylvania in the 1850's, traffic over the road declined, and after the Civil War it was used chiefly for local trips. Tolls were collected until 1905. Today, Searight's and the Addison Toll House are the only tollhouses still standing today.
The Toll House borrowed its named from the nearby village of Searight which was named for its most prominent citizen, William Searight. Searight was the owner of a prosperous tavern on the National Road, he had been a contractor for the road, and was later appointed commissioner of the Pennsylvania section, but had no connection with the toll house itself.
In 1966, the toll house was registered as a National Historic Landmark and has been restored and houses a museum.
Hours of operation:
from mid-May to mid-October: Tues. through Saturday, 10 am to 4 pm. Sundays, 2 pm to 6 pm.
Admission:
Adults- $1
Children- Free
Marker Text:
Erected by Pennsylvania, in 1835, to collect tolls on the National Road.
Marker Name: Searight's Tollhouse
County: Fayette
Date Dedicated: 01/01/1966
Marker Type: Roadside
Location: At site on U.S. 40, 5 miles NW of Uniontown
Category: Transportation, Roads
Website: [Web Link]
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