Program

NYS Historic

Subject

Transportation

Location

5690 Hwy 20, East Springfield, NY 13333, USA

Lat/Long

42.831429, -74.816851

Grant Recipient

Springfield Historical Society

In 1808, a decade before the construction of the Erie Canal, the third Great Western Turnpike was completed. This road spanned across the state of New York, and effectively connected the east coast to the western interior. Along the turnpike were toll gates which collected money from travelers for passage along the road. A toll gate once stood at this site midway between East Springfield, New York and Shadow Brook. While the toll gate is now gone, the Great Western Turnpike still exists in a slightly different form and is now known as U.S. Route 20.