Bloody Run Historical Society

1818 - The Chambersburg–Bedford Turnpike
Did you know Everett once had a toll house at the west end of town, near where McFarland’s Furniture stands today? Known as the Bloody Run Toll House, it was part of the old Chambersburg–Bedford Turnpike.
The Chambersburg–Bedford Turnpike was chartered in 1815 and built between 1818–1823, the 55-mile road connected Bedford and Chambersburg, becoming a vital route for people, wagons, livestock, and stagecoaches. Travelers paid tolls at small toll houses spaced about every 10–12 miles, with rates depending on the type of vehicle or animals. The collected tolls helped maintain the road, bridges, and culverts.
The turnpike remained in operation until the early 1900s, when Pennsylvania took over and made it toll-free. Over time, it was replaced by modern highways like U.S. Route 30 and the Pennsylvania Turnpike (I-76).
Today, only a few toll houses survive, preserved as reminders of when toll roads were essential to travel and commerce in our region.