Tredyffrin Easttown Historical Society
History Quarterly Digital Archives

Source: Summer 2006 Volume 43 Number 3, Page 78

FROM THE EDITOR

Page 78

Few realize one of the earliest official positions in Tredyffrin Township was a Supervisor of Roads first elected in 1725. Prior to that, local landowners had to do their own road repairs and pay the maintenance costs of all roads around and through their properties.

By 1841 Tredyffrin Township had 2 Supervisors of Roads, one for the West End and one for the East End. A Township auditor's report issued that year, and reported in this issue's “Selected Notes from Township Supervisors' Minutes,” states that in 1840 for the West End $489.89 was collected in taxes and $367.32½ was paid for road work. The respective figures for that year for the East End were $386.07 and $380.24.

By 1907 there were 3 “Roadmasters.” In 1939 a Superintendent of Roads position was created that paid $150 per month. In September 2006 Judy DiFilippo, Chair of the Tredyffrin Board of Supervisors, wrote: “Overseeing the maintenance of roads and sewers is still the primary function of Township Supervisors today in many of the smaller municipalities as well as trying to manage development.”

Swedesford Road was a major local road by 1724. The 1963 photograph in this issue's “Valley Forge Music Fair” shows Swedesford Road 240 years later in the Devon area as still having a quite rural look. This would soon change in a few years with the first round of major changes to Route 202.

Yellow Springs Road was established in the northern part of Tredyffrin by 1768. The story of the Bill and Sue Andrews' property in this issue entitled “An Old Road and a Dig” includes photographs of the evolution of an early dirt road used by local farmers to take goods to mills and markets that ran through the property from Yellow Springs Road and eventually connected to Swedesford Road.

Please join us. Our September 17th meeting is James Brazel's presentation on “Downingtown to Bridgeport: The Reading Railroad's Chester Valley Branch.” Our October 15th meeting is “Sand, Railways and Movies: the Varied History of a Local Business” by Mike Bertram. Our November 19th meeting is J. Michael Morrison talking about “Greater King of Prussia: Then and Now.” All meetings are at 2 P.M. at the Easttown Library & Information Center, 720 First Avenue in Berwyn. For further information about meetings contact the President or the Program Chair.

Authors retain copyright of their contributions.
The Club does not accept responsibility for the accuracy of the information in the articles.

TREDYFFRIN EASTTOWN HISTORY QUARTERLY
Volume 43, Number 3 – Summer 2006

FRONT COVER: Restored end of the original barn on the Andrews' property. August 2006.
Photograph by Joyce A. Post

BACK COVER: Early advertisement for Valley Forge Music Fair theater-goers.
Courtesy J. Michael Morrison and Vincent Martino.