New Britain herald., 1928-01-21
'b0STu|V fDST'R0AD
 S @ YEARS OLD
Mt nd9 Ussd Ttll From
 MI Yolt Jin. &, 1878

 ysass ago today. in 1878. that thu first horseback post left New Yorl City to blaze the trail over a long and hazardous journey along ilt and bleak coast to Boston. the frs attempt ever made to link by land route the two largest cities of CO lonial America.
 The first post rider, who seems tc have gone nameleSs as far as history is concerned, was scheduled to leave Now York City on the pioneer tril to Boston on January 1, 1873. but q delay in the delivery of some 's' packets from Albany necessitated his delay until the twenty-second. Car rying pessages from Governor Fran cis Lovelace of New York to Gov ernor Winthrop of Connecticut and the governor of the Massachusetts Bay colony, the rider left the fort at the lower end of Broadway al dawn. His progress was slow due to the necessity of conserving his mount and due to the lack of any definite route. The short winter day also served to limit his daily mileage
 Two Days Leaving New York
 Two days were required before the rider could make his way out of what is today New York City. Wa gon trails and COW paths aided is progress during those two days. but the third day found him riding 'thr0uxh the sparse settlements along the Sound with only Indian trails to follow most of the time. He found ferries across the more im- portant rivers but the smaller streams had to be crossed on the ice. When the Connecticut settle ments were reached wagon trails be- came more frequent and could be followed confidently. From New Haven to Hartford and thence to Springfield and Boston, the trail was marked and progress was more rapid. The entire trip of the first Boston Post required just two weeks. Tho rider rested two days in Bos- ton and then began his return jour- ney with a packet of mail from Bos- ton. Progress was much easier on the return trip, for the rider knew his way and knew at what stages of .sa.his journey he might expect to find flood and lodging.
 Once the route was defined. the rost between New York and Boston became regular. Other routes were developed from New Haven to Massachusetts, one along the shore of the Sound through Providence, and ono across the state of Connecti- cut through Putnam. Provisions for relief horses at various points along the route enabled the Post to ride harder and to cut the time of the trip to one week. Thirty to fifty miles became the average daily dis tance,
 Chnnccticut Adopts Highway Act
 Realizing the necessity for pre- serving a right of way between the colonies, which might be free from tncroachments for all time, both Connecticut and New York took legislative action to accomplish this purpose. Connecticut, in it's first le- gal code established in 1873 shortly after the post had completed its maiden trip, included highway act. Tn 17l3, the New York Assembly provided forever a road four rods in width between New York city and the Connecticut boundary.
 Al time went on, the post route was improved. The trail was unmis- takably defined, and eating and lodging places became part of the regular schedule. Bridges were erect ed to save the necessity of fording small streams. The bridges, however. were narrow, trembling structures with railing provided on one side only. Ferries continued to be the only means of crossing the rivers for many years 70 come.
 Almost one hundred years after the departure of the first post from New York. the first coach service n Boston was inaugurated. The first coach was operated by Jonathan sand Nicholas Brown. It started from New York on June 25. 1772 and made the trip to Boston via New Haven and Hartford. That journey and many to follow it were rough tours which demanded travel from sin-up to sun-down on hard, back less seats. The Average daily stage was % miles in summer and 25 miles in winter. Frequent stops at taverns to treat the driver often delayed the Journey.
 'TuFnplking" Finds Favor
 As years went on, attempts were made to smooth the journey with crude pavemeats, process known then as 'turnpiking." The earliest paving consisted of a layer of rock covered with sand. This made travel excellent until rain washed away the sand, and then with the coach dumping over bare rock. travelling became worse than ever. The same situation developed in the use of logs covered with gravel for crossing swamp land. The innovation of crushed stone and planking for road foundations was q great improve ment and the first brick pavement was little short of a godsend.
 In the gradual process of cvolu- ton. the Boston Post Road has to- Gay become one of the best examples of modern highway construction. II was one of the first roads in the country to be equipped with four lanes of traffic. It is believed 70 be the longest stretch of four lane pave lnent in the world at the present time. It has been the means of bringing highway engineers to Con- necticut from every part of Amer ica and from many sections of the world to learn the methods used in its construction. It is at once Con