Stagecoach Travel

Stagecoach Travel. Lincoln Highway Heritage Corridor. , From footpaths to early turnpikes and macadam roads, transportation innovations fostered the boom of the fastest vehicle in 1817 - the stagecoach! The Compass Inn Museum interprets life on the road during the early 19th century., A century later, following virtually the same route as the Philadelphia to Pittsburgh Turnpike, the Lincoln Highway introduced America to automobile travel. It stretched from New York City to San Francisco. This route was chosen because it was the most direct route across the Appalachian Mountains, despite the challenge presented by a half dozen steep-sided ridges., The Compass Inn operated as an "upscale" stagecoach stop until 1862. For the next century it was a private residence. Beginning in 1966, the Ligonier Valley Historical Society began careful restoration of the Inn, returning the building to its 1830 appearance. It opened as a Museum in 1972. Inns such as this provided travelers the opportunity to enjoy a warm meal, a bed for the night, and the camaraderie of fellow travelers. Stagecoach stops, like the Compass Inn, often became magnets of activity in a community., The Lincoln Highway was well traveled through Laughlintown until the current Pennsylvania Turnpike opened in 1940. Residents at that time said it was "like turning a water spigot off"; all through-traffic just dried up!, (Captions):, The Compass Inn as it appeared in 1926., The Blacksmith Shop is complete with a working forge.