Allegheny River Headwaters Watershed Conservation Plan

Allegheny River Headwaters Conservation Plan
Chapter 5. Cultural Resources
Originally started by private services, mail delivery occurred every two weeks. Depending upon
weather conditions, trips took three to five days for carriers. By 1802, the U.S. Postal Service took over,
and delivered mail once a week to the nearest tavern or store.
In 1816, the first mail route was established through the Allegheny River headwaters region, from
Olean to Jersey Shore. The first post office was established in Ceres, and mail was carried by horseback.
In 1825, mail was brought into Coudersport by horseback once every other week from Jersey Shore on its
way to Olean (Beers, 1890).
Many families waited days, weeks, or months, coordinating trips for supplies, in order to pick up
their mail. In 1893, the introduction of rural delivery no longer required residents to wait or schedule trips
to get their mail. Proponents’ against rural delivery claimed that safety and cost were not worth the
convenience. Originally, the cost of sending a letter varied based upon its intended destination. Letters
that traveled less than 40 miles cost 8 cents, 40–90 miles cost 10 cents, 90–500 cost between 12.5–20
cents, and anything over 500 miles cost 25 cents. Beginning in 1863, postage was charged by the weight
of the letter or package (U.S. Postal Service).
As mail delivery grew, so did the need for infrastructure. The development of many roadways was a
byproduct of postal delivery; local government began to extend and improve highways after the postal
service refused rural delivery on routes that were in poor condition.
As routes extended, stage coaches were used to transport mail. As time went on, the introduction of
the railroad further advanced postal delivery. Trains were able to transport mass volumes of mail more
rapidly.
Transportation
The initial transportation in the region was via the waterways for settlers arriving from Philadelphia
and New England. Other settlers entered the region using old Native American paths. These early paths
were mere foot or walking paths used for trading, hunting, and during times of war. The paths extended
long distances and often intersected, creating a system of trails.
The Native American paths were too narrow for European settlers entering the region with their
horses and other pack animals. In order to get through, they widened the foot paths into pack trails. As the
region was enhanced, pack animals were no longer adequate for carrying the needed supplies and were
replaced with larger, heavy wagons. Once again, the paths were deemed insufficient and were widened,
making way for the establishment of early roads.
In 1807, the State Commission authorized the construction of an east-west roadway across the
northern tier of Pennsylvania, creating a pathway for development. Charming villages, communities, and
towns matured along the route. In 1925, this tranquil roadway through the pristine forestland of McKean
and Potter counties was incorporated as part of U.S. Route 6, linking the region to Cape Cod,
Massachusetts and Long Beach, California, becoming one of America’s first transcontinental highways.
There wasn’t a dire need for the railroad industry throughout Pennsylvania until the establishment of
the Erie Canal. With the establishment of the canal, possibilities grew for shipment of goods and products
into and out of the region; the railroad industry could transport goods and products to and from the canal.
The introduction of railroads to the region played an important role in the lumber history. Once
railroads were established throughout the region, it was more economical and beneficial to transport
timber via the railroad. This ended log drives, booms, and rafting of timber. Utilizing railroads, the
logging industry could continue throughout the year, no longer needing to rely on spring floods to
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