ROUTE 219: Pretty soon, we’ll be able to mark the 100th
anniversary of efforts to get a decent four-lane highway throughout
this region.

We know that because we’ve been reading a 1926 promotional
booklet published by the Bradford Board of Commerce which discusses
many facets of the Bradford area – including what was then known as
the Buffalo-Pittsburgh Trail. This, of course, is now known as U.S.
Route 219 or Continental One.

It’s interesting how the process got started.

Here’s what our pamphlet says, “Definite progress in highway
improvement in McKean County was started in 1916. Though only a few
miles south of the New York State line, Bradford and the people of
the county were cut off from communication with the important
cities and markets in southwestern New York.”

Thus began efforts both above and below the state line to create
a highway.

Handling the Bradford portion was arduous: “While comprising
only about eight miles, it was beset with an immense amount of
details, as for example, securing the right-of-way across the
Indian Reservation from the Seneca Nations, and from the individual
Indian owners, securing cooperation of three railroads in
constructing over-head crossings, dealing with three different
State administrations in the state of New York, presenting to the
state the above sum of $90,000 and inducing them to build eight
miles of highway at a cost of approximately three-quarters of a
million dollars.”

“The completion of this road from state line to Bradford
Junction marked an event of probably greater importance than any
other single improvement in the city’s history. …

“It runs through the rich farm land of western New York, through
the Bradford oil field, which produces the highest grade oil in the
world, through the natural gas field of Elk County, the rich coal
and coke region of Clearfield, Jefferson and Indiana Counties, on
through the mighty manufacturing section leading into Pittsburgh;
it brings about easy travel in a populous section of the state
possession great wealth and rare scenic beauty.

“All this from an idea on a draughtsman’s blue print in 1916 –
and made reality by the combined efforts of public spirited, far
sighted citizens working for the common welfare. When completed we
will have one of the most scenic routes of concrete road in the
United States.”

Our thanks to Barbara Smith for sharing this Bradford
pamphlet.