Merritt Parkway Tollbooth at Boothe Memorial Park in Stratford, Connecticut

Among the eclectic mix of buildings and other structures at Boothe Memorial Park in Stratford, Connecticut is the last remaining tollbooth from when the Merritt Parkway was tolled between the years 1940 and 1988. It is said that the tollbooth at Boothe Memorial Park is from across the Housatonic River in nearby Milford, Connecticut, and then when tolls were discontinued on the Merritt Parkway, the tollbooth was brought to Stratford to live its retirement among the clock tower, the supposed oldest homestead in America and other unique things that have been found its way onto the 32 acres of property once owned by brothers David Beach Boothe and Stephen Nichols Boothe. This is just a stone's throw away from the Merritt Parkway, so the tollbooth did not venture that far.

As for the tollbooth itself, it is the last remnant of the era of the Merritt Parkway when tolls were collected. There were tollbooths located in Greenwich, Milford and Wallingford, although Wallingford is on the Wilbur Cross Parkway, which the Merritt Parkway becomes east of Milford. They were designed by George Dunkelberger, who also designed the bridges of the Merritt Parkway. The tollbooths have a rustic feel to them, since after all, a parkway was originally meant to convey a park-like experience. It is certainly nice that this little piece of Connecticut history has been preserved for all to enjoy.

How to Get There:

Sources and Links:
Boothe Memorial Park and Museum - CTMQ
Stratford's Best Kept Secret - New Haven Register
Boothe Memorial Park, Stratford - Damned Connecticut

Comments

Legend of the Ridge Route; a history of crossing the mountains between the Los Angeles Basin and San Joaquin Valley from wagon trails to Interstates

Over the past two decades I've crossed the Interstate 5 corridor from Los Angeles north over the Sierra Pelona Mountains and Tehachapi Range to San Joaquin Valley what seems to be an immeasurable number of times. While Interstate 5 from Castaic Junction to Grapevine via Tejon Pass today is known to most as "The Grapevine" it occupies a corridor which has been traversed by numerous historic highways. The most notable of these highways is known as the "Ridge Route." This article is dedicated to the Ridge Route and the various highways that preceded it. The Ridge Route is a 44 mile section of highway which was completed in 1915. The Ridge Route originally stretched from Castaic Junction north over Liebre Summit and Tejon Pass to the tiny community of Grapevine. In spite of a roadway that once utilized nearly 700 curves the Ridge Route is generally considered far ahead of it's time and one of the first modern highways constructed for automotive use.

Closing the Gap - How Interstate 77 in North Carolina and Virginia Came To Be

Interstate 77 through the Virginias and Carolinas was not an original Interstate Highway proposal. In 1957, Interstate 77 was born as an over 400-mile southwards extension of a previously approved Cleveland to Canton, Ohio Interstate. The new road would extend through four states before terminating at Interstate 85 near Charlotte, North Carolina. This extension would bring an additional north-south highway connecting the industrial Midwest to the South. During the early planning stages of Interstate 77 from the late 1950s through the mid-1960s, North Carolina and Virginia had different plans routing the Interstate that took over five years to settle. While the new Ohio to Charlotte Interstate would follow the WV Turnpike to its terminus at US 460 near Princeton, its route through the remainder of West Virginia, Virginia, and North Carolina was uncertain. The route south from Princeton into Virginia and to Interstate 81 near Wytheville consisted of two options. An eastern option

Former US Route 99 in Modesto and the 7th Street Bridge

Recently I paid a visit to the City of Modesto of Stanislaus County to visit the former alignments of US Route 99. My interest in Modesto was spurred by the fact that the earliest alignment of US Route 99 in Modesto over the 7th Street Bridge is endangered. Part 1; the history of US Route 99 in Modesto Modesto was settled as a siding of the Southern Pacific Railroad in 1870. Modesto was originally slated to be named "Ralston" in honor of financier William C. Ralston. Ralston requested to have another name for the siding to be found. The name "Modesto" was chosen to recognize the modesty of Ralston. The construction of the Southern Pacific Railroad in San Joaquin Valley brought a large of amount of commerce as the previous transportation corridors in the Sierra Nevada Foothills were rendered obsolete. Modesto grew rapidly and replaced Knight's Ferry as the Stanislaus County Seat in 1872. Modesto can be seen along the Southern Pacific Railroad on the 187

Gribblenation

Search This Blog