Exploring the Oldest Road in The USA – The King’s Highway
As it turns out, I’m not the only one that enjoys historical exploration. Some folks in Pennsylvania have been exploring the oldest road in America and have produced a documentary. They may not call it historical exploration, but they started with the history of the Kings Highway and went exploring before producing their documentary video.
The King’s Highway
The 1,300-mile (2,100 km) long King’s Highway was built from to 1650 to 1735 and connected Charleston, South Carolina to Boston, Massachusetts. It played a critical role in the ultimate independence of the United States from England even though it was ordered to be built by Charles II of England.
In 1735, it was basically a trail. By 1750 the entire road was in place. Wagons and stagecoaches used it, but it was difficult going with few bridges and many river crossings. Sections were often impassable.
Today, highways and modern roads cover most of the original route.
In many places key historic elements have been preserved. For example,The King’s Highway Historic District in New Jersey covers U.S. Route 206 and New Jersey Route 27 that connect Lawrenceville with Kingston through Princeton. There are five National Historic Landmarks, just on that piece of road: Lawrenceville School, Morven Museum and Garden, Maclean House, Nassau Hall, and the Joseph Henry House. In addition there are numerous associated historic stuctures on the National Register of Historic Places and the New Jersey Register of Historic Places.
There are hundreds of historic places along the 1,300 mile highway, but today lets look at what’s happening in northeast Philadelphia.
The King’s Highway in Philadelphia
Right now a team of local residents including government officials and historians are working with a film production team led by Jason Sherman to create a definitive documentary about The King’s Highway that is now Frankford Avenue (U.S. Route 13) in northeast Philadelphia. While the King’s Highway in this part Philadelphia is a small part of the historical picture it is a surprisingly rich part.
Legend has it that in 1777 one northeast Philadelphia resident named Lydia Darragh was forced to allow the British that were occupying Philadelphia to use part of her house for meetings. One night she listened to officers making plans to attack the Continental Army. The next day she obtained permission to cross the British line to acquire flour. While getting the flour, she got word to General Washington’s troops about the impending attack. The Continental Army was ready for the British and the attack failed.
Frankford Avenue Bridge
Northeast Philadelphia – 1697
The Frankford Avenue Bridge (or Pennypack Creek Bridge) was erected in 1697 in the Holmesburg section of Northeast Philadelphia at the request of William Penn. Penn originally asked for the bridge to connect his mansion with the city of Philadelphia, but it became an important link on the King’s Highway. It is now the oldest, continuously-used roadway bridge in the United States. The three-span, 73-foot-long (22 m) twin stone arch bridge carries Frankford Avenue over Pennypack Creek in Pennypack Park at an old Lenape Indian trail crossing. In 1789, George Washington crossed the bridge on his way to his first presidential inauguration in New York.
There are many other historical sites in the area and along the King’s Highway.
Exploring The King’s Highway
Whether you are in Philadelphia or anywhere else along the King’s Highway, you can use the highway as the object of your historical explorations. The research is now easier for the northeast Philadelphia area as the film team has completed the documentary. It is available free on Amazon if you have Amazon Prime and is available on IndieFlix if you are a subscriber. If you would like to support marketing of the documentary, you can buy things at the film’s website. Then, get out and explore!
Video Trailer
More Information
- The King’s Road Documentary Website
- The King’s Highway on Kickstarter
- Presentation to Historical Society of Frankford
First Map of Philadelphia – 1687
(Click for a larger version)
Please Share
21 Responses to “Exploring the Oldest Road in The USA – The King’s Highway”
Leave a Reply
Great Products From Great Merchants
Recent Posts
Get Blog Posts by eMail
Deals of the Day – Don’t wait!
Gear Up!
Become a Patron
About Our Merchant Sponsors
Subscribe | Follow Us: 
| Share: 
Add this post to your Flipboard Magazine: Add to Flipboard Magazine.
Watch Our Video Podcast Series on iTunes or see our videos on YouTube.
Privacy Policy - Privacy Tools - Terms and Conditions - Copyright and Trademark Statement
©2018 Global Creations LLC - All Rights Reserved.
Very exciting that so much history is so close to us.
So glad you are takimg up this cause. I have known about the bridge for years and have made several visits. Saw a newly added historical marker (how long ago). Great work.
Where can I get a map of king high way.
Good question Herminio,
I found one and added it to the blog post at
https://explore.globalcreations.com/theblog/featured/exploring-the-kings-highway/
If you open the map in a separate browser window, it will be a little larger and easier to read.
-Jerry-
Apparently that map has now changed location on the web and I can’t find anything similar.
-Jerry-
How can I rent or purchase the video on Route 13, Frankford Avenue? We liked seeing it on PBS but want to share it with family. Thank you.
Lorie Truitt
Hi Lorraine,
The video can be purchased at kingshighwayfilm.com. It is no longer available for purchase on Amazon, but it looks like it can still be viewed via Amazon Prime.
-Jerry-
My family lived in Pennypack when I was born (Deer Lane). I remember walking to Thomas Holmes school daily, walking up to Franklin Ave where a friends home was Just across Franklin Ave (now long gone replaced by shops). We rode sleds behind Deer Lane into the creek, walked the railroad tracks where my little 4-year-old legs couldn’t get me off the Tressel fast enough so I slipped between the ties and watched it pass over. Scared the H.. out of my brothers.) It was special, it was home, it was where America was born but I wasn’t aware of the history we shared. Life took our family to southern Maryland, attending school with Dr. Mudd’s descendants, along the route John Wilks Booth rode out of Washington. Grown-up loving history and this is a welcome addition to my history. Thank You. I’ll share it with my two remaining brothers.
My house (in maryland) sits on the part of the old Kings Highway. My house was built in 1740. I’m a huge history buff, and enjoyed this article and the documentary!
Hi Sara! Wow, that’s amazing! I loved this documentary and also am a huge history buff, especially American history! I am trying to put a driving trip together of the Kings Highway…wonder if you could help me at all… I see Jerry has some bits in here but I still feel lost in mapping it out.
Blessings,
Kristen
Hi Kristen,
I found a map that has a bit more detail and added it to the story. If you can get a current highway map, you should be able to find a road from city to city that closely matches the route of King’s Highway. The map also shows some other roads from the colonial era if you want to make an even bigger historical adventure. Most of the cities listed should have a museum that can add context to your adventure.
Have fun!
-Jerry-
So interesting !! Listed as one of the oldest places in America
Hi, Just watched the documentary on Kings highway. Very interesting, trying to find a driving map of kings highway in NJ. Vague descriptions but I would like to explore this more.
Hi Ella,
I’ve been looking for a good map of the entire highway – or at least as close as one can get these days. No luck so far. New Jersey does have the King’s Highway Historic District. It follows US-206 and NJ-27 between Lawrenceville and Kingston. The route passes through eight historic districts and past five National Historic Landmarks (Lawrenceville School, Morven, Nassau Hall, Joseph Henry House, and Maclean House). Here’s a map of the section:
[Djkeddie / CC BY-SA]
-Jerry-
Ella, I’m hoping to plan a trip to see as much of this as I can. The documentary was so great! Any luck for you finding driving directions for this?
I am also interested in making this trip. I as of yet cannot find a complete map of the highway.
Does anyone have any old photographs or drawings of Old Kings Highway before it became Philadelphia Pike in New Castle DE before it parts became Wilmington? I am looking for anything…or anything showing the structures and houses when it was the Brandywine 100?
Where Kings Highway passes through Moorestown, NJ (local to me) the Thomas Cowperthwaite home still stands. It was built in 1742. I admire it often when I pass by. More info can be found by googling.
Thanks Monica!
For more about the house see:
https://www.loc.gov/item/nj0349/
https://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/wm42C2_Thomas_Cowperthwait_House_1742_Moorestown_NJ
-Jerry-
Are there areas in Maryland I can visit. Can’t find info. on areas in Maryland.
Hi Mike,
I can’t find much either.
See:
https://www.hmdb.org/Photos/17/Photo17785o.jpg for an historical marker about the Potomac Path (showning the highway including part of Maryland.
The same map (1751) covering all of Maryland, but without the highway – as far as I can tell, is here:https://www.loc.gov/resource/g3880.ct000370/
The highway map above shows the Kings Highway from Baltimore to Annapolis, maybe you can map it against a better map or even the 1751 map and uncover various places that you can research.
Enjoy!
-Jerry-