Its a Goodly Land, by Deborah Kelley Henderson, published 1982 CHAPTER XI, Pages 212-219 ROADS AND RAILROADS

OF GOODLETTSVILLE Middle Tennessee's first roadways were game trails rutted out of the wilderness by buffalo and other animals. These routes were subsequently followed by the Indians and by the white men who expanded the pathways and cut new roads. Many of today's roads still follow virtually the same routes blazed by the buffalo, including Interstate 65 North (through Goodlettsville and White House), which runs parallel to an original trail. The buffalo has been described as the "best natural engineer the world has ever known; because he invariably followed the line of least resistance and gave to his trails the easiest grade it was possible. . . Several of today's highways, including the Franklin Road, Gallatin Road, Murfreesboro Road, and Dickerson Road, follow the trails used by buffalo migrating to various salt licks. John Haywood described the present Franklin Road as the South Fork Road which ran from the French Lick to the Duck River. It was a broad, beaten path the buffalo had made coming north to the French Lick and "apparently had been used by them for ages. It was worn into the earth one or two feet or more in many places. In some places (it was] three or four feet wide." Improved roadways were important to the early settlers as they attempted to open the nation's western interior and provide themselves with safe access to each settlement. The first settlers at Mansker's Station probably followed the narrow path laid out by the buffalo from the French Lick to Mansker's Lick when they moved from Fort Nashborough to the newly constructed fort at Mansker's Creek. By April 1. 1783, the Court of Notables had directed that a road be opened between Nashborough and Mansker's Station, and the people of the settlement were called upon to assist in its construction. The road was to run from "Nashborough to Mansco's Station, And thence to Maulding's Station, And that Capt. Daniel Williams and John Buchanan Junr. Lay it off from Nashborough towards Manscos Station. Until they Intersect with the New Trace leading from thence this way, And that Capt. Mansco And Moat Maulding lay off the Road Between Mansco's And Maulding Station.... Mauldin Station was located approximately fourteen miles north of Goodlettsville on today's Highway 31-W north, near the Cherry Mound community. Captain John Blackamore and Captain James McFadden were appointed

overseers for the construction. The motion also called for a second road to be laid off between Heatonsburgh and Nanscos Station. Humphrey Hogan and Henry Ramsey were appointed to survey the route, and Stephen Ray and Josiah Ramsey were designated as overseers. The Minutes of the Cumberland Court show several accounts of road improvements between Nashborough and Manskers Station. In 1786, the court ordered Robert Cartwright to lay off a road from "Heaton's Old Station to Mansker's Lick. The following year, Cartwright was appointed overseer to clear the road from 'White's Creek to Mansker's Station, which had recently been laid out by Headon Wells and Company. The residents along the route were called upon to assist with the work; they included "those living at Daniel Frazier's, Sam Walker's, Mr. Mear's and Mr. Coon's." In the July, 1788, court sessIon, a road was ordered to be laid off from Cripps Ferry to Mansco's Station, and William Shaw was appointed as overseer. The road was to be surveyed by Headon Wells, James Lanier, Nicholas Baker, Nicholas Conrod, Absalom Hooper, Joseph Hannah, and Robert and Thomas Cartwright. L. C. Bell calculated that Heaton's Station Eaton's) was located a mile from downtown Nashville on the White's Creek Road, and in 1786 Cripp was authorized to operate a ferry at this location. The ferry crossed the river near the mouth of Page's Branch on the north side and Lick Branch on the south side of the River. The topography of the county indicates that the trail from Cripp's Ferry to Mansker's Fort was up Page's Branch to the present Dickinson Road" and then followed a uffalo trail to Mansker's Station. Today's maps show that Page's Branch runs across Old Trinity Lane and under the Trinity Lane exchange of Interstate-65 North. The road was widened and improved on several occasions, but was not chartered as a turnpike until 1846 Sumner County, like Davidson County, was interested in improving the trails between stations; the second year the quarterly court met, a series of road improvements were authorized. The court called for the roads to be "cleared sufficient for wagons to pass and the most direct way so as not to touch on any persons [sic] enclosures. . . ." Robert Bell was appointed overseer to clear the trail from Kasper Creek to Drake's Creek, and George Mansker was designated to supervise the route from Drake's Creek to "said Mansker's house." Roads were also cleared in such key settlements as Station Camp and Bledsoe Lick. The early action of the Davidson and Sumner County courts made Mansker's Station accessible from three directions: north from

Kentucky and Maulding Station, south from Nashville, and east from Bledsoe's Lick and Gallatin. One of the state's surviving early maps, The Travelers' Pocket Map of Tennessee, 1830, shows that the road north from Nashville branched at Haysborough (one mile east of the Hermitage), where it continued north to Mansker's Station and on to Franklin, Kentucky. The exact route from Nashville is not distinguishable because few landmarks are given. but it was evident that the route ran parallel to Mansker's Creek. Stagecoach travel made the already well-used route from north to south, which ran through Goodlettsville, a major roadway. A trip from Louisville, Kentucky, to Nashville, was a journey of 180 miles which took two days of travelling over bumpy, rough roads at a cost of twelve dollars for a one-way ticket. The stage was pulled by four horses in fair weather and six horses in wet weather. The teams were changed at stage stops placed at ten-mile intervals: frequent changes preserved the animals, as well as assuring stead' speed by using fresh horses. An early stage stand in Tennessee was at Cheek Stand, approximately nine miles from the Kentucky line. Twelve miles south was the famed Tyree Springs stand, Which was known for its sulphur water and became a fashionable retreat; its guest list included Andrew Jackson and other prominent figures. The stage travelled from Tyree Springs through Goodlettsville, where it stopped at the Peyton Roscoe hotel before moving south to Gee's Tavern, near the Old Amqui Station, and on to Nashville where the travelers arrived around 9:00 p.m.8 It appears that travelling the early route from Goodlettsville to Nashville involved cutting cross country at Dry Creek, near the present Two Mile Pike, and then following a route similar to today's Gallatin Road into Nashville. The arrival of the stagecoach in town was an anticipated event. The stage driver sounded his bugle three times to announce the arrival of the coach, and the employees of Magnolia Inn scattered to their posts to prepare for their guests. The groomsmen prepared relief teams, hitched them to the coach, and while the tired animals were cooled off and fed, the coach moved swiftly north pulled by a fresh team. Passengers lodged at the three-story Magnolia Inn (the site of the Bank of Goodlettsville) and undoubtedly received delectable southerncooked dinners. The road through Goodlettsville is said to have been a "favorite route for stagecoach gamblers. It ran through a bluegrass land of fullblooded people, and highly prosperous passengers rode along the important Nashville and Louisville

Turnpike." One such professional gambler was Sam Austin, who "plied this route." and was known to have had a "flair for dealing from the bottom of the deck." The story is told that Austin was playing cards on the coach and was accused of cheating. The men pulled their guns and the stagecoach driver, who was the only "law" on the road, stopped the coach and put the men off. It is said that the driver would not get behind on his mail schedule to witness the outcome and that the "coach sped on, while pistols barked. . . ." A passing coach picked up the wounded men. Austin died." During the late 1830s and 1840s, the State of Tennessee joined with private companies to stimulate internal improvements, which resulted in the construction of nineteen turnpikes opening in middle Tennessee. The Louisville and Nashville Turnpike, known today as Dickerson Road, was chartered on Jamiary 23, 1846. It was incorporated following the guidelines set forth in 1829 by one of Nashville's first turnpike companies, the Franklin Turnpike Company. "The act of incorporation partially described the Louisville and Nashville route, but left the actual road survey to the discretion of the company's commissioners, A.W. Putnam, Josiah F. Williams (my maternal grandmothers paternal grandfather). James A. Porter, Joseph S. Ewing, and Charles W. Moorman. It was stipulated that the new road should "intersect with White's Creek Pike, at or near McNeil's pond, about one mile and a half from Nashville . . . and extend along the line of the Old Dickerson meeting house road, if found practical" and meet the Louisville turnpike at Mansker's Lick." The road was officially known as the Louisville and Nasville Branch Turnpike, but it became known locally as the Dickinson Road due to its route near the old meeting house. Old Dickinson Road Meeting House was located near the home of Jacob Dickinson who lived near the present site of New Due West road. Dickinson emigrated from Tarboro, North Carolina, to Davidson County and built across from Joseph Phillips (The correct spelling is Philips) plantation.The original spelling was Dickinson, but it was misspelled by the legislature as Dickerson and the wrong spelling became popularly known. The Dickerson route was laid off by C. W. Nance and appears to have followed the trails blazed by the buffalo. The charter of incorporation specified that the road be at least thirty-fivefeet wide and required that fifteen feet of the road bed be graveled or McAdamized. The McAdamized road was developed by John L McAdam and was a pavement of compacted small stones. The road was completed in 1852 at a cost of $16,000. Claiborne

Hooper and William D. Phillips (The correct spelling is Philips) each purchased $4,000 in stock in the Louisville and Nashville Branch Turnpike, which made them major stockholders in the company. The turnpikes or toll roads were forerunners of today's toll roads and operated under the same concept, whereby a traveler is charged a pecified fee for driving on the highway. The Louisville and Nashville Branch charter authorized that "not more than two tollgates" be erected on the L & N Turnpike. The fees charged at the tollgates were set by the Tennessee General Assembly and were priced, "to wit: for every twenty head of sheep or hogs twenty cents; for every twenty head of cattle, Fifty cents; for every horse or mule not in a drove, nor employed in drawing a carriage or wagon, five cents; if in a drove two centsfor every four-wheeled carriage, twenty-five cents; for every two-wheeled riding carriage, twenty-five cents; for every loaded wagon, twenty-five cents; for every empty wagon, twelve and a half cents for every hogshead of tobacco, not in a wagon or cart, drawn by horses, mules or oxen, twelve and a half cents; for every man and horse, six and a half cents." There were two tollgates located in the Goodlettsville vicinity. The Long Hollow Turnpike was operated by Ruben Cartwright, Jim Cantrell, and a gentleman named Taylor. The tollgate was located at the entrance of Long Hollow Pike (behind present Kmart. In 1980, the Long Hollow Pike was rerouted and the new roadbed through downtown Goodlettsville was moved south. A new bridge was constructed across Mansker's Creek at Long Hollow Pike, replacing the old wooden-floor bridge supported by stone pillars. The bridge is said to have been built in 1894 at a cost of $1,040." The second tollgate was located at Millersville and was part of the Louisville and Nashville Turnpike. During the 18908, W. Connell was president of L & N Turnpike Company and Thomas M. Hart was secretary and treasurer. As treasurer of the company, one of Hart's responsibilities included collecting money from the tollhouse keeper. The money from the tolls paid for the maintenance of the roads. Although the annual income of the L & N Turnpike is not known, it is believed to have been a substantial sum, based on the 1854 collection of $2,000 derived from the Mansker's Creek and Springfield Turnpike with branched northwest off the Louisville and Nashville Turnpike."

The tollgate at Millersville was originally operated by a man named Perry. It was located near the Old Sanders house, just before crossing the first bridge going north into Millersville. The tollgate was a twenty-foot-long pole which swung across the road to block travel until the toll was paid. A tollkeeper's house was usually built near the gate." One of the well-known stories surrounding the tollgate at Millersville involved an incident between Thomas Hart, the company treasurer, and Bert Yager, a local merchant. Bert, a small man about three feet tall, was a favorite of the townspeople. Bert was a talented violinist who had travelled with a musical show. He was a lively conversationalist who shared his travelling experiences and funny stories with the customers who traded at his store. He was a popular fellow in the community. On the other hand, Thomas Han was the manager of the road who made his home outside the community on Dickerson Road near Nashville. There were often complaints about the price of the toll compared to the quality of the road. These complaints, directed at Thomas Hart, were unusually high during the spring and fall, when the farmers on the ridge hauled as many as thirty or forty wagon loads of supplies across the bumpy road. Bert Yager pastured his horse about 600 yards south of the tollgate on the Bob Cartwright place. One afternoon in the late fall, Bert went to the pasture, caught his horse, and proceeded to pay the toll as he came back to the store. Hart was inspecting the road and collected Bert's fee. A conflict ensued over the charge and Han pulled Bert from the horse and slapped him. Bert went immediately to Marvin Lassiter, a magistrate who lived just up the read, and swore out a warrant for the arrest of Thomas Hart. There was no constable or sheriff to serve the warrant so Lassiter deputized Robert Fisher to serve the papers. Hart had gone up the road (north) to inspect the right-of-ways; upon his return, Fisher stepped out on the road to arrest Ran, who angrily denied the arrest and drove past Fisher to the tollgate. Robert Fisher, Marvin Lassiter, and Billy Lassiter discussed the situation, armed themselves with shotguns, and approached the tollgate. By this time, an account of the confrontation had spread through the village and a crowd had gathered at the town to witness the arrest. The crowd was ready to converge upon Hart when Mr. Lassiter persuaded the angry crowd to stay back and let him talk to Hart. Lassiter approached Hart, but the conversation resulted in Hart striking Lassiter. Hart armed with a rifle, warned the men to stay back; shots were fired, some of which strayed and whizzed through the store

windows. Breaking the candy jars setting on the shelves. Hart received a flesh wound on the neck when some of the men crossed the creek and slipped to the side of the gate. The men were quite a distance away and the gunshot pellets did little damage. Hart jumped in the buggy and retreated to Goodlettsville where his neck was dressed by a local doctor. The warrant was turned over to Deputy Sheriff Pitt, and Hart was arrested the following day. Hart's refusal to surrender to the law, along with his treatment of Bert and poor road conditions, combined to make a volatile situation which resulted in a group of armed night riders destroying the tollgate. The masked riders pulled the twenty foot pole down, chopped it into pieces so it could not be used again and turned over the small tollkeeper's house. It was hoped that the action would cause Hart to sell his portion of the road, but he refused to be intimidated and rebuilt the tollhouse. Another brief confrontation occurred at the gate house as the night riders tried to close the tollhouse for a second time, but their action was counteracted by Hart's indictment against approximately fifteen of the men. The men were brought to trial in Gallatin, but the jurors, who were mostly farmers contending with toll problems in other areas of Sumner County, found the riders "not guilty" and the controversial affair was brought to a close. After the turn of the twentieth century, the responsibility for the road system was turned over to the county and state governments. Today's Dickerson Road follows practically the same route as the original Louisville and Nashville Branch Turnpike. The road has been straightened and moved to the east of the Robert Cartwright farm; Old Dickerson Road was the earlier route. On the northern end of the pike, at the Old Walton farm (J. B. Jackson farm), a new bridge was constructed and the new road diverted west of the old stone bridges. The architecturally unique bridges are said to have been built in c. 1828 and in the 1840s as many as four stagecoaches a day clamored across the grey stone bridges. Mansker's Creek is spanned by two stone bridges, one a single- and one a double-arch bridge. The smooth limestone blocks were so perfectly cut that no mortar was used; placement of the keystone locked the entire structure in place. The colorful stagecoach days came to a gradual close as steel rails were laid across Tennessee and steam engines increased the pace of transportation. The first railroad in Tennessee was the

Nashville and Chattanooga line, chartered in 1845 and completed in c. 1854. On January 30, 1852, the Tennessee General Assembly approved plans for a rail system to be laid north of Nashville through Goodlettsville to link with a line at Guthrie, Kentucky. The corporation was chartered under the name of the Edgefield and Kentucky Railroad.