South Carolina - Transportation & Travel




South Carolina - Transportation & Travel

Turnpike Roads in South Carolina

Not even mentioned in the "South Carolina Encyclopedia," as edited by Walter Edgar in 2006, the State of South Carolina first enacted legislation specifically for Turnpike Roads in 1808, as shown below. Each company constructing Turnpike Roads was authorized to collect tolls for road usage as long as each road met State specifications and was maintained properly.

Not all Turnpike Roads were chartered via official State legislation. Most were established by "letters patent" at the district (county) court house. The following is a chronological listing of all known legislative Acts that describe specific turnpike roads in South Carolina. There were a handful of other legislative Acts that mention turnpike roads in a general sense, such as how railroads must accommodate turnpike roads, and those general items are not included herein.

Date Ratified	Title of Legislative Act	From	To	Comments
December 17, 1808	An Act to Establish Certain Roads, Bridges and Ferries Therein Mentioned	St. Andrew's Parish	Public Road from Charleston to Rantoles Bridge	First time a turnpike road is mentioned with tolls to be collected. Also to look into the practicability of a turnpike road from Charleston to Biggin Church.
December 19, 1809	An Act to Establish Certain Roads, Bridges and Ferries Therein Mentioned	South Fork of Saluda River	SC/NC State Line	Named Benson's Turnpike. Gabriel Benson given contract for twenty-one (21) years.
December 20, 1810	An Act to Establish Certain Roads, Bridge and Ferries; and for Other Purposes Therein	Quarter House in St. Phillip's Parish	At or Near Strawberry Ferry	Named the Charleston Turnpike and St. John's Bridge Company.
December 19, 1816	An Act to Establish Certain Roads, Bridges and Ferries, and for Other Purposes Therein Mentioned	Dr. Earle's Store	Table Mountain	Cornelius Keith given the contract for twenty (20) years in the Pendleton District. Known as the Table Mountain Turnpike.
December 16, 1818	An Act to Appropriate and Set Apart One Million of Dollars for Internal Improvements, and for Other Purposes Therein Mentioned	-	-	General Assembly appropriated $250,000 per year for next four (4) years - included turnpike roads.
December 17, 1827	An Act Establishing the Principles on Which Companies Shall be Incorporated, and the Charters of Ferries, Bridges and Turnpike Roads Shall be Hereafter Granted, and for Other Purposes Therein Expressed	-	-	Twenty-seven (27) detailed sections, including rates for tolls, the installation of toll gates every twenty (20) miles, and the width of turnpike roads.
December 19, 1827	An Act to Authorize the Formation of Certain Companies for the Construction of Turnpike Roads and Bridges (Each turnpike route defined in Act)	Columbia Camden Youngener's Saluda Gap Belton's Boat Yd	Yorkville Lancaster Newberry C.H. Hamburgh Columbia	- York Turnpike Company - Lancaster Turnpike Company - Western Turnpike Company - Hamburgh Turnpike Company - Camden Turnpike Company
December 18, 1829	An Act to Establish Certain Roads, Bridges and Ferries	Pumpkin Town	Table Mountain	Cornelius Keith authorized to extend his turnpike, and authorized an additional seven (7) years. Now in Pickens District.
December 18, 1830	An Act to Authorize the Formation of a Company for the Purpose of Constructing a Turnpike Road, from Edgefield Court House to the Town of Hamburgh	Edgefield C.H.	Hamburgh	Named the Edgefield and Hamburg Turnpike Company.
December 19, 1833	An Act to Establish Certain Roads, Bridges and Ferries	Pickens C.H.	SC/NC State Line at Macon County	James McKinney given contract for twenty (20) years.
December 20, 1837	An Act to Establish Certain Roads, Bridges and Ferries	Pumpkin Town	Table Mountain	Cornelius Keith given another seven (7) year contract in Pickens District.
December 19, 1838	An Act to Define the Terms Upon Which the State Will Aid in the Construction of Turnpike Roads	-	-	Five (5) detailed sections on what the State requires for each planned turnpike road.
December 21, 1839	An Act to Authorize a Company for the Construction of a Turnpike Road Through Blythe's Gap	Douthit's Forge, Greenville Dist.	SC/NC State Line	Blythe's Gap Turnpike Company.
December 17, 1841	An Act to Authorize the Erection of a Toll Gate on the State's Land, Near the Saluda Mountain Turnpike Road	-	-	State-owned Saluda Mountain Turnpike Road. Toll gate leased out to contractor.
December 17, 1841	An Act to Provide Against Trespasses on the Saluda Mountain Turnpike, and to Punish Trespassoers	-	-	No new roads to be built within ten (10) mile of said State-owned turnpike road.
December 15, 1845	An Act to Establish Certain Roads, Bridges and Ferries	Pumpkin Town	Table Mountain	Known as the Keith Turnpike in Pickens District. Re-chartered for seven (7) years.
December 19, 1848	An Act to Incorporate the Keowee Turnpike Company	Pickens District	SC/NC State Line	To link to Tuckaseigia Turnpike in Haywood County, NC.
December 19, 1849	An Act to Alter and Amend an Act, Passed the Nineteenth Day of December, in the Year of Our Lord One Thousand Eight Hundred and Forty-Eight, in Sundry Particulars, Entitled "An Act to Incorporate the Keowee Turnpike Company"	Pickens District	SC/NC State Line	Company given two more years to complete said road.
December 19, 1849	An Act to Establish Certain Roads, Bridges and Ferries	Douthit's Forge, Greenville Dist.	SC/NC State Line	Blythe's Capt Turnpike Road rechartered for fourteen (14) years to Benjamin Hagood.
December 16, 1851	An Act to Incorporate the White Water Falls Turnpike Company	Jocassee Valley, Pickens District	SC/NC State Line	Via White Water Falls in Pickens County.
December 16, 1852	An Act to Establish Certain Roads, Bridges and Ferries, and to Amend the Law Respecting Commissioners of Roads in Certain Particulars	Greenville C.H. Pumkin Town Buncombe Road	SC/NC State Line Table Mountain Paris Mountain	Known as the Gap Creek Turnpike Road, chartered for twenty-one (21) years. Also, the Keith Turnpike Road is re-chartered for ten (10) years to Nancy Keith. Also, J.P. Hillhouse Turnpike chartered for ten (10) years.
December 20, 1853	An Act to Establish Certain Roads, Bridges and Ferries, and to Renew Certain Charters Heretofore Granted	Jocassee	SC/NC State Line	Carwell Hester given a charter for fourteen (14) years.
December 19, 1854	An Act to Lease the State Road Over the Saluda Mountains to Michael D. Dickey and Oliver Barrett	-	-	Leased for term of five (5) years. In Greenville District.
December 19, 1855	An Act Establish Certain Roads, Bridges and Ferries	Laurel Gap, Pickens District Buncombe Road Greenville District	SC/NC State Line Near Rock Creek Paris Mountain Greenville District	Henry Hinkle given a charter for twenty-one (21) years for an unnamed turnpike road. J.P. Hillhouse given a charter for twenty-one (21) years for an unnamed turnpike road.
December 20, 1856	An Act to Incorporate the Keowee and Tuckaseegee Turnpike Company	Pickens District	SC/NC State Line	To link with the Tuckasegee and Keowee Turnpike Company in Haywood County, NC.
December 20, 1856	An Act to Establish Certain Roads, Bridges and Ferries	Pumpkin Town	SC/NC State Line	John Bowen given a contract for Table Mountain Turnpike Company. Also, the Gap Creek and Middle Saluda Turnpike Company to surrender part of its road to the State.
December 21, 1857	An Act to Incorporate the Cashier's Valley Turnpike Company	Town of Pendleton	SC/NC State Line	Cashier's Valley in Jackson County, NC.
December 21, 1857	An Act to Incorporate the Sassafras Gap Turnpike Company	Town of Pendleton	SC/NC State Line	Sassafras Gap in Henderson County, NC.
December 21, 1858	An Act to Repeal an Act Entitled "An Act to Define the Terms Upon the State Will Aid in the Construction of Turnpike Roads," Ratified on the Nineteenth Day of December, in the Year of Our Lord One Thousand Eight Hundred and Thirty-Eight	-	-	Self-explanatory.
December 22, 1859	An Act to Incorporate the Brass Town and Panther Creek Turnpike Company	Stump House Tunnell, Pickens District	SC/NC State Line	Brasstown is in Cherokee County, NC.
January 28, 1861	An Act to Incorporate Certain Societies, Associations and Companies, and to Renew and Amend the Charters of Others	Walhalla Hinkle's Mills	SC/NC State Line SC/NC State Line	Keowee and Tuckaseegee Turnpike Company allowed to extend their road to Walhalla. Cane Creek and French Broad Turnpike Company led by Elijah Hinkle charterd for fourteen (14) years in the Pickens District.
February 6, 1863	An Act to Establish and Re-Charter Certain Roads, Bridges and Ferries, and for Other Purposes	-	-	Gap Creek and Middle Saluda Turnpike Company, also known as Jones Gap Turnpike Company to have all contracts terminated.
September 21, 1868	An Act to Authorize a Lease of the "State Road" Running from the County of Greenville, in the State of South Carolina, Across the Saluda Mountain, to the County of Henderson, in State of North Carolina	Greenville County, SC	Henderson County, NC	To lease to the highest bidder.
February 26, 1869	An Act to Amend an Act Entitled "An Act to Lease the State Road Running from the County of Greenville, in this State, Across the Saluda Mountain, to the County of Henderson, in North Carolina"	Greenville County, SC	Henderson County, NC	Known as the Saluda Mountain Road. To lease to the highest bidder for three (3) years.
March 26, 1869	Joint Resolution Authorizing the County Commissioners of Oconee County to Sell the Interest of the State in the Keowee and Tuckaseegee Turnpike Company	-	-	To sell to the highest bidder.
January 27, 1870	An Act to Recharter Blythe's Gap Turnpike Road	Greenville County	SC/NC State Line	Chartered for fourteen (14) years to James E. Hagood.
February 26, 1870	An Act to Authorize the Formation of a Company for the Construciton of a Turnpike Road Through or Near Sassafras Gap	Pickens County	SC/NC State Line	Name to be the Sassafras Turnpike Company. Chartered for fourteen (14) years.
January 23, 1871	An Act to Recharter the Pumpkintown Turnpike Road, in Pickens County	Pumpkintown	Table Rock	Chartered for fourteen (14) years to Marcus D. Keith in Pickens County.
March 6, 1871	An Act to Change the Name of the Gap Creek and Middle Saluda Turnpike Company, and to Amend and Renew the Charter Thereof	-	-	Name to be the Middle Saluda Turnpike Company. Charter renewed for thirty (30) years.
February 27, 1873	An Act to Charter the Greenville and Gap Creek Turnpike Company	Greenville	SC/NC State Line	Authorized to charge the same tolls as the existing Jones' Gap Turnpike County.
March 14, 1874	An Act to Incorporate the Greenville and Asheville Turnpike Company	Greenville	SC/NC State Line	A macadamized road.
February 8, 1875	An Act to Renew and Amend the Charter of the Table Mountain Turnpike Company	-	-	Chartered for twenty-one (21) years.
March 21, 1876	An Act to Incorporate the Beaufort and Port Royal Turnpike Company	Beaufort	Port Royal	Chartered for twenty (20) years.
March 21, 1876	An Act to Incorporate the Ashley Riverside Road Company, and to Authorize the Establishment by it of a Turnpike Toll Road from Lowndes' Avenue to the Dorchester Road, in Charleston County	Lowndes' Avenue	Dorchester Road	May later extend road in either direction.
December 23, 1878	An Act to Extend the Charter of the Keowee and Tuckaseegee Turnpike Company, in Oconee County	Oconee County	SC/NC State Line	Charter extended for twenty-one (21) years.
December 23, 1879	Joint Resolution to Relieve J.W. Gilreath as Leasee of the Saluda Gap Turnpike Road, in Greenville County	Greenville County, SC	Henderson County, NC	Lease amount reduced from $535 to $200 annually.
December 21, 1882	An Act to Vest in Greenville County the State Road Known as the Saluda Mountain Road	Greenville County, SC	Henderson County, NC	Since this road is no longer heavily traveled, the lessee can pay only a small rent. The County may now collect all tolls, which they may adjust yearly.
December 21, 1883	An Act to Recharter Blythe's Gap Turnpike Road	Greenville County	SC/NC State Line	Charter for fourteen (14) years awarded to Ephraim M. Seabrook.
December 21, 1883	An Act to Amend an Act Entitled "An Act to Vest in Greenville County the State Road Known as the Saluda Mountain Road," Approved December 21st, 1882	Greenville County, SC	Henderson County, NC	This road is hereby declared a Public Highway and no longer a toll road. County is required to maintain said road.
December 21, 1883	An Act to Recharter the Sassafras Gap Turnpike Road, in Pickens County	Town of Pendleton	SC/NC State Line	Charter for twenty-one (21) years awarded to eight (8) men.
December 24, 1883	An Act to Recharter Certain Turnpike Roads in Greenville County and Vest the Same in the Paris Mountain Hotel Company	Buncombe Road	Paris Mountain	Turnpike roads created by J.P. Hillhouse in 1852 and 1855 rechartered for twenty-one (21) years.
February 16, 1898	An Act to Renew and Amend the Charter of the Blythe Gap Turnpike Road in Greenville County	Greenville County	SC/NC State Line	Charter for thirty (30) years. Owner may build a branch road at/near Middle Saluda River.
February 17, 1900	An Act to Extend the Charter of the Middle Saluda Turnpike Company	-	-	Extended thirty (30) years from March 1, 1901.
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