The Roads Must Roll!

[Lamplighter]

Originally Posted by HungLikeJesus

There were lots of early privately-owned toll roads in the US; see for example http://eh.net/encyclopedia/article/K...wski.Turnpikes.

Unfortunately, Oregon does not seem to have made it into your linked article.

But in terms of absolute safety and necessity, and in reference to UG's OP about "Libertarian" values,
the Barlow Trail is prized because it was so important to the settling of the Oregon Territory.
It ran from The Dalles around the south side of Mt Hood to Oregon City
The Barlow Road, built by Sam Barlow in 1846 with governmental approval, was entirely paid for by private money ($4,000), labor, and enterprise.
Tolls were about $5 / wagon and often paid with cattle, chickens, etc.
Barlow was licensed to collect tolls for only 2 years.

On a completely personal note, our family drives this same route frequently on picnics and fishing trips to the nearby rivers.
Even today it is almost impossible for us to believe they were able to find their way thru these forests and to build a wagon trail using the tools of their day.

WIKIPEDIA ARTICLE

Before the opening of the Barlow Road, pioneers traveling by land from the east followed the Oregon Trail to Wascopam Mission (now The Dalles) and floated down the Columbia River to Fort Vancouver, then a perilous and expensive journey. It was also possible to drive livestock over Lolo Pass on the north side of Mount Hood, but that trail was too rugged for vehicles and so unsuitable for wagons.

[TheMercenary]

Originally Posted by Lamplighter

Unfortunately, Oregon does not seem to have made it into your linked article.

But in terms of absolute safety and necessity, and in reference to UG's OP about "Libertarian" values,
the Barlow Trail is prized because it was so important to the settling of the Oregon Territory.
It ran from The Dalles around the south side of Mt Hood to Oregon City
The Barlow Road, built by Sam Barlow in 1846 with governmental approval, was entirely paid for by private money ($4,000), labor, and enterprise.
Tolls were about $5 / wagon and often paid with cattle, chickens, etc.
Barlow was licensed to collect tolls for only 2 years.

On a completely personal note, our family drives this same route frequently on picnics and fishing trips to the nearby rivers.
Even today it is almost impossible for us to believe they were able to find their way thru these forests and to build a wagon trail using the tools of their day.

WIKIPEDIA ARTICLE

Pretty interesting.

[xoxoxoBruce]

In 1849, a military wagon train destined for Oregon forts passed over the road. It carried 250 tons of munitions in more than 400 wagons pulled by 1700 mules. From the beginning of Barlow Road to the camp the soldiers made at what has been known since as Government Camp, they abandoned 45 wagons after dozens of mules died of starvation.

I wonder if they abandoned the munitions in those 45 wagons?