Here is an excerpt about Blairs Valley Road by Gerald J Sword: The Blairs Valley Road The Blairs Valley Road, by tradition, was a former Indian trail leading south from Pennsylvania to the Potomac River near the present site of Big Spring, Maryland. The route of the original trail is, however, somewhat doubtful. Basing a route over terrain which could be easily crossed on foot, sites of original settlements, information contained in public records; and tradition; the original trail was very likely as follows: Starting at the spring in Clear Spring, a known Indian trading post, the trail possibly led north along the west bank of the Toms Run to Draper Road. Then following the general course of Draper Road to the Blairs Valley Road, the trail again turned north slightly east of the present Blairs Valley Road and west of the Little Conococheague Creek. The trail followed the foot of “The Big Hill” ( a ridge extending from Gilland’s Knob) in the lower valley. Parts of a trail are still visible and useable at this point. ( 1967) At the north side of “The Big Hill”, the trail evidently crossed the present road just south of the “concrete bridge” in a northwesterly direction and followed the base of Gilland’s Knob to the western edge of “the upper valley”. At this point the trail again took a northerly direction along the base of what is now known as Sword Mountain and continued into Pennsylvania with several segments of the trail still existing along the mountain base. The majority of the early settlements in the “upper valley” were along this route. Land grants as early as April 1749 referred to the trail as “the wagon from fromm Gill’s Mill to the Conococheague Settlement in Pennsylvania” and in 1750 it was recorded as “the road that comes from Pennsylvania to Gilliland’s Mill through a gap of the north mountain and on the west side of little Conigocheige run. The road was evidently relocated on the east side of the Little Conococheague Creek during the late 1790s or early 1800s. The change was possibly brought about by the division of lands and the need for a shorter route south to the Allegheny Road (later The National Turnpike). Over the years the relocated road was improved and bridges constructed. Presently ( 1967) the road is of tar and chip construction. It is capable of withstanding modern day traffic. The area through which the road passes in the “upper valley” remained almost completely unchanged from approximately 1850 to 1945. Since 1945 four houses have been constructed along the road. One of which is located on the site of the former Blair Mansion. Another is located approximately 10 feet west of the former Sword house and the other two are on recently cleared lands. *At the bottom of this page Gerry made a note “Need map of old and new roads”. Does anyone know of any maps?
Posted on: Sun, 18 Jan 2015 21:10:38 +0000
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