Pennsylvania Route 371
Encyclopedia
Pennsylvania Route 371 (designated by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation
as SR 0371) is a 23.45-mile (37.74-kilometer) long state highway
located in Susquehanna
and Wayne Counties
. The western terminus is at Route 171
/ Route 374
near the community of Union Dale
in Herrick Center. The eastern terminus is the New York
state line in Damascus Township
on the Delaware River
. It continues as Sullivan County Route 114 in New York towards New York State Route 97
.
Route 371 originates as a road cut in 1791 and later used for the Newburgh and Cochecton Turnpike
in 1806. The new turnpike was finished in 1811 and renamed as the Great Bend and Newburgh Turnpike in accordance for the extension to Great Bend, Pennsylvania
. The turnpike was abandoned in 1853. Route 371 was originally designated along the turnpike route in 1936 by the Department of Highways from Great Bend to Damascus. The route remained intact until 1954, when the route was truncated back to Route 171 in Herrick Center. The route was replaced by Route 374 and Route 848
in 1961.
and Pennsylvania Route 374
in the community of Herrick Center. The route heads eastward, progressing through rural forests north of Union Dale
. Route 371 begins in Susquehanna County
, but just a short distance from Herricks Center, crosses into Wayne County
. The route heads to the east, but soon begins to curve to the north, entering the community of Belmont Corners. Route 371 becomes known as the Great Bend Turnpike, leaving Belmont Corners at an intersection with Pennsylvania Route 670
(Belmont Turnpike). At the intersection, Route 371 and Route 670 bcomes concurrent for a distance. The routes head eastward through the forests in northern Wayne County. A short distance later, Routes 371 and 670 enter the community of Pleasant Mount, where the alignment becomes surrounded by residences.
In Pleasant Mount, Routes 371 and 670 head eastward as the main street in the community until a split at the eastern end of the community. There, Route 371 continues eastward along the Great Bend Turnpike while Route 670 forks to the southeast along the Bethany Turnpike. Route 371 heads eastward through fields until an intersection with "Crossroad", where it turns to the southeast towards the center of Mount Pleasant Township. The highway continues on the southeast pattern for a distance, past a large farm and into more forests nearby. At an intersection with Bush Road, Route 371 changes direction, heading to the northwest along the Turnpike. A short distance later, the highway heads through the rural farmlands until entering the community of Niagara. In the small community, the highway intersects with Pennsylvania Route 247
, where they start a short concurrency. The two routes head northward for a short distance, until Route 371 splits to the east.
Route 371 continues eastward through the rural regions, continuing its way through Mount Pleasant Township. The highway intersects with Township Road 613, where the highway makes a hairpin turn to the south. The route continues to the southeast into a denser portion of Lebanon Township. The route continues for a distance to the east until an intersection with Lebanon Township
Road 614 in the community of Cold Spring. In Cold Spring, Route 371 turns to the southeast through deep forests until an intersection with Township Roads 612 and 617. There, the forests break, and the route continues to the southeast. A short distance later, Route 371 intersects with Pennsylvania Route 191
(Hancock Highway) in the community of Rileyville. There, the route begins to follow the alignment of the Newburgh and Cochecton Turnpike
. Route 371 continues through rural farmlands until a hairpin turn in the deep forests nearby.
After leaving the deep forests, the route re-emerges in Damascus Township
's community of West Damascus. The route heads to the southeast even further into Fallsdale, where it passes two large ponds and several athletic fields. At the end of the eastern pond, Route 371 turns to the northeast crossing a creek and into the community of Tyler Hill. The route heads to the northeast through a small developed portion of the community before turning to the southeast and soon to the northeast again. The route continues to the northeast for a short distance before reaching the Delaware River
, where PA 371 ends at the New York
state line on the Cochecton–Damascus Bridge and continuing as Sullivan County Route 114.
, which is developed, mostly by farmland and local homes. A short distance later, the highway crosses over the Erie Railroad
, turning to the north which starts a parallel. The route heads northward through a small residential district before making a gradual turn to the east along a bend in the Delaware River
. A short distance after the turn the right-of-way ends at an intersection with New York State Route 97
. County Route 114, however, continues along a short concurrency towards Fosterdale.
in 1791 through Wayne and Susquehanna Counties. In 1801, the state legislature of New York
and Pennsylvania brought up the proposal for the Newburgh and Cochecton Turnpike
(later the Great Bend and Newburgh Turnpike) to connect the Hudson River
to the Delaware River. Although the route was finished in New York, the portion in Pennsylvania was not legislated until March 29, 1804. Construction through Wayne and Susquehanna Counties commenced in 1806, with completion of the roadway coming in 1811. At that point, the turnpike was extended onto the cut in Pennsylvania to the Susquehanna River
. The turnpike was used for transportation of farmers' goods and stock along with a route for pioneers to use for heading westward. After construction of the original Cochecton–Damascus Bridge in 1817 (and later in 1821), the area around the bridge became a bustling community. The alignment of what is now Route 371 eventually became littered with a large rate of development, with nineteenth-century style buildings constructed in Damascus. The turnpike itself fared poorly later on, and was abandoned in 1853. Although the roadway itself was abandoned, the turnpike corporation that was supposed to maintain the roadway remained intact until 1868, when it was dissolved. Even afterwards, the roadway remained the only physical route in the area until at least the 1890s.
On August 14, 1992, the stretch of Route 371 from Galilee Road to the Delaware River was entered into the National Register of Historic Places
as the Damascus Historic District. The record for the National Register included the roadway and forty different structures along the roadway for its historical significance.
in the 1928 mass numbering of state highways in Pennsylvania. 83 years after the abandonment of the Great Bend and Newburgh Turnpike (1936), the Pennsylvania Department of Highways took over the alignment of the highway for the designation of Legislative Route 371. The route at that point began at an intersection of U.S. Route 11
in Great Bend to the state line on the Delaware River in Damascus. The route remained intact along the turnpike for only eighteen years when in 1954, the Department of Highways truncated Route 371 back to the intersection with Route 171 in the community of Herrick Center. Seven years later, the Department of Highways designated both Pennsylvania Route 374
on the alignment from Royal to Herrick Center and Pennsylvania Route 848
from the community of New Milford
(south of Great Bend) to Gibson.
Pennsylvania Department of Transportation
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation oversees transportation issues in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The administrator of PennDOT is the Pennsylvania Secretary of Transportation, currently Barry Schoch Presently, PennDOT supports over of state roads and highways, about 25,000...
as SR 0371) is a 23.45-mile (37.74-kilometer) long state highway
State highway
State highway, state road or state route can refer to one of three related concepts, two of them related to a state or provincial government in a country that is divided into states or provinces :#A...
located in Susquehanna
Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 42,238 people, 16,529 households, and 11,785 families residing in the county. The population density was 51 people per square mile . There were 21,829 housing units at an average density of 26 per square mile...
and Wayne Counties
Wayne County, Pennsylvania
As of the census of 2000, there were 47,722 people, 18,350 households, and 12,936 families residing in the county. The population density was 65 people per square mile . There were 30,593 housing units at an average density of 42 per square mile...
. The western terminus is at Route 171
Pennsylvania Route 171
Pennsylvania Route 171 is a long north–south state highway located in northeast Pennsylvania. The southern terminus of the route is at U.S. Route 6 Business in Carbondale...
/ Route 374
Pennsylvania Route 374
Pennsylvania Route 374 is an long state highway located in Susquehanna county in Pennsylvania. The western terminus is at PA 92 in Glenwood. The eastern terminus is at PA 171/PA 371 near Union Dale....
near the community of Union Dale
Union Dale, Pennsylvania
Union Dale is a borough in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 368 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Union Dale is located at ....
in Herrick Center. The eastern terminus is the New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
state line in Damascus Township
Damascus Township, Pennsylvania
Damascus Township is a township in Wayne County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 3,662 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water.-Demographics:As of the census of 2000,...
on the Delaware River
Delaware River
The Delaware River is a major river on the Atlantic coast of the United States.A Dutch expedition led by Henry Hudson in 1609 first mapped the river. The river was christened the South River in the New Netherland colony that followed, in contrast to the North River, as the Hudson River was then...
. It continues as Sullivan County Route 114 in New York towards New York State Route 97
New York State Route 97
New York State Route 97 is a north–south scenic route in southern New York, United States. It runs from U.S. Route 6 and US 209 in Port Jervis to NY 17 in Hancock. Its most famous feature is the Hawk's Nest, a tightly winding section of the road along the Delaware River,...
.
Route 371 originates as a road cut in 1791 and later used for the Newburgh and Cochecton Turnpike
Newburgh and Cochecton Turnpike
The Newburgh and Cochecton Turnpike was a turnpike road in southern New York in the United States. It ran from Newburgh on the Hudson River west to Cochecton on the Delaware River, where travelers could continue west through Pennsylvania on the Cochecton and Great Bend Turnpike toward Binghamton....
in 1806. The new turnpike was finished in 1811 and renamed as the Great Bend and Newburgh Turnpike in accordance for the extension to Great Bend, Pennsylvania
Great Bend, Pennsylvania
Great Bend is a borough in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, United States, 39 miles north of Scranton. The population was 700 at the 2000 census. Great Bend sits along the Susquehanna River, less than two miles from the New York State border. Located directly off Interstate 81, tourism is a...
. The turnpike was abandoned in 1853. Route 371 was originally designated along the turnpike route in 1936 by the Department of Highways from Great Bend to Damascus. The route remained intact until 1954, when the route was truncated back to Route 171 in Herrick Center. The route was replaced by Route 374 and Route 848
Pennsylvania Route 848
Pennsylvania Route 848 is a long state highway located in Susquehanna County in Pennsylvania. The western terminus is at U.S. Route 11 just south of Route 492 in New Milford. The eastern terminus is at Route 547 in Gibson Township...
in 1961.
Pennsylvania Route 371
Route 371 begins at an intersection with Pennsylvania Route 171Pennsylvania Route 171
Pennsylvania Route 171 is a long north–south state highway located in northeast Pennsylvania. The southern terminus of the route is at U.S. Route 6 Business in Carbondale...
and Pennsylvania Route 374
Pennsylvania Route 374
Pennsylvania Route 374 is an long state highway located in Susquehanna county in Pennsylvania. The western terminus is at PA 92 in Glenwood. The eastern terminus is at PA 171/PA 371 near Union Dale....
in the community of Herrick Center. The route heads eastward, progressing through rural forests north of Union Dale
Union Dale, Pennsylvania
Union Dale is a borough in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 368 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Union Dale is located at ....
. Route 371 begins in Susquehanna County
Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 42,238 people, 16,529 households, and 11,785 families residing in the county. The population density was 51 people per square mile . There were 21,829 housing units at an average density of 26 per square mile...
, but just a short distance from Herricks Center, crosses into Wayne County
Wayne County, Pennsylvania
As of the census of 2000, there were 47,722 people, 18,350 households, and 12,936 families residing in the county. The population density was 65 people per square mile . There were 30,593 housing units at an average density of 42 per square mile...
. The route heads to the east, but soon begins to curve to the north, entering the community of Belmont Corners. Route 371 becomes known as the Great Bend Turnpike, leaving Belmont Corners at an intersection with Pennsylvania Route 670
Pennsylvania Route 670
Pennsylvania Route 670 is an long state highway located in Wayne County in Pennsylvania. The southern terminus is at Route 191 in Honesdale...
(Belmont Turnpike). At the intersection, Route 371 and Route 670 bcomes concurrent for a distance. The routes head eastward through the forests in northern Wayne County. A short distance later, Routes 371 and 670 enter the community of Pleasant Mount, where the alignment becomes surrounded by residences.
In Pleasant Mount, Routes 371 and 670 head eastward as the main street in the community until a split at the eastern end of the community. There, Route 371 continues eastward along the Great Bend Turnpike while Route 670 forks to the southeast along the Bethany Turnpike. Route 371 heads eastward through fields until an intersection with "Crossroad", where it turns to the southeast towards the center of Mount Pleasant Township. The highway continues on the southeast pattern for a distance, past a large farm and into more forests nearby. At an intersection with Bush Road, Route 371 changes direction, heading to the northwest along the Turnpike. A short distance later, the highway heads through the rural farmlands until entering the community of Niagara. In the small community, the highway intersects with Pennsylvania Route 247
Pennsylvania Route 247
Pennsylvania Route 247 is an 50 mile long state highway located in Lackawanna, Susquehanna, and Wayne counties in Pennsylvania. The southern terminus is at I 84 in Mount Cobb. The northern terminus is at PA 370 in Preston Park, Pennsylvania....
, where they start a short concurrency. The two routes head northward for a short distance, until Route 371 splits to the east.
Route 371 continues eastward through the rural regions, continuing its way through Mount Pleasant Township. The highway intersects with Township Road 613, where the highway makes a hairpin turn to the south. The route continues to the southeast into a denser portion of Lebanon Township. The route continues for a distance to the east until an intersection with Lebanon Township
Lebanon Township, Pennsylvania
Lebanon Township is a township in Wayne County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 645 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water.-Demographics:As of the census of 2000,...
Road 614 in the community of Cold Spring. In Cold Spring, Route 371 turns to the southeast through deep forests until an intersection with Township Roads 612 and 617. There, the forests break, and the route continues to the southeast. A short distance later, Route 371 intersects with Pennsylvania Route 191
Pennsylvania Route 191
Pennsylvania Route 191 is a -long state highway in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The route, a major non-freeway corridor connecting the Lehigh Valley to The Poconos in eastern Pennsylvania, is designated from U.S...
(Hancock Highway) in the community of Rileyville. There, the route begins to follow the alignment of the Newburgh and Cochecton Turnpike
Newburgh and Cochecton Turnpike
The Newburgh and Cochecton Turnpike was a turnpike road in southern New York in the United States. It ran from Newburgh on the Hudson River west to Cochecton on the Delaware River, where travelers could continue west through Pennsylvania on the Cochecton and Great Bend Turnpike toward Binghamton....
. Route 371 continues through rural farmlands until a hairpin turn in the deep forests nearby.
After leaving the deep forests, the route re-emerges in Damascus Township
Damascus Township, Pennsylvania
Damascus Township is a township in Wayne County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 3,662 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water.-Demographics:As of the census of 2000,...
's community of West Damascus. The route heads to the southeast even further into Fallsdale, where it passes two large ponds and several athletic fields. At the end of the eastern pond, Route 371 turns to the northeast crossing a creek and into the community of Tyler Hill. The route heads to the northeast through a small developed portion of the community before turning to the southeast and soon to the northeast again. The route continues to the northeast for a short distance before reaching the Delaware River
Delaware River
The Delaware River is a major river on the Atlantic coast of the United States.A Dutch expedition led by Henry Hudson in 1609 first mapped the river. The river was christened the South River in the New Netherland colony that followed, in contrast to the North River, as the Hudson River was then...
, where PA 371 ends at the New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
state line on the Cochecton–Damascus Bridge and continuing as Sullivan County Route 114.
Sullivan County Route 114
Upon crossing the state line, Pennsylvania Route 371 continues as Sullivan County Route 114. After leaving the Cochecton–Damascus Bridge, Route 114 heads through the small community of Cochecton, New YorkCochecton, New York
Cochecton is a town located in west-central Sullivan County, New York, USA. The population was 1,328 at the 2000 census. The name is an aboriginal word for "low land."...
, which is developed, mostly by farmland and local homes. A short distance later, the highway crosses over the Erie Railroad
Erie Railroad
The Erie Railroad was a railroad that operated in New York State, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, originally connecting New York City with Lake Erie...
, turning to the north which starts a parallel. The route heads northward through a small residential district before making a gradual turn to the east along a bend in the Delaware River
Delaware River
The Delaware River is a major river on the Atlantic coast of the United States.A Dutch expedition led by Henry Hudson in 1609 first mapped the river. The river was christened the South River in the New Netherland colony that followed, in contrast to the North River, as the Hudson River was then...
. A short distance after the turn the right-of-way ends at an intersection with New York State Route 97
New York State Route 97
New York State Route 97 is a north–south scenic route in southern New York, United States. It runs from U.S. Route 6 and US 209 in Port Jervis to NY 17 in Hancock. Its most famous feature is the Hawk's Nest, a tightly winding section of the road along the Delaware River,...
. County Route 114, however, continues along a short concurrency towards Fosterdale.
Old roads
Records indicate that the alignment of Route 371 was first constructed as a cut from the Delaware River to the community of Great Bend, PennsylvaniaGreat Bend, Pennsylvania
Great Bend is a borough in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, United States, 39 miles north of Scranton. The population was 700 at the 2000 census. Great Bend sits along the Susquehanna River, less than two miles from the New York State border. Located directly off Interstate 81, tourism is a...
in 1791 through Wayne and Susquehanna Counties. In 1801, the state legislature of New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and Pennsylvania brought up the proposal for the Newburgh and Cochecton Turnpike
Newburgh and Cochecton Turnpike
The Newburgh and Cochecton Turnpike was a turnpike road in southern New York in the United States. It ran from Newburgh on the Hudson River west to Cochecton on the Delaware River, where travelers could continue west through Pennsylvania on the Cochecton and Great Bend Turnpike toward Binghamton....
(later the Great Bend and Newburgh Turnpike) to connect the Hudson River
Hudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
to the Delaware River. Although the route was finished in New York, the portion in Pennsylvania was not legislated until March 29, 1804. Construction through Wayne and Susquehanna Counties commenced in 1806, with completion of the roadway coming in 1811. At that point, the turnpike was extended onto the cut in Pennsylvania to the Susquehanna River
Susquehanna River
The Susquehanna River is a river located in the northeastern United States. At long, it is the longest river on the American east coast that drains into the Atlantic Ocean, and with its watershed it is the 16th largest river in the United States, and the longest river in the continental United...
. The turnpike was used for transportation of farmers' goods and stock along with a route for pioneers to use for heading westward. After construction of the original Cochecton–Damascus Bridge in 1817 (and later in 1821), the area around the bridge became a bustling community. The alignment of what is now Route 371 eventually became littered with a large rate of development, with nineteenth-century style buildings constructed in Damascus. The turnpike itself fared poorly later on, and was abandoned in 1853. Although the roadway itself was abandoned, the turnpike corporation that was supposed to maintain the roadway remained intact until 1868, when it was dissolved. Even afterwards, the roadway remained the only physical route in the area until at least the 1890s.
On August 14, 1992, the stretch of Route 371 from Galilee Road to the Delaware River was entered into the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
as the Damascus Historic District. The record for the National Register included the roadway and forty different structures along the roadway for its historical significance.
Designation
Originally, a short portion of Route 371 was part of Pennsylvania Route 170Pennsylvania Route 170
Pennsylvania Route 170 is an long state highway located in Wayne County in Pennsylvania. The southern terminus is at U.S. Route 6 in Prompton. The northern terminus is at Route 670 near Mount Pleasant Township...
in the 1928 mass numbering of state highways in Pennsylvania. 83 years after the abandonment of the Great Bend and Newburgh Turnpike (1936), the Pennsylvania Department of Highways took over the alignment of the highway for the designation of Legislative Route 371. The route at that point began at an intersection of U.S. Route 11
U.S. Route 11 in Pennsylvania
U.S. Route 11 roughly parallels Interstate 81 in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It serves Harrisburg and Scranton. Between those two cities, US 11 follows the Susquehanna River, while I-81 follows a shorter route over the mountains.-Route description:...
in Great Bend to the state line on the Delaware River in Damascus. The route remained intact along the turnpike for only eighteen years when in 1954, the Department of Highways truncated Route 371 back to the intersection with Route 171 in the community of Herrick Center. Seven years later, the Department of Highways designated both Pennsylvania Route 374
Pennsylvania Route 374
Pennsylvania Route 374 is an long state highway located in Susquehanna county in Pennsylvania. The western terminus is at PA 92 in Glenwood. The eastern terminus is at PA 171/PA 371 near Union Dale....
on the alignment from Royal to Herrick Center and Pennsylvania Route 848
Pennsylvania Route 848
Pennsylvania Route 848 is a long state highway located in Susquehanna County in Pennsylvania. The western terminus is at U.S. Route 11 just south of Route 492 in New Milford. The eastern terminus is at Route 547 in Gibson Township...
from the community of New Milford
New Milford, Pennsylvania
New Milford is a borough in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 878 at the 2000 census.-Geography:New Milford is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of , all of it land....
(south of Great Bend) to Gibson.