Turnpike Road, Livingston Parish, Louisiana
File prepared by D.N. Pardue



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From the book entitled "The Free State - A History and Place-Names Study
of Livingston Parish" by the members of the Livingston Parish American
Revolution Bicentennial Committee in cooperation with the Livingston 
Parish Police Jury and the Louisiana American Revolution Bicentennial
Commission, 1976.  Reprinted by permission.  Dedicated to the memory of
Reuben Cooper and Raymond Riggs.

TURNPIKE ROAD  That portion of La. Hwy. 43 north of Albany is generally

referred to as the Turnpike Road, particularly by the older residents.

South of Albany the road is generally referred to as the Springfield Road,

but in the incorporated area of Albany the official street name for La.

Hwy. 43 is Montpelier Avenue, divided into North and South Montpelier 

Avenue, respectively, by the railroad.

     On the official US township plat map of T6S-R6E, dated 1845, the road

is shown and designated as the Springfield and Montpelier Road, explain-

ing two of the three names.  Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary, 1975,

defines turnpike as "a toll road or one formerly maintained as such."

     According to an 1816 Act of the Louisiana Legislature, La. Hwy. 43

fulfills the latter portion of Webster's definition of turnpike.  The 1816

act is entitled "An Act granting Alexander Bookter the privelege of making

and establishing a Turnpike Road leading from the courthouse to the town

of Springfield in the parish of St. Helena."  The courthouse at this time

was at a place called St. Helena, which is very near present-day Montpelier.

     The road was to be at least 25 feet wide, and tolls ranged from 50 cents

for each loaded wagon to 12 1/2 cents for each foot passenger.  The comm-

issioners appointed to examine the road were Daniel Raigner, William Kinchut,

(probably Kinchen), John Breed, David Kemp, and Thomas Kennedy.

     Bookter was to enjoy the benefits of operating the toll road for ten

years; however, in 1817, the Legislature extended the period to 25 years. (1)

---Clark Forrest, Jr.

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(1) A General Digest of the Legislature, 1804-1827, Vol. 2.

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