
The Susquehanna Trail was an
auto trail
The system of auto trails was an informal network of marked routes that existed in the United States and Canada in the early part of the 20th century. Marked with colored bands on utility poles, the trails were intended to help travellers in t ...
in the
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
linking
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...
, with
Niagara Falls, New York
Niagara Falls is a City (New York), city in Niagara County, New York, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city had a total population of 48,671. It is adjacent to the Niagara River, across from the city of Niagar ...
. It passed through
Baltimore, Maryland
Baltimore is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland. With a population of 585,708 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census and estimated at 568,271 in 2024, it is the List of United States ...
;
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Harrisburg ( ; ) is the capital city of the U.S. commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the seat of Dauphin County. With a population of 50,099 as of 2020, Harrisburg is the ninth-most populous city in Pennsylvania. It is the larger of the two pr ...
;
Williamsport, Pennsylvania
Williamsport is a city in and the county seat of Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, United States. As of the 2020 census, it had a population of 27,754. It is the principal city of the Williamsport Metropolitan Statistical Area, which has a populati ...
; and
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is a Administrative divisions of New York (state), city in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York and county seat of Erie County, New York, Erie County. It lies in Western New York at the eastern end of Lake Erie, at the head of ...
.
In relatively modern terms, the Susquehanna Trail roughly followed the following highways:
*
U.S. Route 1,
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...
, to
Baltimore, Maryland
Baltimore is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland. With a population of 585,708 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census and estimated at 568,271 in 2024, it is the List of United States ...
*
U.S. Route 111
U.S. Route 111 (US 111) was a U.S. Highway that extended from Baltimore, Maryland north to the Harrisburg, Pennsylvania area. It replaced part of the Susquehanna Trail, partially signed as Pennsylvania Route 4, and was in turn replaced ...
(now
MD Route 45,
Interstate 83 Business and other minor routes), Baltimore to
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Harrisburg ( ; ) is the capital city of the U.S. commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the seat of Dauphin County. With a population of 50,099 as of 2020, Harrisburg is the ninth-most populous city in Pennsylvania. It is the larger of the two pr ...
*
U.S. Route 22, Harrisburg to
Duncannon, Pennsylvania
Duncannon is a Borough (Pennsylvania), borough in Perry County, Pennsylvania, Perry County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,473 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. It is part of the Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Harrisbu ...
*
U.S. Route 11, Duncannon to
Northumberland, Pennsylvania
Northumberland is a Borough (Pennsylvania), borough in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 3,911 at the 2020 census.
History
A brewer named Reuben Haines, a native of Philadelphia, founded the town of Northumb ...
*
PA Route 147, Northumberland to
Muncy, Pennsylvania
*
U.S. Route 220, Muncy to
Williamsport, Pennsylvania
Williamsport is a city in and the county seat of Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, United States. As of the 2020 census, it had a population of 27,754. It is the principal city of the Williamsport Metropolitan Statistical Area, which has a populati ...
*
U.S. Route 15, Williamsport to
Wayland, New York
*
NY Route 63, Wayland to
Dansville, New York
*
NY Route 36, Dansville to
Leicester, New York
*
U.S. Route 20A, Leicester to
East Aurora, New York
*
NY Route 16, East Aurora to
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is a Administrative divisions of New York (state), city in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York and county seat of Erie County, New York, Erie County. It lies in Western New York at the eastern end of Lake Erie, at the head of ...
*
NY Route 5 and
U.S. Route 62, Buffalo to
Niagara Falls, New York
Niagara Falls is a City (New York), city in Niagara County, New York, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city had a total population of 48,671. It is adjacent to the Niagara River, across from the city of Niagar ...
An alternate ran from Washington to Harrisburg via
U.S. Route 240 and
U.S. Route 15 through
Frederick, Maryland
Frederick is a city in, and the county seat of, Frederick County, Maryland, United States. Frederick's population was 78,171 people as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List of municipalities in Maryland, second-largest ...
.
References
The Susquehanna Trail(post-1926)
{{road index
Auto trails in the United States
Roads in Maryland
Transportation in Pennsylvania
Transportation in New York (state)
U.S. Route 1
U.S. Route 22
U.S. Route 11
U.S. Route 15
U.S. Route 20
U.S. Route 62