White Horse Tavern in Boston, which stood near the site of the Adams
House, just opened by Messrs. Hall and Whipple, bowled along "a smooth
and easy highway" to the bank of the Providence River, making the long
journey within the incredibly short space of six consecutive hours, when
the wheeling was good.

This great work, which was talked about years before it was undertaken,
and then required years to finish, was a triumph of road-building, in
which both owners and contractors took a pardonable pride; and to those
familiar with the region through which it passed, the course will be
sufficiently indicated by noting here and there a way-mark. On leaving
Boston Neck it followed the already well-graded road through the
Highlands, to a point near the present station of the Boston and
Providence Railroad corporation in Roxbury, thence through West Roxbury
to Dedham, and on through Norwood to East Walpole; it left the central
village of Walpole a mile or so to the west, keeping near the Sharon
line, struck into the westerly edge of Foxborough to a point called the
Four Corners, then through Shepardville in Wrentham to North
Attleborough, Attleborough "City," Pawtucket, and Providence. A large
portion of the road is still kept in repair, so that one might take a
carriage and trace the route through its entire length.

To support such an expensive turnpike it was necessary to levy a tax on
those who made use of it, and to that end several toll-gates were
established, at which passengers were compelled to halt and pay their
lawful reckoning. These gates were located at Roxbury, Dedham, East
Walpole, Foxborough Four Corners, North Attleborough, and Pawtucket; and
so great was the patronage of the road, that the annual income derived
from these sources afforded the stockholders a handsome net dividend.