Connecticut Route 169 - History

History

The Norwich and Woodstock Turnpike was a private toll road incorporated in 1801 connecting the city of Norwich to the town center of Woodstock. The corporation was dissolved in 1846. The turnpike left Norwich using Canterbury Turnpike, crossing the Shetucket River at Occum and continuing northeast on Kinsman Hill Road to Route 169. The turnpike then followed Route 169 all the way to Woodstock and the Massachusetts state line. In 1923, state routes were first designated in Connecticut and Massachusetts. The route from downtown Norwich to Taftville and Baltic along Harland Road and modern Route 97 was designated as State Highway 187. A loop route of New England Route 12 between Taftville and Jewett City via the village of Newent (partly along modern Route 138) was designated as State Highway 356. In northeastern Connecticut, the route from Putnam to Woodstock and beyond to the Massachusetts state line (partly along modern Route 171) was assigned State Highway 142. In Massachusetts, the road from Southbridge center via Charlton along modern Route 169, then to West Auburn along modern US 20, was assigned as State Highway 124. By 1931, Highway 124 was relocated along roughly modern I-84 from the Connecticut state line in Holland via Sturbridge center to Charlton, then continuing along its original route to West Auburn. The former alignment of Highway 124 was redesignated as Highway 124A.

In 1932, most of the turnpike route was renumbered as Route 93 as part of a major state-wide renumbering of roads. Portions of old Highways 187 (Norwich-Taftville) and 356 (Taftville-Newent) were utilized for the new Route 93. At the same time, Massachusetts renumbered Highway 124A as Route 93 to maintain number continuity across the state line. In 1959, Route 93 was renumbered to Route 169 in both Connecticut and Massachusetts because the route number was to be used for I-93. Most of the Connecticut portion of Route 169 was designated as a National Scenic Byway in 1992.