La Vale Tollgate House

La Vale Tollgate House is a seven-sided brick building constructed around 1835, located along Route 40. The structure features a one-story porch with Tuscan columns that wraps around five sides of the building, giving the unusual shape its distinctive character.

This tollhouse was built in the 1830s as the National Road was being established across the eastern United States, making it one of the first systematic toll collection points. It marked the beginning of an era in which travelers paid for road maintenance.

The building shows how travelers once had to pay for road access, telling the story of when long-distance journeys became an organized undertaking. You can see how communities managed road maintenance by collecting fees from those passing through.

The building sits at mile marker one on US Route 40 and is easy to locate. Picnic tables are available nearby if you want to take a break, and the grounds are open to the public.

Of all the toll buildings that once lined the National Road, this is the only structure of its seven-sided design still standing today. This unusual geometry makes it an architectural survivor unlike any other along the historic route.

Location: Allegany County

GPS coordinates: 39.63750,-78.85170

Latest update: December 14, 2025 13:00