Did you know that if you travelled down Butler Pike, Ambler's main road, in the 1800's, you would have had to pay a toll? It's true! From 1853 to 1890, a period of 47 years, Butler Pike was a toll road with not one, but two toll gates.
This is how it evolved. In 1853, the Pennsylvania State Assembly incorporated Butler Avenue as a "turnpike" -- a toll road that is paved with crushed stone. The Turnpike Company sent workers to hammer the rock by the sides of the road. In order to pay for this, the State built two toll gates, one at Broad Axe, the other further east near Three Tuns.
In 1855, the Wissahickon Railroad station was built at Butler Pike. Eager for more income, the Turnpike Company built another toll gate west of the railroad line, at Butler and Maple Avenues. Thus, people coming to the train from the direction of Reiff's Mill Road would have to pay a toll, as well.
That was fine until the Turnpike authorities realized that with the new railroad came many more local farmers who shipped their milk to distant creameries by train. Farmers coming from the east side of the railroad could bring their shipments to the trains toll-free, while farmers on the west side had to pay a toll. Not surprisingly, they objected. In 1860, the Turnpike Company gladly erected another toll gate on the east side, at Butler Pike and Main Street.
Eventually, local creameries sprang up, obviating the need for farmers to ship their milk by train, and reducing traffic to the area. By 1878, the western toll gate was torn down.
Finally, in 1888, the year Ambler became a Borough, 125 residents petitioned
the courts to eliminate the remaining toll gate, and on January 20th,
1890 they got their wish. Ambler was toll-free.
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Read more about how a railroad accident
gave Ambler its name.
Find out more about the incorporation of Ambler Borough.
Source: Early History of Ambler by Dr. Mary P.H. Hough, 1936.