Original Milestone 14 Missing
Replacement Plinth 14 Is There
The Spread Eagle versus The Unicorn Tavern
Milestone 14 would be the last milestone in Delaware county. Only a sketch based on a photograph remains. The dark square in the right hand corner of the sketch appeared to be a red building, other wise there is no clue to this milestones original location. The new 14 mile plinth is also pictured here. The Griffin, on the backside of the plinth is one of the symbols of Radnor Township.
http://www.radnor.com/department/division.asp?fDD=9-108
Link for Radnor Township Project
The Spread Eagle stage stand, tavern and relay station was near milestone 14. There was also a Spread Eagle in Paradise which has now become a Best Western - Revere Tavern and Revere House. The sketch shown here is based on several pictures and the painting by Carl Rakeman. There wasn't a lot of detail in the Sachse photo so some of the details are assumed rather than based on fact. The Eagle developed a Patriotic following during the Revolutionary War and competed with a tavern called the (James) Miles Tavern (1747) after its manager. Later about the time of the Revolution the Mile's became known as The Irish Tavern or The Unicorn. The Irish connection lead to a Tory and loyalist crowd during the war. The Unicorn burned in February 1872 with the loss of one person. No pictures of it seem to be available.
Notice the Sign for the Spread Eagle. It resembled the German Prussian Eagle symbol.
http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/rakeman/1795.htm
Click on this link for a look at artist Carl Rakeman's painting of the Spread Eagle and early turnpike travel.
http://www.tehistory.org/hqda/html/v31/v31n1p015.html
Click on this link for an article about Tavern Stands thats goes into more detail about the Spread Eagle.
A Terrain map with the salmon colored stickpin showing the general location of Milestone 14 at intersecction of Route 30 and Sugartown Road/Old Eagle School Road