An important early event in the community's history came about in the 1807-1814 time period with the building of the Littlestown (Petersburg)-Gettysburg Turnpike. It extended from Gettysburg to Biddle's Mill on the state line. This made Littlestown, then called Petersburg, an important stop and popular rendezvous for those who drove the four horse teams that tugged heavy cargoes over deep rutted roads on their route from Baltimore to Pittsburgh. Here was the last stop in Pennsylvania before travelers moved into Maryland. The Gettysburg-Petersburg turnpike was chartered March 7, 1807, and Alexander Cobean was elected president. The managers were Alexander Russel, Walter Smith, Peter Saunders, Thomas Sweeney, Philip Bishop, Andrew Shriver and Alex Dobbin, the treasurer. In September, 1808, notice for bids to construct the road, was published. The act of incorporation named James McSherry, Sr., John Shorb, Jacob Winrott, James Gettys, Alex Cobean and Harry Hoke as Commissioners. Three hundred and fifty shares at $100 each were taken. Samuel Sloan surveyed the line for $2.00 a mile. James Gettys contracted to build the road for $4585 per mile. Toll gates were erected in August, 1809. Littlestown was thus a cross-roads town with the Baltimore-Pittsburgh route crossing the Monocacy Road from Frederick to Wrightsville and the Susquehanna River.  The tollgate houses operated until 1920 when the state took over this turnpike and made it a state road.