Frontier

In 1890, the US Census Bureau declared that there was no longer a clear frontier line separating settled from unsettled territory. Railroads, farms, towns and new states had spread across the West. This did not mean that every acre was occupied; it described the pattern of settlement.

Scots-Irish Presbyterians also settled in Pennsylvania and expanded onto the frontier. Disputes over land brought some into conflict with Native Americans. Their willingness to use force also clashed with the more peaceful outlook of Pennsylvania’s Quakers.

The alignment of the Roman road called the Fosse Way broadly followed this line. This has led historians to suggest that it served as a convenient frontier during the early occupation. A road along the edge of controlled territory could help soldiers move between positions and support the army’s ability to hold its gains.