In June 1796, commissioners, on the application of twelve freeholders, laid out a road “beginning near Aaron Axtell’s house at a stake, thence running a northwesterly course to a pine tree marked H; then to a pine tree marked with a blaze; thence to a walnut staddle, also marked with a blaze; then running nearly the same course to a pine tree marked with an X; thence running until it intersects the old road six rods north of the five-mile tree.” To this project, which points to what was afterwards the old Kilkenny road, there was opposition and it was referred to a jury of twelve men, who reported that it was “not consistent; neither do we think it necessary and therefore we do protest against said road.” Built, however, this road was in early times, though it had some years to wait. Mention of it first occurs in the list of road districts for 1810.
Earliest of all roads actually opened from the village leading over the hills to the north, seems to have been the one running from near the store of Noble and Hayes, of which mention occurs in the road list for 1809, but a return for the survey of it had been made in 1808. The town in 1800 had already been divided into road districts of which there were fifteen. They show with much force the extent to which the Unadilla township lands had been opened up at that early day. They are as follows:
“First district, beginneth at the town line at Stephen Harrington’s and runneth to the Unadilla River road.
“Second, beginneth at the Butternut Creek and runneth on the said Unadilla road to the Eel Ware Bridge.
“Third, beginneth at the Eel Ware Bridge and runneth on the said road to a pine tree marked No. 4 at the foot of the hill.
“Fourth, beginneth at the pine tree at the foot of the hill marked No. 4; from thence to the State road and from the ferry to the line of Banyar Patent.
“Fifth, beginneth at Banyar Patent line and running to the two-mile tree on the State road, and from Colonel Baits’s.
“Sixth, beginneth at the two-mile tree and from thence to the Grog Shop Creek to include the bridge.[10]
“Seventh, beginning at the east end of the village, thence to the foot of still water.