The Gap and Newport Turnpike was charted in 1807 to run from Gap southeast to the Delaware border, where it was to continue to Newport, Delaware. PA 41 was first designated in 1926 to run between US 22/PA 3/PA 13 in Harrisburg and US 22/PA 3 and US 120/PA 13 in Reading, following US 230 between Harrisburg and Lancaster and US 222 between Lancaster and Reading. PA 41 was rerouted at Lancaster to run southeast to the Delaware border in 1928, heading south from Lancaster to Lampeter along US 222/PA 72 before it turned east to Gap and southeast along the Gap Newport Pike. The western terminus was cut back to US 222 in Lampeter by 1930 while PA 741 was designated from PA 41 north to US 30 in Gap. PA 41 was rerouted to US 30 by 1940 while PA 741 was designated on the former alignment between US 222 in Lampeter and Gap.