Getting to Know Pittsburgh French & Indian War Tour

Get ready to travel back to the 1700s and explore Pittsburgh's connection to the French and Indian War.

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Getting to Know Pittsburgh French & Indian War Tour

Harmony Township, Pennsylvania 15005, United States

Created By: Getting to Know Pittsburgh

Tour Information

Welcome to Getting to Know Pittsburgh's French & Indian War Tour. On this tour you will make your way through five western Pennsylvania counties visiting places of significance such as forts and battle sites, and walk in the footsteps of some of history's most respected and controversial players. Your tour begins in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, and follows a geographic (not chronological) route. However, feel free to make the tour your own, and start at any point, take a route you are most comfortable with, and complete it at your leisure. We hope you enjoy your step back in time. Along your journey, be sure to share your photos and video with us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, and tell us about your experience!

If you've found your way here from the PocketSights App, visit gettingtoknowpgh.wordpress.com to learn more about us!


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What You'll See on the Tour

Logstown, a large, politically significant Indian community in Western Pennsylvania, existed on this spot from 1727 to 1758. Around this time, Shawnee Indians began to return to their homelands after dispersing during war with the Iroquois ... Read more
NOTE: From here you can walk to stops 4, 5, & 6. Fort Pitt, named for British Prime Minister William Pitt, marked the end of Forbes Road, a 200 mile pathway cut through the wilderness of central and western Pennsylvania.  The fort was... Read more
The Fort Pitt Block House was constructed in 1764 as a defense mechanism for Fort Pitt during the French and Indian War. The Block House is the only structure from Fort Pitt that is left standing. It is also the oldest authenticated structu... Read more
Fort Duquesne, constructed in April 1754, was the most important French post built in the Ohio Country. This fort controlled "the Forks," present-day Pittsburgh, where the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers meet and form the Ohio. The Fort wa... Read more
After the Virginians and local Indian tribes made a deal, the Virginians began building a fort and storehouse at the Forks of the Ohio, at present-day Point State Park. The goal was to beat the French to the land, and the pivotal trade poin... Read more
Though it may be hard to imagine now, a giant hill once stood at the intersection of present-day Grant Street and Fifth Avenue. Over the years, the city made three attempts to grade the land, cutting it down by a total of 33 feet after the ... Read more
Simon Girty was born in 1741, near Harrisburg. He was the son of Mary Girty Turner and Simon Girty Sr., a Native American trader who was killed in a bond dual. He had three brothers and one half brother, John Turner Jr. All of them were cap... Read more
After crossing the Monongahela River, Braddock and his men moved toward Fort Duquesne. Little did they know, Indian scouts watched their every move. An ambush was pending.  A group called an advance guard was sent to scout the land. They e... Read more
  Little is known about Queen Aliquippa, aside from brief mentions in writings from George Washington, Conrad Weiser, and Pierre-Joseph Céloron de Blainville. From their notes, we can gather that she was a powerful woman in the Seneca tr... Read more
General Edward Braddock had a rough time leading an army through North America. As an old soldier, he expected a lot of support from the colonial government and citizens. Instead he was met with condtradicting advice from the government an... Read more
Following Braddock's defeat in 1755, the British government planned to strengthen its military by recruiting German and Swiss settlers to form the 60th (Royal American) Regiment of Foot. Enter Colonel Henry Bouquet, a Swiss military man fro... Read more
Forbes Road was a historic military road that was constructed in 1758. It stretched from Carlisle to Fort Duquesne in present-day Pittsburgh. The 300-mile road passed through important posts such as Fort Littleton, Fort Bedford, and Fort L... Read more
Not much is known about the Turtle Creek Defile on Forbes Road, aside from it being a stopping point on the historic road cut across the Pennsylvania wilderness from Carlisle to the Forks of the Ohio. Firsthand accounts from those who exper... Read more
George Washington's Virginia army accompanied Forbes's army on his expeditions from Carlisle to Pittsburgh. Washington was opposed to Forbes's decision to cut his own road through the Pennsylvania wilderness, rather than use the road alrea... Read more
Just months after finishing the French and Indian War, in May 1763, the British were faced with another conflict: Pontiac's War, also known as Pontiac's Conspiracy or Pontiac's Rebellion. This conflict was spearheaded by a group of Native A... Read more
Twelve Mile Camp and Dagworthy's Camp (often called Grant's Paradise) were located nearby. Both were constructed in 1758. Twelve Mile Camp was one stopping point along Forbes Road. Additional significance of this place is unknown. It doesn'... Read more
Fort Ligonier was the last fort built on Forbes Road, under military engineers Colonel James Burd and Captain Henry Gordon. It was named for Sir John Ligonier, an advisor to British Prime Minister William Pitt. Fort Ligonier was fifty miles... Read more
This marker is included to show you the trajectory of Forbes Road. As the marker states, the road continued southwest from this point, down past Fort Ligonier. It is interesting to note that the plaque states Fort Ligonier was built 50 mile... Read more
This marker, too, shows the trajectory of Forbes Road. It is believed Old Forbes Road, on which you will travel to reach your next destination, was part of the Original Road, now, of course, modernized and paved. Enjoy traveling in the Brit... Read more
Captain Thomas Bullet (Bullit or Bullitt according to some sources) was part of the company with George Washington's expedition in 1754, which ended with the battle at Fort Necessity, known as the Battle of the Great Meadows. He was also pa... Read more
Part of the reason General Forbes chose to make his own road from Carlisle to Fort Duquesne instead of using Braddock's road was because Braddock's did not have open spaces along the route. Forbes' army included not just soldiers but also c... Read more
More information is not known about the Tomahawk encampment. This site does however show another point along the original Forbes Road. We can notice from this that current Route 30 does not follow the exact same path as the original Forbes ... Read more
The Stony Creek Encampment was one of the stops along the original Forbes Road where the troops stopped, rested, and regrouped on their way from Carlisle to Fort Duquesne. More information cannot be found about "The Ovens" supply headquarte... Read more
The Stony Creek Encampment was one of the stops along the original Forbes Road where the troops stopped, rested, and regrouped on their way from Carlisle to Fort Duquesne. More information cannot be found about "The Ovens" supply headquarte... Read more
The Edmond's Swamp (sometimes listed at Edmund's Swamp) was another encampment along Forbes Road, named for a swamp nearby in Shade Township. This plaque, like the others, is believed to be along the original tract of Forbes Road. The Edmon... Read more
Edmund Cartlidge was one of the first Indian traders west of the Alleghenies. He made frequent trips to the Ohio Country. For many years, he worked with his brother John, trading with Potomac Indians along Monocacy Creek in Maryland. During... Read more
Colonel Henry Bouquet refered to this area as "that terrible mountain." In the 1700's, this land was made up of dense, dark forest, and steep mountainsides, making it a daunting climb for soldiers. General Forbes wanted to build a fort here... Read more
The Fort Dewart, McLean's Encampment plaque is missing! Where it went, we don't know. We don't even have a picture of it, so enjoy this photo of the Fort Ligonier plaque, which is similar.  The Fort Dewart plaque was dedicated in 1930, lik... Read more
We don't know much more about Forbes Camp beyond what the historical marker tells us. From what we can tell this is just one of many encampments along Forbes Road.  The Forbes Camp marker was dedicated on Monday, November 17, 1947. It read... Read more
Like the marker just down the road, we don't have much additional information about Forbes Camp or Shawnee Cabins. Consider this another marking point along the original Forbes Road. It is possible this encampment was named for a nearby Ind... Read more
Colonel James Burd was a road builder. He was known for cutting a supply route for Braddock's army from Shippensburg to Raystown, which is modern-day Bedford. Burd's road was supposed to connect with Braddock's Road, but Burd and his crew w... Read more
The town of Bedford was originally called Raystown, home to a trading post and Fort Bedford. Old Bedford Village was a key player in many important eras of history. You can visit the site, just north of here, for a tour. The Bedford Village... Read more
Fort Bedford was the hub of activity in the 1700s. It was the starting point of General Forbes' expedition to Fort Duquesne, and was a stopping point along Forbes Road. To learn more about Fort Bedford, continue to the next stop of the tour... Read more
General Forbes and his army built Fort Bedford in June 1758. It was named for the Duke of Bedford, and intended to be a supply post for his expedition to capture Fort Duquesne. Forbes and his army had a fairly easy time getting from Carlis... Read more
King's House is a footnote in the history of Bedford County. This two-story log structure was built in the early 1700s, and was occupied by officers at Fort Bedford until the end of the French and Indian War. It is likely that King's House... Read more
Near this site in July 1758, George Washington and General Henry Bouquet met to discuss which routes General Forbes' army would take to attack the French at Fort Duquesne. The men had a difference of opinion of which route to take. Washingt... Read more
Braddock's Road extended from Fort Cumberland in present-day Maryland to the Monongahela River. On June 23, 1755, Braddock's flying column (another name for his army) passed just a bit northeast of this location after spending two days at B... Read more
In the days of the French and Indian War one of the biggest obstacles for soldiers was crossing rivers. This treacherous task could lead to hitting rocks, encountering deeper waters than expected, overturned wagons, ruiened supplies, and d... Read more
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Sorry, there wasn't any information provided for this point of interest.
Sorry, there wasn't any information provided for this point of interest.
Sorry, there wasn't any information provided for this point of interest.

 

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