The Fort Pitt Museum is located in a re-created eighteenth century bastion of the famous British fort on the forks of the Ohio River in Point State Park, Pittsburgh. On this point the British and French erected the fortifications that protected their claims to the early West and the Indian trade. The exhibits recount the struggle that exploded into the French and Indian War and develop the story to the founding of Pittsburgh.The area known today as Point State Park was extremely valuable in the mid-1700s. For the French, the Ohio River represented the only way to connect their colonies in New France (present day Canada) to their colonies in Louisiana. By controlling the Ohio River, the English would be able to expand their Colonial power beyond the Appalachian Mountains. During the French and Indian War, both colonial powers were willing to sacrifice human lives and enormous amounts of money for the control of this valuable piece of land. Caught in the middle between the two of Europe’s most powerful nations, Native Americans strove to preserve the culture and the lands they knew.
In April of 1754, a force of 500 French troops and Native Americans overwhelmed a small Colonial garrison at Fort Prince George, taking the Point without a single shot being fired. Afterwards, the French began construction of Fort Duquesne. On May 28th 1754, a small group of Colonial troops led by Major George Washington fired on a group of French soldiers in an event known as the Jumonville Affair. In retaliation, 900 French and Indian soldiers attacked Fort Necessity, forcing Washington to surrender on July 4th 1754. General Edward Braddock led the first direct attack on Fort Duquesne; the attack ended at the Battle of the Monongahela where two thirds of Braddock’s 1,500 troops were killed or wounded in a devastating defeat. Finally, an army of over 6,000 British and Colonial soldiers led by General John Forbes reclaimed the Point once and for all for the British Empire on November 25, 1758.
Once General Forbes secured the Point, he renamed Fort Duquesne, Pittsborough in honor of the Prime Minister of England, William Pitt. Fort Pitt, as it was named, became one of the largest English strongholds in North America. Though never attacked by the French, Native American forces from May 27 to August 9, 1763 besieged Fort Pitt. Only Fort Pitt, Fort Ligonier, and a handful of other outposts on the frontier successfully withstood the Native American attacks during the conflict known as Pontiac’s War. Colonel Henry Bouquet led British troops in a victory over Native American forces in the Battle of Bushy Run, thereby lifting the siege on Fort Pitt.
By 1772, the British military presence on the frontier was downsized and Fort Pitt was evacuated. The fort was sold to William Thompson and Alexander Ross for £50 New York currency. It remained vacant until 1774 when Virginia began to actively enforce its claim to the region “west of Laurel Hill.” John Connolly acted on behalf of the Virginia government, claiming the fort, rebuilding it, and renaming it Fort Dunmore, in honor of Lord Dunmore, governor of Virginia (however, the name did not catch on). Pennsylvania authorities clashed with Connolly and the Virginia supporters through May 1775.
When word of the battles of Lexington and Concord reached Pittsburgh in May 1775, both Pennsylvania and Virginia supporters were able to work together in support of the American Revolution. Conferences with Native Americans were held at Fort Pitt, establishing neutrality with the regional native American nations. Fort Pitt was maintained by the revolutionary government of Virginia until 1777. In that year regional attacks from British allied Native Americans and American Loyalists increased to a level which prompted the Continental Congress to appoint General Edward Hand to take control of Fort Pitt, making it the headquarters of the Continental Army in the Western District.
Troops and supplies were gathered at Fort Pitt for the defense of the frontier. A series of campaigns would be led west from Fort Pitt. negotiations with regional Native American nations continued to be held at Fort Pitt. The first peace treaty ever signed by the United States occurred at Fort Pitt on September 17, 1778.
At the end of the American Revolution Fort Pitt and West Point were the only military fortifications maintained by the United States Army. Fort Pitt would continue to serve as a supply depot and base of operations until 1792. Its condition was so poor that Fort Fayette was built in that year to replace it. The fort was finally dismantled and salvaged. The ruins of Fort Pitt were used to build more permanent housing for the residents of Pittsburgh.
After years of only being a garrison town, the city of Pittsburgh began to develop by 1790. With frontier expansion booming, Pittsburgh became the gateway to the west during the eighteenth century. Because of the discovery of valuable natural resources in the area and reliable river passages, Pittsburgh’s industry and commerce exploded in the nineteenth century. Gristmills, printing shops, glassworks, and the iron industry flourished in the Pittsburgh area. Since Pittsburgh was and is an ideal location for river travel on the forks of the Ohio, millions of people heading west traveled through the area. With heavy river traffic, accessible natural resources, and diverse commerce and industry, Pittsburgh truly was the “Workshop of the World.” Twentieth century Pittsburgh continues to innovate and experiment with urban redevelopment. By creating clean, scenic areas such as Point State Park, Pittsburgh has become a worldwide example of a new age “renaissance” city.
Per this 231-year-old pay sheet my great-to-the-fifth grandfather was a supporter of the revolution, not a member of any cabal of quisling castrati compromisers.
As fate would arrange it our oldest brother the retired FoMoCo v.p. is ensconced with wife in the Pittsburg area.
