On July 3 we celebrated Anniversary 265 of the Battle of Fort Necessity. Although July 3 was a regularly scheduled day off for Tom and I, every available staff member worked that day. Tom was out in the meadow doing Living History, and I was in the Visitors Center welcoming guests. We didn’t have a …
From National Parks
Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site
As promised yesterday, I am writing about the Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site which Tom and I visited last week. This is one of the five parks in the Western Pennsylvania group of National Park Sites. It is also the farthest away from Fort Necessity: almost 95 miles. You might think that the Allegheny …
Johnstown Flood National Memorial
Last week, on our weekly adventure day, Tom and I visited three National Park sites in western Pennsylvania. Today I will write about the Johnstown Flood National Memorial. Tomorrow I will write about the Allegheny Portage Railroad. I will save the third, Flight 93 National Memorial, until we have time to visit again. The Johnstown …
Three Cultures Encampment at Fort Necessity
Last weekend was the Three Cultures Encampment at Fort Necessity National Battlefield. Like other parks, encampments are times when people come and stay at the park, dress funny, and do demonstrations for visitors. The people doing the encampment have a great time. We have a lot more visitors to the national park. And those of …
Soldier Talk at Fort Necessity National Battlefield
I’m taking a break from sharing history lessons with you this week to tell you a little bit about what Tom has been doing here at Fort Necessity. Our second day at work, Ranger Brian took Tom up to the historical clothing area and got him outfitted as a soldier in the South Carolina Independent …
Defeat of the Braddock Expedition: History Lesson 5
After the defeat of George Washington and his troops at Fort Necessity, the British government decided they couldn’t leave the fighting in the colonies to amateurs anymore. So they sent General Edward Braddock to the colonies with 2,000 regular British soldiers to capture Fort Duquesne. The two British regiments were augmented with 500 provincial soldiers. …
Battle of Fort Necessity: History Lesson 4
Last week I wrote about building Fort Necessity. This week the history lesson continues with the Battle of Fort Necessity. To recap, George Washington and his men attacked a small group of Frenchmen on May 28 and killed their leader, Captain Jumonville. Colonel Washington gathered his men in the Great Meadows and built a small …
Friendship Hill National Historic Site
Tom and I are just beginning to explore this part of Pennsylvania where we are spending the summer. Within three hours of our location are over 100 national park sites. Wow! Think of all the stamps I can collect this summer. Of course, a lot of them are in Washington DC, so we will certainly …
Building Fort Necessity: History Lesson 3
After the skirmish at Jumonville Glenn (May 28, 1754), George Washington beat a hasty retreat with his men back to the Great Meadows. Because he was concerned about a retaliatory attack by the French, he ordered his men to construct a small fort. He called it a “fort of necessity.” Shortly after they started the …
Jumonville Glen: History of Fort Necessity
Today is the second lesson in the history of Fort Necessity National Battlefield: Jumonville Glen. In January 1754, before George Washington returned from his mission, Virginia Governor Dinwiddie sent out a small force of Virginia soldiers to build a fort at the forks of the Ohio, modern-day Pittsburgh. The stockade was barely finished when a …