Fort Ligonier was an important British outpost during the French and Indian War. Gain insight into a crucial period in American history at this reconstructed fort site, set on an imposing hilltop in the Laurel Highlands.
During the mid-18th century, Great Britain and France battled over parts of North America and this fort was at the centre of the action. It was first constructed in 1758 for British General John Forbes’ planned attack on France’s nearby Fort Duquesne. Maintained as a garrison for 8 years, Fort Ligonier was never taken by the enemy.
Note how the fort has been rebuilt in its original form, with a 200-square-foot (19-square-metre) inner fort surrounded by a 1,600-foot (490-metre) outer retrenchment. Inspect the fort’s artillery, which includes a 6-pound (3-kilogram) field piece with a range of 2,000 yards (1,800 metres).
Explore the museum’s History Gallery, where you’ll find fragments of shoes worn by the troops, Conestoga wagon parts and other artifacts that have been excavated from the site. Be sure to watch the short George Washington Remembers video, which profiles Washington’s life during the French and Indian War.
Learn more about Washington’s life by reading his hand-written memoirs. These revealing documents chronicle his 6 years on the Pennsylvania frontier. See pistols that are believed to have been carried by Washington at Monmouth, Valley Forge, Yorktown and during the Whisky Rebellion when he was president.
Examine Rembrandt Peale’s George Washington portrait, a depiction of Washington as a young Virginia officer. View 12 other original paintings by artists Carl Van Loo, Allan Ramsay, David Morier and Edward Penny.
Save time for The World Ablaze: An Introduction to the Seven Years’ War exhibit, which profiles the global aspects of this major war using hundreds of 18th-century objects gathered from around the worldFort Ligonier is open daily from April to November with shortened hours on Sundays. There is an admission fee and group and self-guided tours.
Fort Ligonier is located in Pennsylvania’s Laurel Highlands Region, 50 miles (80 kilometres) east of Pittsburgh.
