Fort Necessity
Courtesy of Brian Crawford
Website:
https://www.nps.gov/fone/index.htm
Telephone Number:
Location:
National Pike, Farmington, PA 15437
Description:
Fort Necessity National Battlefield, situated in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, USA, commemorates the pivotal Battle of Fort Necessity, a significant engagement during the French and Indian War that transpired on July 3, 1754. This historic site also encompasses the Mount Washington Tavern and encompasses the final resting place of British General Edward Braddock and the locale of the Battle of Jumonville Glen.
Following his return to the great meadows in northwestern Virginia, which is present-day Fayette County, Pennsylvania, Colonel George Washington deemed it necessary to fortify his position. Erected hastily and modestly named by Washington as Fort Necessity or Fort of Necessity, the structure primarily safeguarded essential supplies such as gunpowder, rum, and flour from Washington's own undisciplined troops rather than offering a formidable defense against potential adversaries.
On July 3, 1754, facing uncertain French intentions, Washington, unaware of the French forces' actual strength, capitulated under surrender terms, allowing his forces to withdraw peacefully. Subsequently, the French occupied and then destroyed the fort. Despite the loss, Fort Necessity remains a symbol of Washington's early military experiences.
In efforts to preserve this historic site, Congress designated Fort Necessity a National Battlefield Site on March 4, 1931, and entrusted its management to the War Department. Later transferred to the National Park Service in 1933, the site was redesignated a National Battlefield on August 10, 1961. Subsequent archaeological investigations have unveiled much of the fort's original layout, leading to the construction of a replica fort on-site in the 1970s.
Enhancements to the battlefield and fort continue, with a new visitor center, featuring a National Road interpretive center, inaugurated on October 8, 2005. Recognized as hallowed ground due to the remains of battle casualties remaining interred within, the battlefield's integrity is preserved by limiting public access.
Adjacent to the battlefield stands the Mount Washington Tavern, epitomizing the numerous inns that once dotted the National Road, America's inaugural federally funded highway. Originally owned by George Washington, the site evolved into a thriving inn under various proprietors until its acquisition by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in 1932. Subsequently, the National Park Service acquired the property in 1961, incorporating it into Fort Necessity National Battlefield. Reflecting the quintessential features of an early American tavern, the Mount Washington Tavern provides insight into the era's social and lodging customs.
