Pittsburgh, Virginia

[Grumpa]

From the 17th Century through the Revolutionary War, Virginia and Pennsylvania had overlapping claims on the territory of present-day Western Pennsylvania. The Fort Pitt Museum is continuing the exhibit "Pittsburgh, Virginia" to the end of 2021. The focus is on the "turbulent events of 1774, when the two colonies fought for control of Pittsburgh, while Lord Dunmore's War put the fate of the Ohio Country, and all of it's inhabitants at stake."

The exhibit uses 18th-century artifacts and period imagery, and includes the debut of a "carved powder horn....Likely made within days of the capture of Fort Duquesne" by General John Forbes, November 25th, 1758, and bears an extremely rare, firsthand depiction of Fort Duquesne, as it appeared at the time.

The following link will take you to the Museum's site, and a picture of said horn. Pittsburgh, Virginia | Fort Pitt Museum | Exhibits

If the link does not work, look up Fort Pitt Museum (it is operated by the Senator John Heinz History Center).

Should you have the opportunity to come to Pittsburgh, your love of history will be well satisfied. The Museum sits beside the historic Fort Pitt Blockhouse, and is a short walk from the Heinz History Center, within minutes of Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall (the first and largest of its kind in the Country), and within an hour or so drive of Fort Ligonier, Fort Necessity, Jumonville Glen, Braddock's Defeat, and Avella - site of the Meadowcroft Rockshelter, that was used as far back as 16,000 years ago by native foragers. Really, too much to list; I've been here 77 years, and I haven't seen it all!

Zonie, if this thread is more appropriate elsewhere, please feel free to move it.

Richard/Grumpa

 

[Brokennock]

Wow, thank you.

 

[oldwood]

As is the case between neighbors , surveyors decided the actual border line between Pa. , and Va. , Mason-Dixon survey line. My question is ,did the Va. state govt. loose interest in the over mountain part of Va. now W. Va. , because they lost Pgh. in the Mason-Dixon survey ,or was W. Va. , due to the mountainous terrain considered "ungovernable" ??? Should know this history since I grew up there ...oldwood

 

[Grumpa]

My understanding (admittedly limited), is that western Virginia was remote from, and culturally different from, the tidewater/plantation part of the State.
The westerners felt they were not represented by the State Government, and had no stake in the institution of slavery. However, I do know that many were opposed to separation from Virginia, and I suspect that the act itself was facilitated by the presence of Federal troops. The secession of West Virginia is still a sore spot among some West Virginians (and Virginians as well).

As an aside, similar feelings of remoteness existed in western Pennsylvania/Virginia in the 18th Century, amid fears of civil war between supporters of PA and VA, and of Indian retribution for encroachments on their lands by speculators. The people here petitioned the Second Continental Congress to recognize the "14th State" of Westsylvania. Their petition was ignored by Congress (not wanting to antagonize either State), and support of Westsylvania was made "treason" in Pennsylvania.

To this day, I would argue that there is a difference between Western Pennsylvanians and those in the East.

Richard/Grumpa

 

[oldwood]

Thanks Grumpa. No doubt of a difference in people west and east in Pa.. Until some time in the 1960's , Fayette , Greene , and the Pgh. area , Monongehela River valley , even had it'sown smell , coke ovens , huge slate dumps smoldering , gave off the odor of coal burning. The Clairton coke plant at the mill was an open air operation. Most of that history is gone. Looking back , and observing how Eastern Pa. shakes out , I would still rather have grown up in South West Pa ., ...........oldwood

 

[Artificer]

Very Early 18th century maps showed Virginia was almost ridiculously greedy about what lands west of the other colonies "actually" belonged to Virginia. It all had to do with the original Charters and Grants made by early English Kings, though. One early map I've seen shows Virginia claimed what is now Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky and EVERYTHING west of Pennsylvania and some other areas west of states north and south of Virginia. I don't believe Virginia actually believed they were going to keep those lands part of Virginia, though. The intention was they were going to SELL those lands and reap the profits. Of course it did not and could not work out that way.

I do hope they get the Corvid immunization shots going as I have really been looking forward to going to Dixon's then heading west to see Fort Ligonier, the site of Braddock's Defeat, Fort Pitt, etc. this year.

Gus

 

[oldwood]

Gus...........Fort Ligonier would fit in with the F/I War itinerary of your trip. It has a good gun museum , and west of the fort ,the Bushy Run Battlefield , where the Indians were sure they would prevail as they had with Braddock , but Bouquet's frontier army plus his Regulars defeated the Indians paving the way for retaking Ft. Pitt. ..........Hope the Chinese virus exits and your trip is a success.......oldwood

 

[Artificer]

Hi Oldwood,

I've used some of the archaeological findings from Ft. Pitt for over 20 years to make British Frogs and especially for all we learned about the bayonet scabbards found there, especially the internal Sheet Iron "cones" that kept the point of the bayonet from sticking through the end of the scabbard or knocking the little brass finial loose.

Very much appreciate the reminder about Bushy Run, though. That had slipped my mind, so will add that to the itinerary. I did a Private Soldier in the "Old Forty Twa" for a number of years and they fought there, so will be sure to add that.

Gus

 

[oldwood]

Gus........What is sad , all my American history teachers in Grade school and High school didn't mention the local history in south western Pa. . Greene and Fayette Co.s. They mentioned Fort Pitt , and Fort Necessity , and of course some about Geo. Washington , but as a kid I noticed the numerous historical markers sprinkled about the area , they stuck to their lesson plans that didn't include my inquiry's. Luckily , the high school library had some books in it that fired my interest in pre 1850 American history , and made me realize , there was more to it than was mentioned in school. Have been studying what happened for 64+ years ,and still completely fascinated by , "what actually happened , out there in the Weeds"??? Regards.......oldwood

 

[Artificer]

Gus........What is sad , all my American history teachers in Grade school and High school didn't mention the local history in south western Pa. . Greene and Fayette Co.s. They mentioned Fort Pitt , and Fort Necessity , and of course some about Geo. Washington , but as a kid I noticed the numerous historical markers sprinkled about the area , they stuck to their lesson plans that didn't include my inquiry's. Luckily , the high school library had some books in it that fired my interest in pre 1850 American history , and made me realize , there was more to it than was mentioned in school. Have been studying what happened for 64+ years ,and still completely fascinated by , "what actually happened , out there in the Weeds"??? Regards.......oldwood

I know the feeling, but in my case where I grew up, almost nothing historical happened near my home town. Grin.

Yet, I was super excited when transferred to Marine Corps Base Quantico and found Historic Fredericksburg was close by and Richmond plus Colonial Williamsburg not too far away.

Gus