Spend a day at Jumonville Glen, Fort Necessity, Mount Washington Tavern, and Braddock’s Grave

Located an hour and 17 minutes outside of Pittsburgh plus only about 20 minutes from Ohiopyle State Park.

Jumonville Glen, Fort Necessity, Mount Washington Tavern, and Braddock’s Grave are all within a short distance from each other. They are also near Laurel Caverns and Summit Inn which would all be a great day trip and/or weekend trip.

Add Ohiopyle State Park and make it a long weekend or week for those that enjoy camping or outdoor activities. Or add Fort Ligonier which is about an hour drive away from Fort Necessity for a bit more on George Washington and the French and Indian War.

This area also has a few distilleries and wineries just around the corner. Plus a casino down the road. Or just enjoy Ohiopyle with several waterfalls and other items to see.

Start your day waking up at the Summit Inn or at Fort Necessity. Fort Necessity has a great little movie to get you all the background of the Fort, Jumonville Glen, Washington Tavern, and Braddock’s Grave.

Brief History

The summer of 1754, was the opening action of the French and Indian War which started in Jumonville Glen and was fought around the world. Fort Necessity was built after the skirmish at Jumonville Glen. The next summer, General Edward Braddock was shot and died of his wounds near Pittsburgh and was buried just up the hill. Several years later, the Mount Washington Tavern was built along the National Highway.

Jumonville Glen

Jumonville Glen is opposite of the Summit Inn and up the hill a bit. Closed for the winter season but it is a great little hike of about a half mile unless you get lost like I did and you end up at a park with a fitness course. But even that was fun to walk through and my car was just up the road as I came out of the park.

The area has a lot of places to hike around and without any modern buildings once you leave the parking area, you can almost believe that you have step back in time in 1754 but with less animals running around.

Once parked, you walk down a nice little path which is paved at first then just dirt. The first stop is the rock which has a plaque about the prelude of the French and Indian War.

As you pass the rock, you come to a view area and this is when the path becomes dirt and is no longer paved but it is still an easy walk.

The dirt path dips down and goes around so that you can see the rocks that the French and Native Americans had been camped in before Lieutenant Colonel George Washington and his forty men surprised them.

The rock ledge is now called Washington’s Rocks.

It looks like step were once cut into the rocks for people to walk up and down to the area but I believe that this has been closed or at least for the winter.

Not 50 feet from the Washington’s Rocks is a little stream that water looks so clear and fresh. It would have been a great place to water horses and get water for drinking and cooking.

If you keep walking down the path and past the rocks, then you will find a great little trail all downhill and a walkway across the stream.

I was enjoying the silence of people, cars, and all modern things and listening to the water flow beside me and the crunch of my feet on the ground that was a bit frozen.

The little waterfall was so cute. It was pouring into a man made little pond.

The Glen had runs into a local community park. The park is called Kings Wood Area where Dunbar’s Camp once was and has Half King Trail.

As you are desending the trail go to the second bridge and go to the right if you want to hike a bit more or to the left and you will find a seating area for event and a gravel paved road which will take you to the head of the park.

Or do like it did and follow the trail after the first bridge. The gravel paved road is most likely easier but the other was not bad at all. Very low impact and you can see the gravel paved road from the trail.

As you follow the trail, it is well marked and peaceful place to be. Some one started a tepee along the trail.

The trail is called half King Trail. But for me, it was just a peaceful little walk.

As you exit the park entrance, they have a few signs to read but walk to the left and at the stop sign go left up the hill to get back to the entrance of Jumonville Glen and your car.

As you leave the park lot, go to the left towards the Summit Inn. When you reach the Summit Inn, going to the left, it will take you back to Fort Necessity and to the right, it will take you to Uniontown.

Also, the first right after passing the Summit Inn will take you to Laurel Cravens.

Brief History

The Battle of Jumonville Glen, or the Jumonville Affair, was the opening battle of the French and Indian War.

George Washington and Tanacharison, the King of the Mingo warriors but called the “Half King”, and some of their men advanced against a group of French military lead by Joseph Coulon de Villiers de Jumonville. Jumonville had been sent deliver a summons to Washington to leave the area.

No one can agree who shot the first bullet but on May 28, 1754, all parties agree that the battle last 15 minutes, Jumonville was killed, and most of his party was killed or taken prisoner.

The problem with this was that because the British and the France were not technical at war. The affair had international consequences which lead to the French and Indian War or the Seven Years’ War.

After this battle, Washington fell back to Fort Necessity and the French Canadian Forces started from Fort Duquesne to attack him.

Fort Necessity

The Fort Necessity Visitor Center is a wonderful place to find all lot of interesting stuff. Check with the front desk to get on the schedule for a tour with a guide which is free and very informational.

The tour guide I got was dressed as a Native American and shot a gun at the end of the tour. He was great. He actually was a Native American and ex marine who was into history. Great to chat with!!!! Wonderful ambassador for the Fort.

If you have the choice, then go to the movie first because it is a great summary of the Battle at Jenomville Glen and Fort Necessity.

The museum is great as well because it has a lot of buttons that you can push so that you can hear about the Fort and the history of the area.

The museum is set up so that you go in a circle and circle back to the back door. The back door takes you out to the Fort which is behind the Museum about a football field and a half down a nice paved path. In the back of the Visitor Center, there is a small play ground for the children to get some energy out.

Brief History

Fort Necessity battle took place on July 3, 1754. After the Junomville Glen battle, Washington fell back to this meadow and built Fort Necessity to await an attack from the French and for reinforcements and a new commanding officer to arrive.

Colonel Joshua Fry was set to take command but he fell from his horse breaking his neck and died. This left a 22 year old George Washington in command of the operation with a battlefield promotion to Colonel.

Washington believe that they would be fighting in the fields not realizing that the French would be picking them off from the tree line and built the Fort more for a place for supplies then for protection.

The French and Indians were led under the command of Louis Coulon de Villiers. Louis was Joseph Coulon de Villiers de Jumonville half brother, so needless to say, Louis was not in a good mood and looking for revenge.

Heavy rain started on July 2nd and the trenches turned into streams. The Native Americans that had been on Washington side left him to battle alone. During the battle, some of his troop fell back to the Fort rather then fight in the field. The heavy rains got to the gunpowder and his troops could not fire their guns.

It just was not Washington’s Day except that Louis was concerned about when the British reinforcement might arrive. So, Louis started negotiated for Washington’s surrender while Washington’s Virginians, the troops from Virginia, got drunk.

Louis stated that all he wanted was the garrison and he would allow the Virginians to go home. Washington agreed to these terms and Louis had one of his aids write up the terms of surrender.

The terms were written in French and Washington could not read them but he signed them believing that he had a gentleman’s agreement. This would be the first and last time, Washington ever surrendered. But Washington did know that he agreed that he “assassinated” Joseph Jumonville.

The next day, July 4th, Washington and his troops abandoned the Fort and headed to Fort Cumberland. But the political consequences of Washington signing that he “assassinated” a French citizen created fights in courts and finally started the French and Indian War or the Seven Years War.

Some British people commented that it was young Washington that started the 1st world war as the French and Indian War would have battle across the globe. In the end, the British wanted to tax the Colonies to pay for the war which in turn started the American Revolution War against being taxed without representation.

Now, what gets me is that a 22 year old young punk was at the battle that set in motion not only a world war but a new nation that he would be come the first President at age 57, some 35 years after a little fight in the middle of no where called the Battle of Junomville Glen.

Mount Washington Tavern

Part of the Visitor Center has a history of the National Road. Just above Fort Necessity is Mount Washington Tavern which was build along side of the National Road as an Inn and Stage coach stop.

The Inn is free to visit and all you have to do is walk up to it from the visitor center. It is a great place to visit. They have the first and second floor open to the public with a lot of furniture from the time period and great little stories about the rooms listed next to them.

The lower floor has the Parlour, Bar, and Men’s meeting room. The second floor has several bedrooms open to look at.

I love seeing how much better and how much worst we are today then yesterday. I enjoy that we have indoor plumbing and electricity but I miss the fact that we once had more time to do things like talk to each other.

Brief History

George Washington did not build this tavern but he did own the land at one point. The Tavern was built in the 1830’s, by a Judge from Uniontown but was sold to James Sampey in 1840.

The Sampey family operated the tavern until the mid 1850’s, when the National Road decline as the railroads took over the travel business from the stage coaches.

The Inn was then a family home for about 75 years until Pennsylvania purchased the property in 1832. In 1961, the National Park Service purchased it as part of the Fort Necessity.

Braddock’s Grave

Braddock’s Grave is to the left as you leave the Fort Necessity pasted Mount Washington Tavern and on the right. It is just a bit of a park with a monument and the actual grave site.

Their is a great little restaurant just next to the Grave Site. It was undergoing reconstruction so I did not get to eat there but it looked really cool.

From the parking lot, you have a choice to go down stairs or walk around the park to the monument. I would start by walking around the paved area.

Half way from the parking lot and the monument is a great view to the actually grave site. The stairs are on either side of this path.

This is the monument and has a bit of writing about General Braddock. To the right are the steps that you can go down to get to the original site.

Brief History

General Braddock was a 45 years veteran of the military service for Britain. He was the Commander-in-Chief for all British forces in North American.

In 1755, General Braddock and about 2,400 men marched to Fort Duquesne to attack the French. During the march, he had the road widened to 12 feet to increase the speed of the military progress.

During the Battle of the Monongahela which lasted three hours, General Braddock was wounded and many of the British officers. They lost against the French and the Native Americans with over 900 causalities out of the 1,400 men that were in battle.

The General, who had been shot, and those that were left alive fell back to Dunbar’s Camp which is located near Junomville Glen. Washington had been the Generals Aid and took charge after the General died and headed back to Fort Cumberland, see my web site about Cumberland to find out that Washington almost became in charge of Fort Cumberland and yet another death had taken place.