Loving the Laurel Highlands

Until I visited here with guide KJLouden in late June this year, I have to admit a bit sheepishly I had never heard of the Laurel Highlands. They really need to ratchet their tourism budget up a notch and get the word out there because this is a really amazing place.

For the outdoor enthusiast this is a real slice of heaven with first class White Water rafting in the Youghiogheny River and Pennsylvania’s tallest peak Mount Davis offering hiking in the warm months and skiing in the cold ones. Lacking the exercise gene is a serious impediment to my enjoyment of these outdoor pursuits however even I could appreciate all that natural beauty.

What did hold my interest was the historical nature of the area. I was totally unprepared for my lessons on the French and Indian War. Never in my entire scholastic history had I ever learned that the French and Indian War began in this part of Western Pa. I have no idea where I though this war was fought but certainly I thought it was farther west in the Ohio River Valley and certainly much farther north. Was I ever wrong!!

I had also never heard of the National Road. We have a National Road? Well yes we certainly do and it is now route 40 travels east to west across the country. I also accidentally stumbled onto the Lincoln Highway route 30 as we were taking the scenic route home from Fairmont West Virginia to Mount Cobb Pa.

Madonna of the Trail We just happened upon this monument and I had to stop. This wonderful monument was dedicated by the DAR to all the pioneer woman who struggled so much and were so instrumental in the westward movement in our country.

www.national road

Things we didn’t have time to do. Visit the three Frank Lloyd Wright Houses, yes I said three The Duncan House has join Fallingwaters and Kentuck Knob and now you can even spend the night at a Wright House. Visit Johnstown with it’s Museum and Monument to the 1889 Flood , The Flight 93 memorial, Fort Ligonier, Nemacolin Castle, and I could go on and on.

To begin planning your trip visit www.laurelhighlands.org.

Quick Tips:

Fort Necessity- Allow yourself several hours and maybe even more if you get caught up in the history of the place to visit this Park Department location. The original fort (which no longer exists) was built in the Great Meadow by George Washington and his men. Here they tried to defend themselves against the French and their Indian allies.
You will learn the story of their defeat in the Visitor Center. There is an orientation film as well as a very nice museum that you can visit. There are also live interpreters who will give demonstrations and talks throughout the day. Check the schedule in the Visitor Center. This is quite a large park and there are areas where you can walk and hike if you want to do something additional.

Mt. Washington Tavern Even though it bears his name the tavern has little to do with George Washington beyond the fact that it is built on land that he once owned. It is a typical 19th century Inn on the national highway and what you will see here is what every traveler who stopped here saw. You can visit the bedrooms where they would have slept and the dining room where they ate their meal. You will see the tavern and also the ladies parlor. There are docents available to answer any questions that you might have.

Friendship Hill Named for his companions from Switzerland Friendship Hill was the home of Albert Gallatin. Who is Albert Gallatin you might be asking, I know I certainly was when we visited. He was the secretary of the treasury under Thomas Jefferson and was instrumental in purchasing the Louisiana Purchase and also in getting the Lewis and Clark expedition together. He was an astute business man who made his own fortune in his many different enterprises. A fascinating man who deserves to be remembered for his contribution to our burgeoning nation.

Century Hill Inn Weather you choose to eat here or stay here or even both you won’t be disappointed. This is one of the oldest Inn’s on the National Road and has a lot of history to offer, not to mention some delicious food and some beautiful gardens.

Best Way To Get Around:

The nearest major airport to the Laurel Highlands is Pittsburgh. There is also an airport in Morgantown W.V. which would also be a good choice. There is Amtrak service to Pittsburg and also Greyhound Bus but the best way to see this area is in your car.

With the national Highway route 40 and the Lincoln Highway Route 30 you will be able to traverse the area. You can take the Pa Turnpike to get from Philadelphia or take route 81 to 76 from north eastern Pa. There are plenty of ways to get here but once you are here you want to take your time and travel the road less traveled. This is an area that should be savored like a fine wine.

We had two days in the area and one days passing through and I would highly recommend that anyone visiting do so for at least a week. There are several resorts in the area that offer fine accommodations as well as the usual chain hotels and motels and an excellent smattering of B&B’s and Inn’s. There really is something for everyone.

If you ever happen to be in this neighborhood I am going to suggest that you make a stop here to have dinner. The Inn was first opened by Stephen Hill in 1794 as a coaching stop on the national Road and it still is a stop on the national Road today . This stone building is a piece of the history of Western PA. and one of the oldest Inns west of Baltimore.

We stopped in on a warm afternoon in late June. We were the first ones to arrive and even though it was a little before their opening time of 4:30pm they were happy to seat us. The dining room we were seated in reminded me a lot of the Publick House in Sturbridge MA. Painted wood paneling, floral wallpaper, and samplers decorating the walls. We passed through a parlor with a grand piano and also took a detour through the very attractive bar. It really did feel as if we had just gotten off our coach and stepped into the past.

We started off with a basket of sun dried tomato rolls and whipped butter. The menu offers a surprisingly modern variety of dining options. I began with the peanut soup and Al had the French Onion. OMG, that peanut soup was to die for, it was rich and creamy and had chopped peanuts on the top. Al was very pleased with his onion soup, it had loads of onions and that slightly salty beef broth with a thick covering of melted cheese.

What came next surprised us. We were given some lemon sorbet to cleanse our pallet. A very nice and upscale touch.

Karen and I had decided to have the turkey dinner and Al had the stuffed pork chop with rosemary demi glaze. Our plates were loaded with turkey, stuffing, creamy mashed potatoes and asparagus. We had a generous serving of cranberry sauce to share between the two of us. Al had a huge mound of stuffing under his chop and the same potatoes and asparagus. It was wonderful. The stuffing was lightly spiced with sage and the gravy was light and very tasty, it felt like Thanksgiving at Mom’s house.

I had a fresh ice tea to drink and it was definitely fresh brewed. Service was excellent, our glasses were kept full as was Karen’s coffee cup but the waitress didn’t hover.

I had serious doubts about my ability to have any dessert but after hearing what they had to offer I ordered the pecan coated vanilla ice cream with caramel sauce and Al had the bread pudding. I also ordered a cup of coffee.

My ice cream was the stuff dreams are made of, at least my dreams. What could be better than pecans, ice cream, and caramel, a generous portion of the above. Al, however, was not in the mood to share his bread pudding but he told me it was excellent.

One meal free with the Pittsburgh Entertainment Book.

Who would have guessed that someone who I had never heard of, before guide KJLouden suggested that we visit his house, would have turned out to be such a fascinating person. In case you too have never been introduced let me fill in the gap. Albert Gallatin was born in Switzerland and came to this country as a young man. Among other things he taught French at Harvard before moving west to the Pittsburgh area. He was elected to Congress and eventually was the Secretary of the Treasury under Thomas Jefferson. His major claims to fame are the fact that he is responsible for the Louisiana Purchase and also for getting the Louis and Clarke Expedition going. It is hard to imagine why someone who was so important to this country’s early development has been almost entirely forgotten by the majority of Americans.

Friendship Hill is the home he built and where he brought home his first wife, Sophie Allegre. This is a sad story, Sophie died within months of their wedding having married against the wishes of her mother and never having been reconciled with her. Her grave is still on the property and though it is unmarked per her wishes it is surrounded by a small wall so that you can find it. Eventually Albert did marry and had children but his wife never cared much for Friendship Hill, she was a city girl and I am sure that as the second wife didn’t need to be reminded of his first love.

The House is now owned by the Park Department and for this year of 2007 there is a special treat if you visit. The furniture in the house has been brought here from Arlington House in Virginia while it is being renovated and placed in the appropriate room.

You begin your visit in the gift shop, there is a short video that you can sit and watch. Albert introduces himself to you and also tells you his story. You then walk through the house on a self guided tour. There is an elevator to take you to the second floor and to the basement where the restrooms are. There are however a couple of rooms that can only be viewed by walking up a staircase.

The grounds are well worth walking through. There is a gazebo in the rear of the property when you can view the Monongahela River. You can also choose to visit Sophie’s grave which is across the yard, down a hill, along a meadow and through the woods. It is definitely not wheelchair accessible.

There are picnic tables near the parking lot if you care to bring your lunch and the walkway from the lot is steep but paved so it would be accessible.

The gift shop has the typical Park Department items with a few really interesting books thrown in.

Admission is free.

Fort Necessity If ever there was an aptly named fort, this certainly was it. Constructed by the young George Washington in 1754 it was with the certainty that the French and their Indian allies would be coming to seek revenge for the massacre of their compatriots by the British at Jumonville Glen. That particular incident was to haunt Washington for the rest of his life and to leave him with the certainty that he caused the French and Indian War to escalate into a global conflict. A single conflict between two groups of soldiers both itching for a fight had repercussions felt round the world.

What happened at Fort Necessity was a defeat for the English and a much needed victory for the French. On July 3, 1754, after a one day battle, Washington surrendered the Fort and as part of the surrender was required to sign a document that admitted his part in the massacre at Jumonville Glen, calling it an assassination. Washington always claimed he was told that it translated as death or killing but the French had a powerful weapon and they used it.

Today Fort Necessity, Jumonville Glen, Braddock’s Grave, and Mt. Washington’s Tavern are all part of the Park Department and are close enough to all be visited at one time.

Mt. Washington Tavern is located on route 40 and shortly after it you turn down and drive into the woods to find the visitor center. In the visitor center there is a film to watch which last about a half hour. There are also live interpreters who give talks at different times during the day. Be sure to check the schedule with the rangers in the visitor center. There is also a very nice museum at the visitor center.

The Tavern closes the earliest so we went there first. You can walk through the woods or there is a parking lot close to the Tavern. This has nothing really to do with Fort Necessity but it is interesting nonetheless. It was a stage stop on the national Road and you get to see what the sleeping, eating, and drinking arrangement would have been like. There are guides inside to answer any questions you may have.

We tried to time everything perfectly so we went next to listen to the interpreter who was a French soldier in our case. I found this of particular interest since I lost a French Ancestor in the French and Indian War. We were sitting out in the woods so wear bug spray on trees and we had to walk down a dirt path through the woods. You will see a reconstruction of the fort off on your right. Try to listen to the interpreter, he was fascinating and very interactive with the children in our group. His talk lasts about a half hour.

After sitting in the heat it was nice to watch the movie in an air-conditioned theater.

Braddocks Grave is located a couple of miles down route 40 from Fort Necessity. General Edward Braddock was a career soldier. He had 45 years of military service when he was assigned the task of taking Fort Duquesne which is located where on the point of land where the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers meet, in other words today’s Pittsburgh. The General came with two regiments infantry and with the colonials forces and some Indians he had 2,400 men. One of the Colonials was George Washington. They organized in Maryland and headed out on the road that Washington had blazed the previous year. Washington’s road however was not wide enough to accommodate the wagons and the artillery that Braddock had with him so they had to begin by creating a better road (this is the beginnings of the national Highway).

This was slow work and it resulted in the army splitting and only part moving ahead. The consequence was a resounding defeat by the French. Of the 1,400 men engaged in this battle 900 died (casualties on the British side). Many officers were killed and general Braddock was fatally wounded. The troupes retreated taking their wounded General with them. They retreated back to near Great Meadow. General Braddock died 4 days later and was buried in the middle of the road he had built with George Washington saying the committal service. The men then road their horses and wagons over the grave to hide it.

Fifty years later human bones were found where Braddock was supposed to have been buried and they were taken and interred on a small knoll nearby and the monument that you see today was erected in 1913.

The monument is close enough to the road to see when driving by. There is a parking lot and as you go down the stairs look to the right. You will see a path leading into the woods and if you follow it , you will arrive at the spot where the General was originally buried.

If you are in the mood for more you can follow the signs to Jumonville Glen and walk to the spot where the French and Indian War really began. When we got there it had already closed so we were not able to walk to the spot. We did however read all the available plaques.

In 1754/55 General Braddock with his young subordinate George Washington began the construction of a road through the southwestern portion of Pennsylvania. Its purpose was to allow the movement of troops, artillery and supplies into the area that was disputed with the French around the area of Fort Duquesne. (Present day Pittsburgh.) This road would later become the basis for the new National Road that was coming through from Baltimore.

In 1806 the Federal Government authorized the national Highway. Construction began in 1811 and by 1818 it had reached Wheeling Virginia. It continued out as far as Vandalia Ill. Congress was no longer willing to appropriate funds so it became up to the states to continue and maintain the road.

The major impact of the National Road was that it opened up the Ohio Valley and the west to settlement. For over forty years this was the main route that wagons and settlers used to get from the east coast into the newly opened territories. A Conestoga wagon could expect to travel up to 15 miles a day and a stage about 4 times faster. Thousands of people followed the national road and along the way major cities sprang up.

In the 1850s the railroad reached Pittsburgh and this led to the decline of travel along the road. It took the advent of the motor car to bring about a revival of travel along the national road. When the highway system was establish the new route 40 was given a route that followed quite closely the old National Road. Depending on what your age is traveling route 40 will bring back childhood memories, I know it did for me. This road meanders through bucolic towns and over hills and dales, and if you are in a hurry it’s the last road you want to be on. It was a really nice change from speeding along on the Interstate.

In Pennsylvania you can find one of the original tollbooths as well as road mile markers. Inns were a vital part of the National Road in it’s heyday and you can still visit some of these Inns today both to eat and to sleep. We ate dinner at the Century Inn in Scenic Hill which began its life as Hill’s Tavern.

Traveling west before you reach scenic hill you will pass the Madonna of the Trails, a monument erected by the Daughters of the American Revolution to honor of the women who followed the trails west.

Driving the Lincoln Highway (route 30) was quite an experience. For the most part it goes through a very rural part of Pennsylvania. What took us by surprise were the mountains we had to go over during our drive. It was as green and mountainous as some parts of Vermont, and there were a couple of sections of hair raising turns and excessively steep road. Be prepared for quite a ride.