This was really interesting. I was following along on Google Maps. We usually take 79 to Washington, PA and then pick up 70 when we travel to Ohio to visit our son. We might have to take this route sometime and see some of these historic sites. Thanks for sharing.
I'm a huge fan of your videos. I love your French and Indian war videos. I love learning about American history. And that was a real treat. For you to traverse as much of the Braddock's Road as you could is definitely a challenge that no one else could understand. Also love Fort Necessity and Jumonville. Both of them iconic pieces of the French and Indian War. I also love the view from the Great Cross of Jumonville. Pretty spectacular. You hit the mark perfectly!
no way would I climb to that cross- but thanks for doing so! Honey comb rock was interesting and I love graffiti .French & Indian War is so much more intriguing the way you show & tell it.
That was 26 miles as the crow flies and they crossed the Yough twice. Couldn't imagine cutting a tree in an old growth forest. The tree I would cut would get hung up on another tree. Then that tree would get hung up. Spend all night in camp just sharping axes. Then they would put me on the pick and shovel crew.
Braddock left Ft. Cumberland ! You need to check out Cumberland, Maryland and visit this town! Lots to see and history! Allegheny Great Passage joins the C& O Canal ! You can bike from Pgh to Cumberland, then Cumberland to Washington DC!
Oh my... you must have put a lot of work into this video, with research, planning, driving, etc. Thank you for showing us these places and telling us their history.
I live the area of mount Braddock road and i love passing these areas & telling my kids "George Washington walked these fields" and my mother in law has a nice collection of arrowheads found in the area of camp 11from when she was a child.
So cool! I was just up in Connelsville from Montgomery county Maryland. Wish I knew this history when we were up there. No one could tell me rhe name of the river. My friend from Pitt called it the "Youk" or something. We went by the Flight 93 memorial off of route 30 I think
There already is a rail trail in that area. It's called the Great Allegheny Passage. It follows the right of way of the former Western Maryland Railway and Pittsburgh & Lake Erie railroad tracks built in the early 1900s, and abandoned in the mid-1970s. You should check it out, yourself. There are four tunnels, plenty of bridges, and lots of stunning views.
Back in the 50s and 60 my family took RT 40 several times to go west, Most of it was 2 lane road with a passing lane on the Mts. You had to go through all the cities and towns. Would take all day, now just a few hours.
I’m a former French and Indian war Reenactor you did a fabulous job on Braddock’s road. I have a question where did you find your research material for all the camps ?
Hi Cliff, what a fantastic video, you can tell that you really worked hard on the research for this series, thank you for that. Thank you for sharing, much love. xx ❤
Back in the 80's when I was a boy scout my troop did an Eagle project there where the paved road was there was so much garbage tires engine blocks refrigerators and I mean the old heavy ones just heeped up to where it was damaging the trail the creek etc. It took like a week but we got it all out of there and into a land fill.
Hope you won't mind me pointing out as a helpful word of advice from a regional historian, in areas one is obviously unfamiliar with, it often requires a bit more than a map, a book and a GPS. Taking the time to attempt talking to locals and correlating varying reports with the regional historical societies is a must, and certainly adds an extra dimension to the accuracy of following up on old sites. Apparently the info on the Old Orchard Camp was unavailable for whatever reason and is basically fairly well known to be back behind the Stone Tavern house, near Chalk Hill, not very far from what was once Nemacolin's Wigwam. Not to appear condescending as you did a pretty good job and all, but, on the second video, the Narrows can be easily accessed by the Broadford Road and slowing down at the second elevation to the northeast, there should be a side dirt road that is nearly a mile from the Yough river with a qualifying marking; also, the first supposed 'Jacob's Cabin' location at Greenlick Reservoir, or the 'New Dam', is an unfortunate mistake that has been perpetuated since Laycock's time, (this was not a real encampment) and the bivouac of a swamp that encompassed much of the land here, by strong tradition, took place just to the left of where you were pulled off, opposite of the water, up toward the old stone barn building. In fact, the only documented 'Jacobs Cabin' site is located further down the Westmoreland Technology Park road itself, about two thirds of the way, at the railroad track crossing. There is a BR sign there while the Cabin(s) location was just to the right before the tracks and close to a piece of swamp to the left. Until recently, even the Mt. Pleasant Historical Society were only aware of the general placing of the camp. You were fairly near to it though. Lannie Dietle, author of, "In Search of the Turkey Foot Road", graciously provided me with the exact coordinates (which I have on my ten year blog somewhere - 'Fayette/Westmoreland Forgotten History', and, if you're at all interested, there is a 3 part article on the identity of Captain Jacobs). An East Huntingdon land survey is available with the 'Jacobs Swamp' tract listed on it which covered all the low ground out there until it was drained off for what became the Sony plant, where I once worked. I use to have an old map of the Indian camps between Braddock's Grave and Half Kings Rocks, although this document was lost on a damaged hard drive and haven't found it again. Anyway, thanks a lot for your videos.
Very informative. I haven't had the chance to head out that way but I will eventually. That rail trail is the he Great Allegheny Passage. I imagine you'll want to check it out someday. I've heard it pronounced like Allegheny, Yocka-gheny.
Hoping you went to the mine in Connellsville. It's a pretty cool place. Last time I was there, you could still climb up and get in. Plus there was a scenic overlook and a cool old mill raceway nearby.
At Dunbar's camp, this location, after the war for southern independence, an orphanage of somewhere near 400 kids, At the point of the assault by Washington and French, Washington buried Jumonville and placed a wooden cross there, kids during the 30's from the orphanage, tore down the wooden cross but it was supposedly replaced,
At the cross on the hill.....You always liked your views, higher altitudes you lose oxygen and you could have somersaulted your way down..just saying...lol