Historic National Road -- Pennsylvania Overview

Fort Necessity National Battlefield [1]

Long before the National Road was constructed through Pennsylvania, the first battle of the French and Indian War was fought there. At Fort Necessity, 11 miles east of Uniontown, Colonial troops commanded by 22-year-old Colonel George Washington were defeated in the small stockade at the "Great Meadow". The battle began a seven-year struggle between Great Britain and France for control of North America. Great Britain's success in this war helped pave the way for the American Revolution, and George Washington's leadership prepared him for his future role as president of the United States. Today the park comprises approximately 900 acres, including the battlefield with the reconstructed fort, a visitor center, and Mount Washington Tavern.

Washington recognized the need for a connecting route between the East and West. Emigrants and traders needed a safe route west while farmers and ranchers needed a stable route east to city markets. In 1806 Congress approved a decision to build a national road from Cumberland, Maryland, to what is now Wheeling, West Virginia. (The road was later extended to Vandalia, Illinois.)

Mount Washington Tavern [2]

Trails used by troops during the French and Indian War were considered as possible permanent routes west. The Pennsylvania National Road was ultimately constructed through the southwest, mountainous corner of Pennsylvania. Today it is celebrated and preserved as a state Heritage Park. Visit the park to get a sense of the road's awesome history and its impact on the area. The National Road served as America's Main Street from the early 1800s all through the 1900s. Canal traffic and the railroad diverted travelers in the mid-1800s, but the road saw a second surge in popularity with the advent of the automobile in the early 1900s. Thousands of people traveled the road and they changed forever the areas they passed through.

A culture grew up around the road as people settled the area and serviced the needs of other travelers. The Mount Washington Tavern, circa 1828, is a remnant of the road's early days. Visit the tavern where travelers stayed the night or stopped for a hot meal.

Addison (Old Petersburg) Toll House (PA) [3]

Later on in the road's history, tollhouses sprang up. The individual states established these after the road and its maintenance was turned over to them. Built in 1835, the Addison or Old Petersburg Tollhouse still stands. It was Gate #1 along the National Road and is the only native-cut stone tollhouse still standing in the United States. Learn more about transportation history at the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum in Washington. The museum tells the story of the evolution of transportation and the arrival of the trolley to cities and towns along the National Road.

The National Road through Pennsylvania houses a treasure box of US history. From the French and Indian War to tollhouses to trolleys, the National Road and associated sites have been preserved for you.