The Four Forts of the Point

Did you know that there were four forts in the heart of Pittsburgh during the 1700s? Fort Prince George, Fort Duquesne, Mercer’s Fort, and Fort Pitt - all located at Point State Park and were strategic holdings that were pivotal to American history. Established during the colonial times to the French and Indian War; they have put a lasting mark on the terrain of Point State Park, and the stories behind them are ones to be remembered.

Fort Prince George

Before the land, we now call Pittsburgh, was even colonized, both the British and French came to realize the importance of the Point and how it would hold the key to the frontier and significant supply routes. The British, under the direction of Lt Richard Coytmore, beat the French to it and built Fort Prince George to establish a claim of the land. However, this small fort which was built hastily was not able to withstand the 700 French soldiers and their Indian allies that were coming down the Allegheny River. Coytmore was forced to surrender the fort.

Fort Duquesne

With the French now in hold of the Point, they fabricated a greater fort, Fort Duquesne. Named after Marquis Duquesne, the governor-general of New France, the Fort was fashioned after a star-like shape, with cannons at each point of the star.

After failing to protect Fort Prince George, General Braddock, led a large British army to take over Fort Duquesne in 1753. This resulted in the Battle of Monongahela where Braddock was killed in action, and the British suffered a great defeat. In 1758, General Forbes was in command and embarked on a campaign to reclaim the Point. Using clever military strategies, he commanded George Washington to take half the army up Braddock’s previous path from Virginia with the purpose of engaging the French’s attention. Forbes himself with the other half created a new road from Philadelphia, with the goal to reach the point and take the French by surprise. This tactic was a success but unfortunately, before they could take over Fort Duquesne, the French lit all the remaining 60 kegs of gunpowder and blew the entire Fort up. (That is why we no longer see any remnants of Fort Duquesne today at Point State Park). With the destruction of Fort Duquesne and the defeat of Fort Niagara, the French rule in Canada and the Americas came to an end.

Mercer’s Fort

With the disappearance of Fort Duquesne, Mercer’s Fort was built. Not much of a fort, but it consisted of four square cabins with reinforced walls at the sides. Its sole purpose was meant to hold the land, just enough to claim and defend it while Fort Pitt was being constructed.

Fort Pitt

The British built Fort Pitt which was named after William Pitt, the prime minister of Great Britain at that time. Fort Pitt was even larger than Fort Duquesne, with a similar star shape pattern. For the next few years, there was a lot of resentment from the Native Americans, as the British reneged on their promise of giving them land west of the Allegheny for helping them fight against the French. This culminated in Pontiac’s Rebellion which was successfully put down by Colonel Bouquet. Since then, as Pittsburgh became more developed and peaceful, the fort lost its importance. Some townsfolk even took the bricks from its walls to build their own houses. In the end, Fort Pitt was decommissioned for supplies and materials to be sold to citizens.

Conclusion

While these four major forts no longer stand in the Point State Park (except for the Fort Pitt Block House which you can visit today), they played a critical role in Pittsburgh's history. Today, Point State Park is a National Historic Landmark, and it commemorates and preserves this heritage at the confluence of the three rivers.