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Fort Necessity National Battlefield

The battle at Fort Necessity in the summer of 1754 was the opening action of the French and Indian War. This war was a clash of British, French and American Indian cultures. It ended with the removal of French power from North America. The stage was set for the American Revolution.

The Basics

Hours:

The park is open daily from Sunrise - Sunset, all year;

All visitor facilities are closed:November 11, Thanksgiving Day, December 25, January 1, Birthday of Martin Luther King Jr., and George Washington's Birthday.

Fort Necessity/ National Road Interpretive & Education Center
Open All Year 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Mount Washington Tavern
Open April 15 - November 1

Jumonville Glen, Braddock's Grave parking area, and Picnic Area
Open during summer months only

Season:

The Mount Washington Tavern is closed for the winter months.

Address:

1 Washington Parkway
Farmington, PA 15437

Phone:

724-329-5512

Phone:

724-329-5811

Fax:

724-329-8682

Directions

The main unit of the park is located 11 miles east of Uniontown, Pennsylvania on U.S. Highway 40. The visitor center, reconstructed Fort Necessity, Mount Washington Tavern and picnic area are located in the main unit of the park.

From Downtown Pittsburgh (approx. 1.5 hrs)
Take US 51 South to Uniontown, then take US 40 East. Park entrance is on the right, 11 miles east of Uniontown.

From Pittsburgh Airport (approx. 1.5 hrs)
Take US 60 toward Pittsburgh Exit and take a right on I-79 south toward Washington, PA. Exit left on I-70 east and take Exit #14 - PA 43 Tollroad ($0.75) toward California, PA, then exit on US 40 east. Park entrance is on right 11 miles east of Uniontown.

From the Pennsylvania Turnpike from eastern PA (approx. 45 mins)
Take Exit #9 - Donegal PA 711 south to US 381. Stay on US 381 south to US 40. Take a right on US 40. Park entrance is one mile on left.

From Western Maryland (20 minutes)
Take I-68 west to US 40 and take US 40 west toward Uniontown, PA. Park entrance is on left one mile past Farmington, PA.

From Morgantown, WV (40 minutes)
Take I-68 east over Cheat Lake to HWY 857 (There are two HWY 857 exits). Take HWY 857 north to PA 43 and take PA 43 north to US 40. Drive on US 40 east for 12 miles. Park entrance is on the right

Climate

In summer it is generally warm, often humid with cool mornings and evenings. In winter it is generally cold with snow possible from November through April. Layered clothing is recommended.

Link to our Wilmington Weather coverage for more information.

Link to our Johnstown Weather coverage for more information.

Link to our Pittsburgh Weather coverage for more information.

Seasons

The Mount Washington Tavern is closed for the winter months.

Fees

Adult: $5, Children free
Activity Fees start at $2

Reservations

Call ahead to arrange a special interpretative program.

Things To Do

The Visitor Center is the best place to begin your visit. The ranger on duty will answer your questions and collect your entrance fee. The twenty-minute movie "Road of Necessity" introduces the park story. Talks, tours, and historic weapons demonstrations are offered during the summer months. Get a complete schedule of activities at the visitor center.

Follow the short paved path from the visitor center to the Great Meadow and Fort Necessity, where the French & Indian War began.

Tours of the Mount Washington Tavern are available when staffing permits. The Tavern is a museum of life along the National Road and operated from 1828 to 1855.

Trails lead through forest and meadows around Fort Necessity, Jumonville Glen, and Braddocks Grave.

A monument marks the final resting place of British General Edward Braddock at the Braddock Grave Unit. Outdoor exhibits explain the ill-fated Braddock Campaign of 1755. A trace of the Braddock Road is clearly visible at this site.

Visit Jumonville Glen, the site of Washington's first encounter with the French. Outdoor exhibits help visitors understand the event.

Plan 1 1/2 to 2 hrs to see the historic sites in the main of the park. Add an hour to visit Braddock's grave and Jumonville Glen.

Outdoor Activities

A visit to Fort Necessity includes a walk to the reconstructed fort in the Great Meadow. The fort is about 200 yards from the visitor center. Talks, tours, and historic weapons demonstrations are offered in the meadow near Fort Necessity during the summer months.

Five miles of hiking trails lead through forest and meadows around Fort Necessity. Cross-country skiing is available in winter. The trails are not groomed.

At the Braddock Grave Unit, outdoor exhibits explain the ill-fated Braddock Campaign of 1755. A trace of the Braddock Road is clearly visible at this site. A monument marks the final resting place of British General Edward Braddock.

Jumonville Glen, approximately seven miles from Fort Necessity, is the site of Washington's first encounter with the French. A half-mile loop trail leads from the parking lot to the glen. A natural rock outcropping marks the site of the skirmish. Interpretive signs help visitors understand the event. Jumonville Glen is open from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. during the summer months only.

Indoor Activities

The Fort Necessity/National Road Interpretive and Education Center is the visitor center for the park. The twenty-minute orientation film "Road of Necessity" takes viewer along the path from Washington's first trip over the Alleghenies to the creation of the National Road. Interactive exhibits in the center immerse the visitor in the French and Indian War and the heyday of stagecoach and wagon travel along the National Road.

Tours of the Mount Washington Tavern are available when staffing permits. The Tavern is a museum of life along the National Road and operated from 1828 to 1855).

Nearby Attractions

National Park Service sites in Southwestern Pennsylvania

Friendship Hill National Historic Site
Flight 93 National Memorial
Johnstown Flood National Memorial
Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site

National Park Service sites within three hours

New River Gorge National River, WV
Gettysburg National Military Park, PA
Eisenhower National Historic Site, PA
Catotcin Mountain Park, MD
Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park, WV-MD
Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, WV-MD-VA
Antietem National Battlefield, MD

Nearby Attractions

Ohiopyle State Park, PA Route 381, ten miles north of Farmington
Fallingwater (a home designed by Frank Lloyd Wright), PA Route 381, 12 miles north of Farmington
Kentuck Knob (another Frank Lloyd Wright house), 6 miles north of Chalk Hill, PA
Laurel Caverns, six miles off US Route 40 west, of Farmington

Link to our Wilmington Attractions coverage for more information.

Link to our Johnstown Attractions coverage for more information.

Link to our Pittsburgh Attractions coverage for more information.

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