Visiting Fort Ligonier and Allegheny Portage Railroad Site

See the French and Indian War era Fort Ligonier and visit the Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site and learn about the first railroad to cross the Allegheny Mountains.

On a trip to visit family in the New York City area, we stopped at these two historic sites.

Our first stop was Fort Ligonier which shows what life was like in 1758 when it was built for the British Army which at one point numbered 5,000 people at this location. The French and Indian War took place before the American Revolution.

*Photo shows the artillery around the fort grounds The main blog photo shows the inner and outer sections created to help in defense of the fort.*

Checking Out the Fort

The fort includes artillery train or large guns going around the fort. There is an inner and outer section to the fort to help in defense.

*Where Forbes lived in managing the fort.*

General John Forbes’ hut where you can sit at his desk imagine running this fort.

Then we went to an underground powder magazine built on the original location.

Next, we toured a hospital ward, barracks, commissary, guardroom, and officers’ quarters. You can also see a smokehouse, storeroom, a sawmill, bake ovens, and a blacksmith’s forge.

French Indian War was known as the Seven-Year War in Europe. — *French Indian War was known as the Seven-Year War in Europe*.

Museum

The History Gallery tells the story of Fort Ligonier through our unique collection of archeological artifacts excavated from the site.

George Washington Gallery gives a glimpse of George Washington’s life as a British officer before the revolution. The collection includes a handwritten recollection of his years on the Pennsylvania frontier, known as the “Remarks,” which was written by George Washington around 1787.

An art gallery with a prime original of the fort’s namesake, Lord Ligonier, by the leading artist of the 18th century, Sir Joshua Reynolds, as well as Rembrandt Peale’s romantic portrayal of young George Washington in his Virginia Regiment uniform.

Also, a reconstruction of a parlor of Arthur St. Clair, who held high positions in the American Revolution and political posts in the formation of the U.S. government.

There is also a museum store.

Andrew checked out at a cannon on the fort's ground. — *Andrew checked out at a cannon on the fort’s ground.*

DETAILS

Drive from St. Louis: Take Interstate 70 to Donegal Township take exit 91 and make a left onto Pennsylvania State Highway 31 then a right onto Pennsylvania State Highway 711 and stay on this road until you get to Ligonier and look for the fort on the right just after you cross U.S. Highway 30.

Admission: $15 for adults, $12 for ages 18-21, $8 for ages 4-17, and children three and under are free. $8 for active military, veterans, and law enforcement. $12 ages 62+

Hours: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., Daily

Address: 200 S Market St, Ligonier, PA 15658

Allegheny Portage Railroad

A railroad museum that you can check out along U.S. Highway 20 between Altoona and Ft. Ligonier is the Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site.

The route of the railroad-- image from the National Park Service — *The route of the railroad– image from the National Park Service*

The first railroad to circumvent the Allegheny Mountains, the Allegheny Portage Railroad was the finishing piece of the Pennsylvania Main Line Canal. “The Portage” opened in 1834, marking the first time that there was one, direct route between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.

Engineering Marvel

To surmount the Alleghenies, engineers built a series of ten inclines, five ascending and five descending, from the Hollidaysburg Canal Basin on the eastern slope to the Johnstown Canal Basin on the west. Stationary steam engines at the top of each incline pulled rail cars carrying canal boats up and over the mountains with ropes. From 1834 to 1854 the APRR served as an essential—if terrifying—feature of the main thoroughfare from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh and back.

Touring the Historic Site

The Visitor Center includes various exhibit areas and models including a life-size replica of a canal boat and the locomotive Lafayette, and artifacts from the Portage Railroad.

Behind the Visitor Center is a boardwalk that leads to other sites at the historic site.

*Information board on constructing the portage.*

You can see the area where stone was cut for structures for the railroad.

*Details on how the railroad worked are found inside the engine house.*

A wooden roundhouse that helped to put the boats along the rails from one canal to the other to get across the Alleghenies.

Then the Lemmon House where workers lived.

*Recreated bar that would have been in the house.*

Another trail off the boardwalk leads to a Stone Arch Bridge.

DETAILS

Drive: Take Interstate 70 east from St. Louis then go north on Pennsylvania Highway 66 Turnpike (Toll Road). Next, make a right on U.S. Highway 22 and then exit onto Tunnel Hill Street and go south to the Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site

Hours: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., Daily

Admission: Free

Address: 110 Federal Park Rd, Gallitzin, PA 16641

MORE ROAD TRIP FUN

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