Pittsburgh: At The Point

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The confluence of the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers to form the Ohio River is known as The Point. The Point also known as the Golden Triangle, is the center and origin of Pittsburgh. In the Colonial era, the confluence in the western frontier was known as the Forks of the Ohio. It was a highly contested area during the Colonial era. The British and French vied for control of the Ohio River basin and its connection to the Mississippi, culminating in the French and Indian War (1754-1763). Replacing a frontier trading post, first the French Fort Duquesne (1754) and then the British Fort Pitt (1758) rose at the Forks of the Ohio. Pittsburgh takes its name from fort Pitt, which had been named for William Pitt. The area was heavily industrialized during the 19th century as the city of Pittsburgh grew. Today, the site has been beautifully landscaped as Point State Park. We were here on a spectacular summer evening to take in the history and riverside promenades.

The preserved Fort Pitt Block House was built in 1764 as a small defensive redoubt and is the only surviving structure of Fort Pitt. After 1772, the structure became a trading post and then a residence during the 19th century. The Monongahela Bastion of the fort has be reconstructed and houses the Fort Pitt Museum.

The centerpiece of the park is the Point Park Fountain located right at the confluence. The open space of the park is the Great Lawn. The location of Fort Duquesne is marked in outline by a granite tracery within the Great Lawn.

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Photos

Point Park Fountain
Point State Park. IMG_1683

Fort Pitt Bridge
The Fort Pitt Bridge carries I-279 over the Monongahela River. IMG_1671

The Great Lawn
Point State Park. IMG_1679

Forbes Road Historical Marker
Forbes Road historical marker. "Forbes Road was constructed by General John Forbes' military expedition in 1758 from Carlisle, Pennsylvania toward the French Fort Duquesne at the Forks of the Ohio. Forbes' forces captured Fort Duquesne on November 25, 1758". The present Forbes Avenue in Pittsburgh is named for him.
IMG_1669

Fort Pitt Block House (1764)
Forks of the Ohio. National Historic Landmark. National Register of Historic Places 66000643. IMG_1666

Monongahela Bastion Interpretive Marker
Fort Pitt Monongahela Bastion Interpretive Marker. IMG_1693

Monongahela Bastion and Fort Pitt Museum
Reconstructed Monongahela Bastion of Fort Pitt. IMG_1694

Fort Duquesne Bridge
The Fort Duquesne Bridge carries I-29 over the Allegheny River. IMG_1687p1

Golden Triangle
IMG_1696