George Washington Actually Slept Here! - Meadville, PA - Signs of History on Waymarking.com

This sign, titled, "George Washington Actually Slept Here!" is located at Bicentennial Park on the east shore of French Creek, near the Mead Avenue Bridge in Meadville, Pennsylvania. The sign describes the trip Washington made through the area in 1753 prior to the French and Indian War. It also includes images of Washington, Half King, and Christopher Gist. At the bottom of the sign is information about Washington's Trail, a driving route which follows the route Washington took while travelling in what is now western Pennsylvania. The sign was donated by the Crawford County Historical Society.

The text of the sign says:

Major George Washington was 21 years old and a loyal British Subject when he was sent by the governor of Virginia, Robert Dinwiddie, on a dangerous diplomatic mission into western Pennsylvania. Governor Dinwiddie had heard reports that the French were building forts in this area, land claimed by England and the Virginia colony.

England and France were bitter rivals at the time - both wanting to control trade in the Ohio River area. England was not about to tolerate French troops on British land. Young Washington left Williamsburg, Virginia at the end of October 1753 to check out the existence of these French forts and deliver Dinwiddie's letter to the French commander. The letter demanded the French peaceably depart from the Ohio Country because: "The Lands upon the River Ohio in the Western Parts of the Colony of Virginia are so notoriously known to be the property of the Crown of Great Britain."

Washington was also charged with convincing Native Americans in the area that their lives would be better if they traded with England rather than France. At Logstown (on the Ohio River) he met with Shawnee, Delaware, and Iroquois Indians and some joined him in his travels.

Washington was new to the wilderness and didn't make this trip alone. He had an experienced guide, Christopher Gist, and both men kept journals of their travels. It is in this journal that Washington wrote of "several extensive and rich meadows," a description that later attracted David Mead to this area to establish a settlement.

On December 8, 1753 Washington and his party arrived at Cussewago, a Delaware Indian Village located at the mouth of Cussewago Creek where it joins French Creek, just upstream from where you are standing. They camped there for the night. The next day they continued their journey north to Fort LeBoeuf (now Waterford, Pennsylvania) where Washington finally met the French commander and presented Governor Dinwiddie's letter.

Washington and Gist alternately followed French Creek and Indian paths and their return route took them once again through this area. They arrived back in Williamsburg, Virginia on January 16, 1754 and Washington presented Governor Dinwiddie the letter he received from the French at Fort LeBoeuf. It essentially told the British that the French were the rightful owners of the Ohio River Valley and to stay out of New France.

Within seven months Washington would be back in Western Pennsylvania fighting the French and their Indian allies at Fort Necessity. Washington's 1753 mission had led to war - the Seven Years War, also known as the French and Indian War.

Group that erected the marker: Crawford County Historical Society URL of a web site with more information about the history mentioned on the sign: [Web Link] Address of where the marker is located. Approximate if necessary: 42080 N French Street Meadville, PA USA 16335

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