Historical Sites
Monuments, plaques, and markers throughout the park commemorate events and people of historic importance at the Forks of the Ohio. The traceries of both Fort Duquesne and Fort Pitt are lit by LED lights for a spectacular view from above at night. The original location of the river’s edge during the mid-1700s is depicted by a granite tracery within the Great Lawn.
Fort Dusquene
The location of Fort Duquesne is marked by a granite tracery (outline) within the Great Lawn. The center of the tracery contains a bronze medallion depicting the fort.
Fort Pitt
The locations of four of the five bastions, projecting parts of the fortification, of Fort Pitt have been delineated.
Bastions
- The Flag Bastion and the Monongahela Bastion have been reconstructed of brick.
- The Flag Bastion overlooks the Monongahela River and the parking lot. The Fort Pitt Museum is housed in the Monongahela Bastion.
- Both the Music Bastion, located in the city-side lawn area, and the Ohio Bastion, located in the plaza across from the museum and block house, are marked by granite traceries.
Fort Pitt Museum
The Fort Pitt Museum is a two-floor, 12,000-square-foot museum that tells the story of western Pennsylvania’s pivotal role during the:
- French and Indian War
- American Revolution
- Birth of Pittsburgh
Built on the footprint of the original Fort Pitt’s Monongahela Bastion, the museum’s façade allows visitors to sense the enormous size of what was, at that time, the second largest fort in North America.
Through interactive exhibitions, life-like historical figures, and numerous artifacts, visitors can learn about the important role the region played in shaping the United States.
Operated by the Senator John Heinz History Center, the museum is open to the public daily from 10:00 A.M. until 5:00 P.M.
Special programs and group tours are available throughout the year. Please contact the museum to inquire about programs or tours at 412-281-9284.
GPS Decimal Degrees: Lat. 40.44097 Long. -80.0094
Fort Pitt Blockhouse
The Fort Pitt Block House was built in 1764 as a small defensive redoubt and is the only surviving structure of Fort Pitt -- a key British fortification during the French and Indian War, which also served as the western headquarters of the Continental Army during the American Revolution.
The Block House was originally constructed to help defend Fort Pitt from American Indian attacks during the mid-18th century.
After the British abandoned the fort in 1772, the Block House turned into a trading post for a number of years.
By 1785, the building was converted into a single-family dwelling. During the 19th century, it became a multi-family tenement with a family living on the second floor.
In 1894, the Block House was gifted to the Pittsburgh Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution by the structure’s owner, Mary Croghan Schenley.
The chapter embarked upon a 16-month restoration, which primarily involved the in-filling of window and door openings cut into the Block House during its century-long use as a residence.
The Block House is still owned and operated by the Fort Pitt Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.
It has remained free and open to the public since 1895.
The structure is the oldest architectural landmark in Pittsburgh, and it is also the nation’s only authenticated pre-Revolutionary War structure west of the Allegheny Mountains.
Much of its architectural fabric is intact, including the stone foundation, bricks, and timber elements that are largely original to its 1764 construction.
For hours of operation, call 412-471-1764.
GPS Decimal Degrees: Lat. 40.44115 Long. -80.0097