Bicentennial Happenings

Written by in the Bicentennial News category and the December 1974 issue Topics in this article: United States Bicentennial
Bicentennial News features reports about the American Revolution Bicentennial in Pennsylvania, including programs, events and publications of PHMC, as well as projects and activities of the Bicentennial Commission of Pennsylvania, county historical societies and other institutions.

Adams County

Gettys Crossroads and Tavern was a gathering point for troops for Continental Army, 1775.

Allegheny County

Pittsburgh Resolves, May 16, 1775. (Note: Pittsburgh was then under Virginia control, and so these Resolves went to the Virginia legislature.)

Pittsburgh was a military base for holding the western country and for dealing with Indians.

Indian Council at Pittsburgh, Oct. 15-Nov. 6, 1776, succeeded in keeping Indians temporarily neutral.

Armstrong County

Fort Appleby, 1776, at Kittanning for frontier defense.

Fort Armstrong, 1779, at Kittanning, on route of Brodhead’s expedition of 1779.

In August, 1779, Captain Samuel Brady attacked and routed sixty Indians at the mouth of Sugar Creek.

Beaver County

Beyond the frontier of settlement. Settled after the Revolution.

Fort McIntosh was built at Beaver in 1778, as a base of operations for projected operations against the British. The first American fort north of the Ohio, it was of importance for the remainder of the Revolution as an outpost against Indian incursions.

Bedford County

July 8, 1776. Election of Provincial Convention.

A frontier county exposed to raids: Massacre of Capt. William Phillips’ Rangers, July 16, 1780.

Berks County

Reading Resolves, July 2, 1774.

July 8, 1776. Election of Provincial Convention. Publishing of Declaration of Independence.

Supplied troops and supplies for Continental Army.

Blair County

A frontier county exposed to raids. Massacre of Dean family, Oct. 1780.

Fort Roberdeau built in 1778 to protect lead mine in Sinking Valley.

Bradford County

Beyond the frontier of settlement. Settled after the Revolution.

Col. Hartley’s expedition burned Queen Esther’s Town, Sept. 27, 1778, and fought battle at Indian Hill with the Indians, Sept. 29. Hartley’s expedition came from Fort Muncy, in present Lycoming County.

Fort Sullivan built in 1779 at Athens as base for the Sullivan expedition against the Six Nations.

Battle of Lime Hill, April 14, 1782. Sgt. Thos. Baldwin and his men tried to rescue a woman and her children from the Indians.

Bucks County

July 8, 1776. Election of Provincial Convention. Declaration of Independence published at New Town.

Washington’s crossing of the Delaware, Dec. 25, 1776.

Durham Furnace made cannon and shot for the Continental Army.

Rochambeau’s Route from Rhode Island to Yorktown, 1781.

Butler County

Beyond the frontier of settlement.

Part of the later Donation Lands in this county.

Cambria County

Frontier settlements exposed to raids.

Cameron County

Beyond the frontier of settlement. Settled after the Revolution.

Carbon County

Frontier area exposed to raids.

 

(To be continued next issue.)