Fort Pitt, Pennsylvania — History & Visitor Guide

Fort Pitt (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)

Pittsburgh · Pennsylvania · French and Indian War

Quick BriefFort Pitt was built by British forces between 1759 and 1761 during the French and Indian War at the confluence of the Monongahela and Allegheny rivers in western Pennsylvania. It was near the site of Fort Duquesne, a French colonial fort built in 1754 that the French destroyed in 1758 when they retreated under British attack. The fort was a classic star-shaped structure with 5 bastions projecting at the corners.

Open to visitors

History & Significance

Fort Pitt was constructed by British forces between 1759 and 1761 during the French and Indian War at the confluence of the Monongahela and Allegheny rivers. It was built in the popular pentagram shape with bastions at the star points by Captain Harry Gordon, a British Engineer in the 60th Royal American Regiment.

Named after William Pitt the Elder, the fort served as one of the largest and most elaborate fortifications in North America. The American Indians' siege of Fort Pitt began on June 22, 1763, during Pontiac's War, but the defenders held firm.

During the American Revolutionary War, Fort Pitt served as the American headquarters for the western theater of the war. After Virginians took control of Fort Pitt, they called it Fort Dunmore, in honour of Virginia's Governor Lord Dunmore.

In 1797 the U.S. Army decommissioned the site and auctioned off salvageable remains. Built in 1764, the Fort Pitt Block House is all that remains of Fort Pitt and is the oldest structure surviving from the fort. The museum first opened in 1969 in the reconstructed Monongahela Bastion.

Key Facts

StatePennsylvania

LocationPittsburgh

Established1759

War / eraFrench and Indian War

Current statusMuseum / Historic Site

Coordinates40.4411, -80.009

Map

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🧳 Visiting

What you’ll see when you visit:

Reconstructed pentagram-shaped fort at riverside confluence
Fort Pitt Museum exhibits French and Indian War artifacts and military history
Original 1764 blockhouse, Pittsburgh's oldest standing structure
Point State Park setting with views of three rivers
Historic bastion artillery and fortification design

Best time to visitSpring (April-May) and fall (September-October) offer mild weather; summers can be humid and winters cold in western Pennsylvania.

Getting thereFly into Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) or Allegheny County Airport (AGC), both serving the Pittsburgh area; the fort is located at Point State Park downtown.

From the nearest major airportPittsburgh International Airport (PIT)🚗 17 mi by road⏱️ ≈ 27 min drive

Fort Pitt (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)

History & Significance

Key Facts

Map

🧳 Visiting

Sources

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