Pleasant little trip into 1830's roadside tavern history (and more history of the National Road,…read morecomplimenting some of the history at next door's Fort Necessity visitors' center), such as what sort of people traveled, how they traveled, what they could afford to eat, and how they slept (uncomfortably and sharing space with strangers).

The previous two Yelpers certainly explained the tavern well enough but I'm going to throw in a few…read moredetails that they overlooked. First and foremost is that it's an oddity of history that George Washington came to own the land on which he fought his first battle. He fought his first battle at Fort Necessity right down the hill from where the tavern stands in 1754. As history will tell you, things didn't turn out so well for young Colonel Washington. But the area stuck with Washington and fifteen years after his defeat at Fort Necessity he came back to buy the land consisting of 234 1/2 acres in southwestern Pennsylvania. The tract of land was called "Mount Washington" and embraced the Great Meadows. However, little did he know then that this tract would later boast a tavern whose story would live for generations. Although Washington never lived to see his land flourish, he knew it would be an excellent site for an inn. Soon after his death the first federally funded road was laid down through this country, crossing the Mount Washington tract, thus proving his speculations correct. Travelers stopping at the Mt. Washington Tavern were pleased to find a commodious brick and stone tavern of eleven rooms in two stories, with an attic and basement. Built around 1827 by Judge Nathaniel Ewing of Uniontown, the Tavern was operated by James and Rebecca Sampey and did a lively business from the time it opened. Four conditions were prevalent at this inn: the place was clean, the food was good, the landlady was civil and her husband was sober. The building was an inn for only a short period of time from its construction in 1827-8 to 1855 when the importance of The National Road declined due to railroad construction. It was then used as a private home until 1932 when the Commonwealth of PA purchased it and eventually the NPS acquired it in 1961 while making the building part of Fort Necessity National Battlefield. Today the tavern serves as sort of a museum of what life would have been like traveling the National Road in the mid-19th century. The tavern is open seasonally from April-November normally the same hours as the visitors' center but in particular thanks to the lingering effects of the Sequester, that is subject to change and you should call before coming as the hours are not updated on the nps.gov site.

I visited Fort Necessity alone in mid-June 2025 as a pit stop on a drive from Columbus, OH to…read morenorthern Virginia. Lot of pluses in visiting this federal park (the visitor center is open from 9am-5pm). First, it has a clean restroom on this stretch of U.S. 40. If you're in dire need of a restroom break, visitors will have a new appreciation for the meaning of "Fort Necessity". Second, the 15+ minute video is useful in providing historic context to the battle and role of the National Road which facilitated westward expansion and trade in the 1800s. Third, the museum displays were upgraded since my last visit in 2013. Overall, it provides in-depth context for the Battle and the National Road (US-40 today). The early mistakes of George Washington and that of General Braddock provided valuable lessons that helped Washington in the American Revolution. Something that I did not know was the 1930's Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) built the state park and illustrated how President Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR) saved many young American men from despair during Great Depression. Perhaps the US needs a similar initiative today to help young men looking for meaningful work.

It's very quiet here. Great place to see and learn the history. The fort itself isn't original…read more It's a recreation. Friendly ranger.

I've been wanting to visit this place since I was a kid. I finally got there. They are doing a lot…read moreof work on the building so unfortunately, a lot of the building was covered with scaffolding which was unfortunate and they were offering refunds, but this was only time to get there so I went. I did the guided house tour which was great. The lady who did the tour was very knowledgeable. I appreciate that they give you ear pieces so you can hear and don't need to feel like you need to be so close to the guide to hear. Unfortunately, there was a medical emergency (ambulances and all) so we could not get to the 3rd floor, but they did let us see the staff quarters instead which I do not believe was part of our tour initially. They had a really nice gift shop as well. They also had a café but I did not look into there so I do not know exactly what was being offered. I would love to visit again once the scaffolding and tarps are gone. Regardless, this place is very peaceful and just beautiful inside and out.

It's hard for me to convey why visiting this landmark was so significant for me. I was a lad of 12…read morewhen I saw pictures of this house in a coffee table book about Frank Lloyd Wright in a mall bookstore. I remember because I was so drawn to the aesthetic of the building. It initiated my attraction to open living spaces, mid-century modern design, and organic architecture. All these decades later, I made it, and the sight of the house actually made me tingle. I said tingle, not tinkle. That happened in the surprisingly spacious restroom at the visitor center before the tour. Built in 1935 for Pittsburgh department store magnate Edgar J. Kaufmann and his family as a vacation home, the unprecedented cantilevered construction is a 4 bed / 4 bath that would've been pooh-poohed by the more obnoxious wannabe buyers on "House Hunters". The main house is 9,200 square feet of which 4,400 are outdoor terraces. Outdoors is where Edgar's worldly wife Liliane threw parties for their friends. However, the key draw of the multilevel terraces was the sound and sights of the Bear Run stream underneath. Except for the Kaufmann's impressive art collection, there is nothing ornate about the two-tone house of light ochre and Cherokee red. The innovative design elements speak for themselves like the glass-enclosed staircase down to the stream. Given my longstanding desire to come here, I went for the $89 In-Depth Guided Tour which ran well over ninety minutes and gave us full access to the house interior and the surrounding grounds including the guesthouse and the gardener's cottage (now used as staff offices). Our guide Larry did a fine job sharing the history behind all the architectural details of Wright's idiosyncratic design and uncompromising commitment to organic compatibility. Be aware that the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy started a major $7 million preservation project in 2023 and it's not due to be complete until next year (fingers crossed). The advanced age of the structure had caused leaks, cracks, and corrosion, so repairs are still underway. However, some of the house was still covered with scaffolding with terrace access a bit limited. It didn't bug me though because we're talking about checking off a major bucket list item for me. RELATED - Exploring Pittsburgh? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://yelp.to/qN_tq21lnL

This place has been here since the whiskey rebellion. It has a deep historic roots involved with…read morethis place. In the 1770s, tracing ownership through the Swart and McDonald families. An ancestor named John Henry built the stone house between 1817 and 1823 on what was then called a plantation. An old will also refers to the dwelling as "the mansion house." They've since put a deck on the back of the place and redid the inside of the house. It's incredible and nicely snuggled inside of Mingo Creek Park and worth a visit.

This is the quintessential Brownsville historical attraction. If you are looking for a prize of…read morelocal history you cannot find anywhere else then look no further

I have heard of Nemacolin Castle, but had thought it was near the resort by the same name. It…read morewasn't until I entered the address into the GPS that I learned it is located in Brownsville. Husband and I decided to visit when the Christmas tour was offered. We got a history lesson on the man who founded a trading post and built the castle. The Bowman family was quite influential in the area. It is impressive to be made aware of the history behind the family and the home. The home is managed by the historical society and volunteers. It would be great if they would get some additional funding for restoring the home. Right now, they rely on donations and admission fees to maintain the upkeep. There are areas of sagging floors and peeling wallpaper. It is fortunate that most of the furniture items were actually owned and used by the family. The piano is beautiful and one of the first to come to the area. The home was decorated for the Christmas holiday. Admission is $15 for adults and tickets may be purchased online or at the door. On busy times, I would recommend reservations. Our guide was knowledgeable and friendly. We were in a tour of about 18-24 people which was too large of a group. The some of the rooms were small and we were crammed in to hear the guide. Still, it was a nice way to spend a rainy Saturday before Christmas. I want to return when they have a haunted tour next fall.

I recently photographed a wedding at the Scenic View. The grounds are really beautiful and the…read morelookout trumps all. There's a tower up a long, winding road, but you don't even need to go up into the tower to see the gorgeous mountain view. The landscape is breathtaking, I'm sure, during any time of the day. But we went up at sunset after a storm and it was nothing short of spectacular. I cannot wait to get back to Penn's Scenic View for the view alone!

Penn's Scenic View is such a beautiful place. My large family would go up every year and rent out…read morethe Stable Lodge there. Of course, I loved being with my family. However, I loved going for walks in the area. It's such an amazing experience. Peace, quiet, utter bliss... what more could you ask for? If you walk up this dirt road, you'll encounter a wooden tower on a hill. If you walk up the tower, you can take in the breathtaking view. A full 360° of trees. It's all picture-worthy. You truly won't be disappointed. You can continue to walk around to discover new things. There's a lake next to the Lakeside Lodge. I would always see weddings take place at the lake from the Stable Lodge. It was really nice to see something like that. Unfortunately, this place is private property. You can't just walk in willy-nilly. We rented out a cabin, that's the only reason we were granted access. The place is being sold. It's up for around $1.3 million dollars. Therefore, we can't rent out the Stable Lodge anymore. The whole place is gated off. I wish I could go back up there, just one last time. It's truly amazing. That place means a lot to me. My family has been going up there since I was a baby, and I'm 17. A lot of memories are kept there. It's also the place where I found myself. I would do whatever I could to go up there just one last time. I want to share the experience with my girlfriend. I would pay that $1.3 million to go back up there. If you're lucky enough to visit the 18 acres of pure scenery, you won't be disappointed for even a second.

History is worth looking at. This is an interesting spot if you're a Washington fan. Get to know…read morehis early days.

Borrowed from the below site:…read more www.mdmountainside.com/listing/george-washingtons-headquarters/2042/#:~:text=The%20Headquarters%20of%20George%20Washington,the%20United%20States%20of%20America. "The Headquarters of George Washington is a historic site, located at 38 Greene Street, in the historic downtown district of Cumberland, Maryland. The centerpiece and primary attraction at the site is a historic log cabin twice occupied by George Washington, the first President of the United States of America. The cabin resides in an area known today as Riverside Park but was originally built about 2 blocks away. The original site is located nearby at 16 Washington Street. The cabin was originally built by General Edward Braddock's men, between 1755 and 1758, for then Colonel George Washington's use during his service in the French and Indian War. He later returned and used it briefly during 1794, then as the Commander in Chief, in order to review the troops gathered to put down the Whiskey Rebellion. This site is notable, as it signifies Washington's first military command. The original site lies on a hill that overlooks Wills Creek and the Potomac River. It was once the location of Fort Cumberland (Maryland) and today, The Emmanuel Episcopal Church (Cumberland, Maryland). The headquarters was part of Fort Cumberland during the French and Indian War, and it is the only building to survive from the original Fort. Though closed to the public, the cabin has windows visitors can peer into and see historical displays and artifacts of what the cabin may have looked like including a bed, desk, and fireplace as well as a life-size wax replica of Washington." If you come here, parking in the area is somewhat tight. During our visit, Greene and Baltimore Streets were under a lot of construction so we parked two blocks away for a buck in a pay lot near Basecamp Coffee. If you're so inclined, you could also park on the other side of the creek at the visitor center and walk over the bridge to get here. We came, read the placards, took a few pictures, walked a short distance to read a few more of the placards that go under 68 but then saw a few loud locals (i.e. homeless-hobo-vagrant) and thought better of going any further. With that said, this is by no means a stop that you're going out of your way for. At best, this is a few minutes passing curiosity just to say that you saw it. If you want something more substantive about Washington's time in the general area as a British officer, the NPS site Fort Necessity is the place. Tons of stuff there that George did including surrendering to the French. www.nps.gov/fone/index.htm

This place is epic! EPIC!! you could literally spend an entire weekend here exploring and you still…read moreprobably wouldn't get to see everything! It's truly a colossal piece of history. We went on a Saturday..got there around 3pm and left at 5pm. We barely ran into anyone while exploring..which was great. 2hrs was obviously not enough time. When we got there we checked in at the table..you get a wristband while on the property. Purchasing your tickets ahead of time..it makes life for the employees a lot easier. It's dark and there isn't power..so using the iPad to check out is a pain for them. They give you the rules and what not to do..where to stay out of..and they let you explore all on your own. We literally had so much fun. Make sure to bring plenty of flashlights and warm clothes if you're going during that winter season like we did. There are tunles that run from building to building..awesome! The chapel is incredible, the cell housing areas are just as cool..just so many things..the prison barber school..the cobbler shop. So many nooks and crannies. We learned theyll have overnight explorations in the spring/summer/fall in 2023. There will be a hydroponics building as well. The place is just spectacular, and the drive to keep this place open for people to come see history and not let it wither away is amazing. Thank you! Truly appreciate places like this. Please don't leave trash and break things here and ruin it for people who have an appreciation for places like this.

Very informative Park Ranger. Grounds and outside of home was great. I felt the inside was sparsely…read morefurnished and most of it was closed off. Albert Gallatin is not as well remembered as Thomas Jefferson or James Madison but did serve for 13 years as our Secretary of the Treasury. He did feel his main goal was to work on the National Debt. We could use some of his foresight today!

This is a quiet and relaxing National Parks Service property. We only saw a few other people the…read moreentire time we were there, and one was the ranger. There is a really nice picnic area available near the parking lot. It has a number of picnic tables, a shelterhouse, and a clean restroom. This is a take your trash out with you park, but they do offer bags for you to put them in. From the picnic area, you can head up the hill to see the house, which can be toured, and you can also walk around the grounds, which also contains 10 miles of trails. So why is this a historic site? It was the wilderness home of Albert Gallatin, a lesser known figure from the US government in the late 1700s. The location is beautiful - there's a nice overlook behind the house that has a historic gazebo and looks out over the river. The section of trail that starts behind the house lets you get a glimpse at a number of interesting historical and natural sights: an old growth forest full of towering trees, the grave site of Gallatin's first wife, Sophia, a pond which had a number of turtles, a meadow area that was full of beautiful butterflies, and more.