This cache is part of the 25 cache Pennsylvania State Parks America250PA GeoTrail. Have fun exploring and discovering Pennsylvania's history. This cache is ADA accessible via a concrete sidewalk and is within reach of a seated position.
On May 19th, 1754, 18 miles upstream from here at a location known as "The Great Crossing" a 22-year-old Lieutenant Colonel George Washington arrived at the banks of the Youghiogheny River. Washington with his 150 men from the Virginia Regiment had been given a mission from Governor Dinwiddie to reach the Forks of the Ohio (present day Pittsburgh) quickly and secure it for Virginia before the French could strengthen their hold. But the path forward through the thick forest proved to be slow and tedious. Standing on the banks of the Youghiogheny George considered the possibility of using the river as a natural highway through this formidable wilderness. However, to this point the Youghiogheny had proven too wild and shallow, but at the Great Crossings, the river looked broader, calmer, and more promising for navigation. The Youghiogheny flowed in the general direction of the forks of the Ohio and using it could spare his men the backbreaking labor of cutting a new road through the dense forest. Washington decided that it would be worth the risk.
On May 20th Washington and a small scouting party comprised of Lieutenant John West Jr., three militiamen, and an American Indian guide loaded their supplies into a canoe. Washington’s party set off downstream and for several miles encountered few difficulties. Washington noted in his journal that, they found the waters to be at times deep enough for a canoe to pass easily and at other times much too shallow. In the shallow sections Washington’s men waded alongside the canoe helping to navigate it to deeper water. This method of travel proved to be very slow going.
Washington concluded that if they were to continue by water, they would need to construct a second boat. Lacking the time and resources to construct a second canoe, they instead built a raft, which could be assembled quickly and was capable of carrying both men and gear.
Using axes, Washington ordered his men to gather logs from nearby standing dead trees. With the logs collected and carried to the water’s edge, the men began to lash the raft together. They used hemp rope, vines, and improvised lashings, working methodically, binding the logs side by side to form a raft broad and stable enough to float their supplies downstream.
The crudely made raft proved difficult to steer. It lacked the agility of a canoe and was slow to respond in the narrow, twisting channels. Although crude, it could carry what the canoe could not. With the raft, they no longer had to consider leaving behind baggage or splitting up the party. They could travel as one, pushing forward with all their gear intact.
After a challenging day on the river, Washington arrived at a point where two streams—the Casselman River and Laurel Hill Creek—converge with the Youghiogheny. This spot, located in present day Confluence, Pennsylvania, struck Washington for its unique geography. He noted that the three waterways coming together resembled a bird’s foot. This landmark became known as the “Turkey Foot.” Washington’s party made camp here and scouted the area, remarking that the confluence could prove to be a good location for a future fort.
On May 21st, Washington and his men departed their camp at the turkey foot. As Washington’s party drifted farther down the Youghiogheny, the river narrowed and the current quickened. The smooth surface of the river gave way to turbulence. Their crude raft was no match against the force of the current. The water pulled faster now, dragging the raft toward sharp rocks and swirling eddies. Washington later recalled that the raft became jammed between rocks, and he lost his footing as the force of the water threatened to drag him under. With great effort and determination, he clung to the raft and managed to pull himself and his musket to safety.
After narrowly escaping disaster on the unforgiving Youghiogheny River, George Washington faced a crossroads at the very spot that you are currently standing. Looking at Ohiopyle Falls, Washington notes that the falls before them appear to be “near forty feet perpendicular”, and that “this river can never be made navigable”. Leaving the river, Washington chose to carry their supplies overland, bypassing this dangerous and unpassable stretch to follow rugged Indian trails.
On May 28, 1754, just days after leaving Ohiopyle, Washington’s party, guided by Native allies, located a French scouting force camped in a wooded ravine known today as Jumonville Glen. At dawn, Washington ordered an attack. The skirmish was brief but deadly. Several French soldiers were killed, and their commander, Ensign Joseph Coulon de Jumonville, was mortally wounded. This encounter would carry massive consequences. Though Washington believed he was engaging a hostile force, the French would later claim it was a diplomatic mission. The clash at Jumonville Glen ignited open warfare between Britain and France in North America, and launched the French and Indian War. After 7 years of fighting, Britain emerged victorious. This victory left Britain with a vast empire, but also crushing debt. To pay for the war, Parliament imposed new taxes on the American colonies, ending decades of relative independence. Colonists, who had fought alongside British troops, now faced restrictions on westward expansion and rising economic burdens. Tensions grew, and protests turned to resistance. The same war that had united Britain and its colonies against France now drove them apart, setting the stage for rebellion and, ultimately, the American Revolution.
The following photo is a map of Washington's journey from the Great Crossing to Jumonville Glen.
The following photo is from a reenactment of Washington on his raft with the canoe alongside.
For more information about this state park and its amenities please visit the website: Ohiopyle State Park | Department of Conservation and Natural Resources| Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
