Col Crawford Statue at The Carnagie Free Library in Connellsville.
the Plaque States: IN MEMORY OF COLONEL WILLIAM CRAWFORD BORN IN BERKELEY COUNTY, VIRGINIA, IN 1732
FRIEND OF WASHINGTON-PIONEER-PATRIOT. THIS MONUMENT IS SITUATED 1260 YARDS S. 69° E. 16' OF THE SPOT WHERE HE BUILT HIS LOG CABIN IN 1765 ON THE WEST BANK OF THE YOUGHIOGHENY RIVER, AT THE HISTORIC STEWART'S CROSSINGS.
HE FIRST VISITED THE REGION WEST OF THE MOUNTAINS IN 1758, AS AN OFFICER IN THE EXPEDITION OF GENERAL FORBES AGAINST FORT DUQUESNE. AS COLONEL OF THE SEVENTH VIRGINIA REGIMENT, HE CROSSED THE DELAWARE WITH WASHINGTON IN 1777, AND SHARED IN THE VICTORY AT TRENTON. FIGHTING IN DEFENSE OF THE FRONTIER, AS COMMANDER OF THE SANDUSKY EXPEDITION, HE WAS CAPTURED BY THE INDIANS AND BURNED AT THE STAKE NEAR CRAWFORDSVILLE, OHIO, JUNE, 11,1782,
ERECTED BY THE PENNSYLVANIA HISTORICAL COMMISSION THE CITY OF CONNELLSVILLE, AND GRATEFUL CITIZENS 1917.
BRADDOCK'S CROSSING
THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR
The War for Empire
France and Great Britain were the two European super powers of the mid 1700s. Both countries wanted to control as much land in the world as possible. In North America, the French controlled Canada, and the British were located in the 13 Colonies along the Atlantic coast.
In 1753, this area along the Youghiogheny River was inhabited by native Americans of the Iroquois, Delaware, and Kanhawhas tribes. The river made the area particularly attractive to French trappers trading for furs with the Indians. The English, who had been content to stay east of the Appalachians prior to the 1750s, were now looking for fresh, cheaper land and fur trade also.
The French attempted to control the rivers and lakes of the interior of North America because they served as natural highways for their fur trade with the natives.
Our area, here in the Ohio Valley, was claimed by several colonies, Virginia being the most dominant. In an attempt to determine French involvement in the Ohio Valley, Governor Dinwiddie of Virginia sent Major George Washington to find the French and deliver a message for them to leave this British land. Along with local pioneer, Christopher Gist, Washington traveled through our area in 1753 - 1754. Washington returned to the area in the spring and summer of 1754, where the incident at Jumonville precipitated the French and Indian War.
To drive the French out of the Ohio Valley, a British army under the command of Major General Edward Braddock achieved "mission Impossible" and brought a large force of British and colonial troops along with artillery and wagons through the wilderness.
On the way to Fort Duquesne at the forks of the Ohio, Braddock's army crossed the Youghiogheny River at Stewart's Crossings (Connellsville) on June 29-30, 1755. The army spent two days here in Connellsville, and on the second day, they baked bread for the last time before the attack on the French. The attack resulted in a major defeat for the British army.
This historic year of 2024 will be the Connellsville Historical Society's 21st Annual Braddock's Crossing of the Yough Event.
This year's celebration to be held on Saturday, June 28th , at the Crawford Cabin site. The event will begin at 11:00 am with an Opening Ceremony. There will be re-enactors available to interact with and gain knowledge of life here when this was the frontier region of our country. We will also celebrate 54 years of preserving Connellsville history. Volunteers are always welcome.
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The Connellsville Area Historical Society has added, in recent years, a Dinner-Lecture event as part of our Annual Braddock’s Crossing of the Yough event. This year due to being unable to schedule the dinner-lecture during the same week-end as the Crossing, the lecture will be held on Friday, August 15, 2025 at the Somerset Trust Railroad Station. The event will begin at 6:00 pm.
This year the lecture will be Brady J. Crytzer, History Professor at Robert Morris University. Mr. Crytzer is a Specialist in Frontier History of North America. He also is an Associate Editor of the Journal of the American Revolution. At the August event, the title of his lecture is; THE WHISKEY REBELLION – A DISTILLED HISTORY OF AN AMERICAN CRISIS ,based upon his volume of the same name. This rebellion had a definite impact on Connellsville.
The menu for the evening is a plated Roast Beef Dinner with salad and dessert. The cost for the dinner and lecture will be $30.00 per person. You may order tickets by sending a check to the Connellsville Area Historical Society at 1103 Isabella Road, Connellsville, PA 15425. The seating is limited, so send your check soon. Your tickets will be sent to you upon receiving payment for the event.
We would appreciate your support in bringing gifted speakers to our community to discuss local history, and show your support for the efforts of the Connellsville Area Historical Society to preserve, protect, and share Connellsville Area History.
Karen Hechler, President
Connellsville Area Historical Society
Crawford'sCraftAndVendorShow2025
Saturday, August 30th:* 9:00 AM – 8:00 PM
Sunday, August 31st:* 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Monday, September 1st:* 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Coloniel Crawford's Cabin Site.148 Torrance Avenue, Connellsville PA 15425
Free Admission for the Public
-This event is outdoors
#Booth Options & Pricing
# Monday Only (if available)
- Small Vendor Booth (10×10): $15
- Large Vendor Booth (10×20): $25
(Can also apply to other days if we have schedule deviations)
#Two-Day Option (Saturday & Sunday)
Or Saturday/Monday
- *Small Vendor Booth: $30.00
- *Large Vendor Booth: $60.00
- *Electricity Use (Limited Areas):$5.00 additional
# All 3 Days
- *Small Vendor Booth (10×10): $50.00
- *Large Vendor Booth (10×20): $75.00
- *Electricity Use (Limited Areas): $5.00 additional
Name: lmcswain@btes.tv
Date: 10/17/2008 Message: I am a descendant of swain family. old cyrus swain farm, etc. will share info with anyone searching that name there or Mt. Pleasant
Name: Nancy Soisson-Glista
Date: 10/07/2008 Message: Looking for any history of the Wm. R. Soisson family line. I'd love to hear from lost cousins that knew my grandfather. He died in 1974 and I only remember meeting him one time.
Name: Janet L. Mancini
Date: 10/01/2008 Message: I am doing research on The Children's Home my twin brother John and I were placed in 1957. My birth mother placed us there and died within a few days. We were 4 years old. 11 months later we were adopted into a good home. I have many photos and archives from the home on 141 Oakland Avenue, Uniontown, PA. The first home opened on Highland Ave in 1916. The second in 1917.
The 141 Oakland Ave Home closed in July 1958. Anyone interested please contact the Connellsville Historical society.
Name: jean custer
Date: 09/16/2008 Message: looking for cross's who lived in your town
Name: Brian L. Cypher
Date: 06/21/2008 Message: A first class endeavor, keep up the good work.
Name: JERRY ASSAD
Date: 06/19/2008 Message: I SENT A MESSAGE ON THE SITE. SORRY
Name: Jim Robbins
Date: 06/05/2008 Message: I am researching the Robbins family that lived in Fayette county in the 19th/20th centuries. Visited Uniontown last year and plan to visit Connellsville in 2008
Name: joel abramson
Date: 05/06/2008 Message: Thank you for sharing Connelsville history. My Grandmother lived at 604- 8th Street. Many of the postcards she was sent were simply mailed to Sara Rubin, Connelsville with no address and naturally no zip card. I even did an oil painting of a scene that looked like Pittsburgh Street, that was given to the Cadison's of Punxatawny. 55joelsart@comcast.net
Name: Donna (McClain) Colucci
Date: 03/26/2008 Message: Hi, I was born in Connellsville in 1946. My grandmother owned and operated a general store on So. Pittsburgh St. in So. Connellsville for many years. Her name was Olive Lee, she was known to all the children in the neighborhood as Mrs. Lee. They came daily with their 5 or 10 cents to pick out penny candy from her window display case.
