Washington County, Pennsylvania (One-Day Tour)
This tour can be combined with Pittsburgh travel packages

Formed in 1781 and named after the first president of the United States George Washington, Washington County residents and businesses have been welcoming students for years to experience one of the most historical areas in the nation.  Washington County is located in southwestern Pennsylvania about 25 miles south of Pittsburgh.  The Monongahela River separates Washington County from both Westmoreland and Fayette counties.  The county is rich in history and has many exciting attractions for students.

BRADFORD HOUSE

David Bradford was a successful lawyer and businessman and was Deputy Attorney General of Washington County.  He gained national attention as his home was the site of a pivotal moment during the Whisky Rebellion.  This insurrection was caused in part by the lack of local federal courts (which necessitated trips to Philadelphia for trials), the large numbers of absentee landlords, lack of protection from the Indians and the high excise tax on Whiskey.  In 1794 President George Washington ordered 13,000 troops to the Washington area.  This was the first test of the power of the new federal government. Bradford, under threat of arrest, headed south to Spanish West Florida, which is present-day Louisiana.  Today, this fine example of gracious frontier living is complemented by a garden of plants, herbs and flowers typical of the 18th century.  Enjoy the craftsmanship and elegance of Colonial architecture in this home on the National Register of Historic Places.

FORT NECESSITY NATIONAL BATTLEFIELD

Fort Necessity National Battlefield commemorates the first military engagement of the French and Indian War (known as the Seven Years' War).  Established by an act of Congress in 1932, the park consists of three separate sections totaling about 900-acres.  Here, George Washington commanded almost 400 troops in a failed attempt to thwart French colonial expansion.  What became known as the Battle of the Great Meadows, which was fought on July 3, 1754, sparked a long struggle between British and French colonial interests in North America.  It is also the location of George Washington's only military surrender.  The staff at Fort Necessity National Battlefield has developed an array of educational programs for teachers.  These include education kits with lesson plans, pre-visit and post-visit materials.  There on-site curriculum-based programs are designed to help students get the most out of visiting this National Park.  These packages were prepared in cooperation with Ohio and Pennsylvania educational professionals and are designed to meet current educational standards.

LEMOYNE HOUSE

The LeMoyne House is Pennsylvania's first National Historic Landmark of the Underground Railroad (only six other such sites exist in the entire United States).  The stately stone house was built in 1812 by John Julius LeMoyne, the father of Francis Julius LeMoyne.  Both father and son were practicing physicians but it was the courageous Francis Julius LeMoyne who, despite the strict Fugitive Slave Law of 1850, risked his personal freedom and fortune to do what he knew was morally right – take a stand against the institution of slavery.  This successful 19th century doctor opened his home and properties as stops along the Underground Railroad with a series of safe hiding places for runaway slaves as they trudged north on their precarious journey to Canada and freedom. Today the LeMoyne House is a museum filled with period artifacts and dedicated to Dr. LeMoyne's memory.

MEADOWCROFT ROCKSHELTER & MUSEUM OF RURAL LIFE

Step into history at Meadowcroft Rockshelter & Museum of Rural Life, home of Pennsylvania's newest National Historic Landmark.  Meadowcroft combines ancient history with 19th century charm by featuring a 16,000 year-old campsite alongside a village recreating rural life from the 1800s.  The Meadowcroft Rockshelter archaeological site has revealed the earliest evidence of people in North America.  The site provides glimpses of how prehistoric hunters and gatherers lived.  Today students can see how these people sustained life inside this massive rock overhang and imagine a world far different from the one we know today.  Students can experience how our ancestors lived at Meadowcroft's carefully recreated 19th century village.  They can try their hand at spinning wool from Merino sheep, dipping candles, celebrating an old-fashioned Independence Day in July or participating in holiday taffy-pulling parties.

PENNSYLVANIA TROLLEY MUSEUM

As buses and automobiles began to replace streetcars more than a half century ago, a small group of people with a dream came together to form an organization dedicated to collecting, preserving, exhibiting and interpreting the historical significance of urban and interurban mass transportation.  The Pennsylvania Trolley Museum has evolved over the past 50 years from a handful of volunteers and a few trolleys to over 600 members and currently 45 trolleys preserved in the facility.  It is unique in that students actually experience the Trolley Era first-hand by riding the Museum's beautifully restored streetcars for a scenic four mile ride into the past.  The Museum’s educational outreach program has grown to serve more than 6,000 students of all ages from western Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Ohio.

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