HANNASTOWN FORT
By: Anthony Barbato
Questions to think about…
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What is Hannastown Fort?
Why was it built?
What time period was Hannastown Fort in use?
Why is Hannastown Fort still not in use?
What is Hannastwn Fort currently?
Historical Background
The County Seat was in Hannastown.
Dated May 4, 1784. It is a petition to the Westmoreland County Court held at Hannastown.
Jane Miller Crookshanks is asking the court to pay her widows pension owed her after the
death of her husband Captain Samuel Miller while serving in the PA 8th Regiment during the
Revolutionary War.
This document was in particularly fragile condition but still intact enough to read.
Brief History
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IN 1769, Robert Hanna acquired acreage in the heart of
southwestern Pennsylvania. Favorably sited along reliable
water sources and the Forbes Road, a key military route
built during the French and Indian War, the emerging town
was soon to become a gateway to the western frontier.
The town was chosen over Pittsburgh to serve as the county
seat when Westmoreland County was formed on February
26, 1773. A massive county that stretched from the
Allegheny Mountains west beyond Fort Pitt, it encompassed
all of present-day southwestern Pennsylvania.
With it's 30 dwellings, three taverns, jail and fort, Hanna's
Town became the site of the first English Courts west of the
Alleghenies and reflected the unfolding history of the
region, the state, and the nation.
Hannastown Fort Flag
On May 16, 1776, the villages adopted the Hanna’s Town Resolves, a direct challenge
to British authority and a bold precursor to the Declaration of Independence. Vowing to
take up arms to protect their rights, a militia, the 1st Battalion, Westmoreland County,
Pennsylvania was formed under John Proctor. A flag was developed using the
revolutionary symbol of a rattlesnake and the iconic phrase "Don't Tread on Me".
Town Description
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A detailed account of that Inroa furnished in the Greensburg Argus,
of 1836:
" About three miles from Greensburg, on the old road to
Alexandria, there stand two modern-built log tenements, to on which
a sign-post and a sign is appended, giving due notice that At the
Seven Yellow Stars, the wayfarer may partake of the good things of
this world.
Between the tavern and the Indian gallowshill on the west, once
stood Hannastown, the first place west of the Allegheny mountains
where justice was dispensed, according to the legal forms, by the
white man. The county of Westmoreland was established by the
provincial legislature on the 26th of February, 1773, and the courts
directed to be held at Ilannastown. It consisted of about thirty
habitations, some of them cabins, but most of them aspiring to the
name of houses, having two stories, of hewed logs.
Description Continued
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There was a wooden court-house, and a jail of the like construction.
A fort, stockaded with logs, completed the civil and military
arrangements of the town. The first prothonotary and clerk of the
courts was Arthur St Clair, Esq., afterward general in the
revolutionary army. Robert Hanna, Esq., was the first presiding
justice in the courts; and the first Court of Common Pleas was held in
April, 1773. Thomas Smith, Esq., afterward one of the judges on the
supreme bench, brought quarterly, from the east, the most abstruse
learning of the profession, to puzzle the backwoods lawyers; and it
was here that Hugh Henry Breckenridge, afterward also a judge on
the supreme bench, made his debut, in the profession which he
afterward illustrated and adorned by his genius and learning.
Current Maps of Hannastown
Historical Hannastown Map
Hannastown was attacked!
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This settlement of Hannastown was destroyed during
the American Revolutionary War, which during one
of the final acts on July 13, 1782 the British, joined
by the Seneca Indians, set the settlement afire
totally destroying it.
“Hannastown was all reduced to ashes except two
houses exclusive of a small fort, which happily
saved all who were so fortunate as to get to it”,
wrote Huffnagle to General Irvine.
Time Period
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Hannastown an active town during the Revolutionary
War.
This was a time period where the colonists wanted
freedom from Britian.
Click below on the link “The Patriot”. The first 30 seconds
will give you an idea of the feelings of some of the
people as well as the setting of the war.
The Patriot
Crossing the Delaware
The Crossing
Click on the above link to view discussion on crossing the Delaware.
The Revolutionary War is Over
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The British are defeated and the United States of
America is able to obtain freedom. The United
States creates the Declaration of Independence.
The Declaration of Independence
Signed July 4, 1776
(song titled “Free America”)
The Declaration of Independence
Click on the link to read the Declaration of Independence
Declaration of Independence
The History of Yankee Doodle
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Was a song making fun of the Colonials.
In the song: "Doodle" refers to "a sorry trifling
fellow. A fool or simpleton." "Dandy," on the other
hand, refers to "a gentleman of affected manners,
dress and hairstyle." "Macaroni" was not a
reference to the pasta but to "a fancy style of
Italian dress imitated in England at the time."
Check it out!
Click on the
link
“Interactive
Revoltionary
War Map”
This will allow
you to see a
timeline as
well as
locations of
the
Revolutionary
War.
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Interactive Revolutionary War Map
The Revolutionary War was a hard
fought war for our freedoms we
experience today. Hannastown Fort
was just a small part of the
Revolutionary War.
I hope you enjoyed the presentation.
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Current Day Log Cabin
In the summer of 1973 - Hannastown was reconstructed with the Hanna Tavern and
courthouse, three vintage log houses, revolutionary era fort and blockhouse. There
is also a wagon shed that has an authentic 18th century wagon.
You are able to take tours, watch reenactments and look at a small museum of
artifacts.
Come Visit!
Guided Tour Hours:
Wednesday – Saturday: 10-4
Sunday: 1-4
References:
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Slide 1: http://www.everywheremag.com/photos/10681
Slide 3:
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://s4.hubimg.com/u/84451_f520.jpg&imgrefurl=http://hubp
ages.com/hub/HannastownPennsylvania&h=353&w=520&sz=41&tbnid=LZRCBhoIZ4kTEM:&tbnh=91&tbn
w=134&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dphotos%2Bof%2Bhannastown%2Bfort%26tbm%3Disch%26tbo%3Du&zo
om=1&q=photos+of+hannastown+fort&usg=__kBwSUSNxUJ04jt906Dmo4MyWkqE=&sa=X&ei=C5gDTq
y_KdHngQfC_umXDg&ved=0CE0Q9QEwEA
Slide 4: http://miller-malcomfamilytree.net/2009%20New%20Information%20about%20Samuel%20Miller%20et.%20al.htm
Slide 5:
http://www.co.westmoreland.pa.us/hannastown/cwp/view.asp?a=3&q=627490&westmorelandNavDLTEST
=|
Slide 6: http://www.co.westmoreland.pa.us/hannastown/cwp/view.asp?a=3&q=627490&hannastownNav
Slide 8:
http://books.google.com/books?id=wEcVAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA398&lpg=PA398&dq=%22Greensburg+Arg
us%22&source=bl&ots=mZwq7qEr46&sig=2Vkq040G7O5kNT5eXVPbQthigy8&hl=en&ei=3IX_TaHKLKH
d0QG_y9zdAw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CBYQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=%22
Greensburg%20Argus%22&f=false
Slide 9,10: http://miller-malcom-familytree.net/Samuel%20Miller%20and%20Hannastown.htm
Slide 11:
http://books.google.com/books?pg=PA318&lpg=PA318&dq=hannastown%20fort%20archive&sig=X9Q
NYC8_oXeLzhqRNNEx61Uq7UU&ei=xWsCToi6LILcgQevhaHkDQ&ct=result&id=fSEUAAAAYAAJ&ots=e23
LMMyBBn&output=text
References continued:
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Slide 13:
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.metmuseum.org/explore/gw/a
rt_gw/el_tut_img.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.metmuseum.org/explore/gw/el_gw.h
tm&h=231&w=400&sz=25&tbnid=pjhgFPTPJSwWzM:&tbnh=70&tbnw=121&pre
v=/search%3Fq%3Dgeorge%2Bwashington%2Bcrossing%2Bthe%2Bdelaware%26
tbm%3Disch%26tbo%3Du&zoom=1&q=george+washington+crossing+the+delaw
are&hl=en&usg=__A7dF9Ff1F0PgdqosLW2uZqgQjW8=&sa=X&ei=rX4nTuX5MsX
w0gG_qdjvCg&sqi=2&ved=0CCoQ9QEwAQ
Slide 14: http://www.earlyamerica.com/music/revolutionary.htm
Slide 15: http://www.earlyamerica.com/music/revolutionary.htm
http://blog.pactecinc.com/bid/58063/Hotdogs-Don-t-Need-Hazardous-Waste-
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Packaging
Slide 17: http://www.earlyamerica.com/music/revolutionary.htm
Slide 18: http://www.eduplace.com/kids/socsci/books/applications/imaps/maps/g5s_u4/index.html#top
Slide 19:
http://picasaweb.google.com/gkm1919/TheNorthwestCousinsVisitOctober2008#5
263464731555219490
Slide 20: http://picasaweb.google.com/gkm1919/TheNorthwestCousinsVisitOctober2008?authkey=NWksKO2dUCM#
http://www.scottdalefuneralmuseum.com/FuneralMuseum/attractions.htm