Complete Guide to Fort Necessity National Battlefield in western Pennsylvania including things to do, history, nearby lodging and camping, and so much more.
Fort Necessity National Battlefield
Fort Necessity National Battlefield protects the site where the French and Indian War began in 1754. The war that started at what is now Fort Necessity National Battlefield, turned into an international conflict that spread across the world and is known as the Seven Years' War.
Is Fort Necessity National Battlefield worth visiting?
Yes, The park has an absolutely amazing visitor center, a reconstructed fort, and even a playground for kids.
We were incredibly impressed with the park film and the visitor center. You could spend an hour or more just in the visitor center.
History of Fort Necessity National Battlefield
The Battle of Fort Necessity, also known as the Battle of the Great Meadows, was fought on July 3rd, 1754. The battle was the first major engagement of George Washington’s military career.
The Battle of Fort Necessity was the only time George Washington surrendered his army.
The battle was fought between the French and English for control of the territory known as the Ohio Valley. The Ohio Valley is the area between the Appalachian Mountains and Mississippi, along the Ohio River.
Washington built Fort Necessity in the Great Meadow to protect his army after a skirmish with the French at Jumonville Glen.
Washington built a circular fortification, which he dubbed Fort Necessity. Washington's fears were realized when his position was attacked by a force of French and Native warriors on July 3rd, 1754.
Before the Battle of Fort Necessity
Tensions between the French and British in the American colonies over control of the Ohio Valley were slowly escalating in the period before the Battle of Fort Necessity. Relations reached a breaking point at Washington's hastily constructed fortification.
The Ohio River connected New France (Canada) with the French territory of Louisiana. In 1750, the French began pushing British settlers out of the territory claiming it as their own.
George Washington the Emissary
When the French built two forts in land believed to be under British control, the British Governor of Virginia, Robert Dinwiddie, sent an emissary to the French.
Dinwiddie sent a young George Washington, accompanied by eight men, to request the French leave the area. The French politely refused the request and sent George Washington back to the British Governor.
In 1754, Dinwiddie had sent a force to build a fort where the Ohio River forked. He sent Washington and over 150 Militia to the site to ensure nothing hindered the fort's construction.
On the way to the fort, Washington learned that the British were no longer in control of the area, having been driven out by the French.
Washington received new orders to march to Wills Creek, modern-day Cumberland, to build a road. By May 1754, Washington and his men came upon a large marshy meadow known as the Great Meadow.
It was here Washington set up his base and waited for reinforcements to arrive from Virginia.
Battle of Jumonville Glen
Not long into his stay in the Great Meadow, Washington was alerted to French soldiers, presumably on a scouting mission, close to his base, hiding in a ravine. Washington set out with 40 men toward the French position to investigate.
Washington's force surrounded the French. Soon shots were fired, and a skirmish broke out between the two sides in the glen. The fight lasted no more than 15 minutes, but 13 Frenchmen, including their commander, Ensign Joseph Coulon de Jumonville, the glens namesake, were killed.
Washington lost one man in the engagement, and a few men were wounded. The French claimed that Washington had attacked their position unprovoked and that they were French emissaries on a peaceful mission.
Washington was skeptical of the surviving French soldier's story and returned to his base at Great Meadow.
Building Fort Necessity
When Washington returned to his base, he decided to construct a circular wooden fortification in case the French retaliated after the skirmish in the glen.
The fort was constructed in the middle of the meadow, in a depression too close to the tree line. Washington dubbed the fortification Fort Necessity.
Washington received reinforcements on June 9th, bringing his force up to 293. Another 100 British Regulars from South Carolina, under the command of Captain James McKay, arrived a few days later.
McKay and his men stayed at Fort Necessity while Washington and his force opened a road from Fort Necessity to the frontier settlement of Gist’s Plantation.
Towards the end of June, the British received word that a force of 600 French and 100 Native warriors were advancing towards Fort Necessity. Washington and his men quickly returned to the Great Meadows on July 1st.
The Battle of Fort Necessity
When the French and Native warriors arrived at the Great Meadows on July 3rd, 1754, the British had built a series of defensive earthworks around Fort Necessity. The French, led by the brother of Jumonville, surrounded Fort Necessity.
The French positioned themselves on the high ground in the tree line. This position allowed them to fire directly into the fort. Washington planned to attack the French position, but the French attacked first.
Washington’s men, and several British Regulars, occupied the entrenchments around the fort. They managed to hold the line after the initial French charge. Many of the Virginia militia fled the trenches back to the fort.
After repelling the initial charge, Washington ordered his men to withdraw from the trenches to the fort. The French bombarded Fort Necessity throughout the day.
By 8:00 pm that evening, Washington and his men were pinned down and running low on ammunition. At this point, the French Captain sent a message to negotiate the British surrender.
Washington agreed to surrender to Captain Louis Coulon de Villiers. Fort Necessity was handed over to the French, while Washington and McKay were allowed to retreat to Wills Creek. Washington was also accused of assassinating Jumonville, which he denied.
When the British left Fort Necessity, the French burned it, destroying Fort Necessity. A replica of the fort can be seen at The Fort Necessity National Battlefield.
Things to know before your visit to Fort Necessity National Battlefield
Entrance fee
$0.00 - There is no entrance fee to visit the park.
Planning a National Park vacation? America the Beautiful/National Park Pass covers entrance fees for an entire year to all US National Park Sites and over 2,000 Federal Recreation Fee Sites.
The park pass covers everyone in the car for per vehicle sites and for up to 4 adults for per-person sites.
Buy on REI.com and REI will donate 10% of pass proceeds to the National Forest Foundation, National Park Foundation and the U.S. Endowment for Forestry & Communities.
Learn more about National Park Passes for parks that have an entrance fee.
Free Entrance Days -Mark your calendars with the five free entrance days the National Park Service offers annually.
Time Zone
Eastern Time Zone
Pets
Pets are welcome in the park as long as they are on a leash less than 6 feet in length.
Cell Service
Cell service is generally available in outdoor areas of the main park unit and Braddock's Grave, though some dead zones exist.
Cell coverage at Jumonville Glen is spotty. Cell service inside the Visitor Center is poor.
Park Hours
Park grounds are open from sunrise to sunset
The visitor center is open from 9 am to 5 pm
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi is not available.
Insect Repellent
Insect repellent is always a great idea when outdoors, especially if you are around any body of water.
We use Permethrin Spray on our clothes before our park trips.
Water Bottle
Make sure to bring your own water bottle and plenty of water with you. Plastic water bottles are not sold in the park.
Parking
There is a large parking area near the visitor center. There is also a parking area below the George Washington Tavern.
Food/Restaurants
There are no restaurants within the park.
Gas
There are no gas stations within the park.
Drones
Drones are not permitted within National Park Sites.
National Park Passport Stamps
National Park Passport stamps can be found in the visitor center.
Make sure to bring your National Park Passport Book with you or we like to pack these circle stickers so we don't have to bring our entire book with us.
Fort Necessity NB is part of the 2004 Passport Stamp Set.
Electric Vehicle Charging
There are at least 75 EV Charging stations within 30 miles of Farmington, PA
Details about Fort Necessity National Battlefield
Size - 900 acres
Check out how the park compares to other National Parks by Size.
Date Established
March 4, 1931
Visitation
In 2021, Fort Necessity NB had 274,853 park visitors.
In 2020, Fort Necessity NB had 199,801 park visitors.
In 2019, Fort Necessity NB had 312,104 park visitors.
Learn more about the most visited and least visited National Parks in the US
National Park Address
1 Washington Parkway
Farmington, PA 15437
Where is Fort Necessity National Battlefield?
Fort Necessity NB is located in Farmington in Western Pennsylvania. The main unit of the park is located 11 miles east of Uniontown, Pennsylvania on U.S. Highway 40.
Estimated distance from major cities nearby
Pittsburgh, PA - 60 miles
Akron, OH - 180 miles
Washington DC - 184 miles
Baltimore, MD - 190 miles
Cleveland, OH - 203 miles
Columbus, OH - 214 miles
Buffalo NY - 285 miles
Philadelphia, PA - 279 miles
Estimated Distance from nearby National Park
New River Gorge National Park - 176 miles
Shenandoah National Park - 139 miles
Cuyahoga Valley National Park - 180 miles
Indiana Dunes National Park - 486 miles
Mammoth Cave National Park - 488 miles
Where is the National Park Visitor Center?
The park visitor center is right off of the park entrance road.
Getting to Fort Necessity National Battlefield
Closest Airports
Morgantown Municipal Airport (MGW)
Arnold Palmer Regional Airport (LBE)
North Central West Virginia Airport (CKB)
International Airports
Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT)
Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD)
Harrisburg International Airport (MDT)
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA)
Driving Directions
From Downtown Pittsburgh: approx. 1.5 hrs.
US 51 South to Uniontown
US 119 South - (bypass) to
US 40 East
Park entrance is on right 11 miles east of Uniontown.(Alternate Route - PA Turnpike 43 from Jefferson Hills to US 40 East - Toll = $5.00)
From Morgantown, WV: 40 minutes
I-68 east over Cheat Lake
Exit #10 HWY 857 north to PA 43
PA 43 north to US 40 (toll $1.40)
US 40 east 12 miles
Park entrance is on the right
Best time to visit Fort Necessity National Battlefield
The best time to visit is late spring through fall when the snow has melted and you can enjoy nice weather.
Weather and Seasons
This part of Pennsylvania experiences warm summers and cold snowy winters.
The warmest weather is from May 25 to September 19th when the average daily temperature is above 74 degrees.
The coldest weather is from December 2 to March 3rd with an average daily temperature below 47 degrees.
The snowiest month is January with an average of 1.7 inches.
Best Things to do in Fort Necessity National Battlefield
Visitor Center
The visitor center is the perfect place to start your visit to the park. There is a 20-minute film "Road of Necessity" which talks about the park's history.
We found the visitor center exhibits to be really interesting and well worth planning time to explore. The park film does a great job of telling what happened at Fort Necessity.
We could have spent an hour or two just exploring the visitor center.
Junior Ranger Program
The Júnior Ranger program can be picked up at the visitor center. It is a great way for visitors of all ages to learn more about the park.
There is also a senior ranger program available at the visitor center.
The Junior Ranger program can be filled out while exploring the visitor center. If you are filling the program out with younger kids I would suggest helping them. There are some tough questions included.
Historic Weapons Demonstrations
During the summer months, you can check out a black powder weapons demonstration.
Self-Guided Battlefield Tour
There is a great cell phone tour that guides visitors through the battlefield.
Hiking in Fort Necessity National Battlefield
Always carry the 10 essentials for outdoor survival when exploring.
There are 5 miles of hiking/walking trails within the park.
It is a ⅓-mile walk from the visitor center to the reconstructed fort on a paved walkway.
How to beat the crowds in Fort Necessity National Battlefield?
We did not experience any crowds while visiting the park. Both the visitor center and path to the reconstructed fort have ample room to maneuver around people.
Where to stay when visiting Fort Necessity National Battlefield
There are no National Park Lodges within the park.
Lodging near the park includes:
Nemacolin - Consider a stay at Nemacolin and take advantage of 36 holes of golf, a bowling alley, and a swim-up bar. Be sure to enjoy a meal at The Tavern, the onsite restaurant. The gym offers aerobics classes and yoga classes; other things to do include rock climbing, mountain biking, and hunting. Free in-room Wi-Fi is available to all guests, along with a poolside bar and a grocery/convenience store.
Hilton Garden Inn Uniontown - look forward to golfing on site, a grocery/convenience store, and a terrace. For some rest and relaxation, visit the hot tub. The onsite restaurant, The Garden Grille, features American cuisine. Stay connected with free Wi-Fi in public areas, and guests can find other amenities such as dry cleaning/laundry services and a bar.
Holiday Inn Express & Suites Uniontown - look forward to free full breakfast, a grocery/convenience store, and dry cleaning/laundry services. Stay connected with free in-room Wi-Fi, and guests can find other amenities such as a 24-hour gym and a business center
Hampton Inn Uniontown - look forward to free to-go breakfast, a gym, and a business center. For some rest and relaxation, visit the sauna or the steam room. Stay connected with free in-room Wi-Fi, and guests can find other amenities such as a snack bar/deli.
The Cranberry, Ascend Hotel Collection - look forward to a grocery/convenience store, a coffee shop/café, and laundry facilities at The Cranberry, Ascend Hotel Collection. Free in-room Wi-Fi is available to all guests, along with a bar and a gym.
Click on the map below to see additional vacation rentals and lodging near the park.
Camping
There are no National Park Campground within the park.
For a fun adventure check out Escape Campervans. These campervans have built in beds, kitchen area with refrigerators, and more. You can have them fully set up with kitchen supplies, bedding, and other fun extras. They are painted with epic designs you can't miss!
Escape Campervans has offices in Vancouver, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, Denver, Chicago, New York, and Orlando
Parks Near Fort Necessity National Battlefield
Friendship Hill National Historic Site
Johnstown Flood National Memorial
Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail
Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site
Check out all of the National Parks in Pennsylvania along with neighboring National Parks in Delaware, National Parks in New Jersey, National Parks in Maryland, New York National Parks, Ohio National Parks, and West Virginia National Parks
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