Fort Pitt Block House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Fort Pitt Block House |
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| Former names | Bouquet's Block House Bouquet's Redoubt Old Block House |
| General information | |
| Type | Redoubt |
| Location | Point State Park, Pittsburgh |
| Coordinates | ACoordinates: Unknown argument format |
| Completed | 1764 |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 2 |
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Forks of the Ohio
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| NRHP reference No. | 66000643 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | October 15, 1966 |
| Designated NHL | October 9, 1960 |
The Fort Pitt Block House is a very old and important building in Point State Park in Pittsburgh. It was built way back in 1764 as a small fort, called a redoubt, to help protect Fort Pitt. This makes it the oldest building still standing in Western Pennsylvania and one of the oldest west of the Allegheny Mountains!
Contents
Building the Block House
The Block House was built in 1764 to help defend Fort Pitt. A military leader named Henry Bouquet decided to add a few small forts, called "redoubts," around the main fort to make it stronger. The Fort Pitt Block House is the only one of these small forts that is still standing today.
History of the Block House
When the main Fort Pitt was taken down in 1792, the Block House was left alone. This was because it was already being used as a home! A man named Isaac Craig had turned it into a private house in 1785.
In 1894, a kind person named Mary Schenley gave the Block House to the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR). She wanted them to protect this old building for everyone to see in the future. She hoped they would keep its history alive and fill it with old items from the time it was built.
Mary Schenley wanted the DAR to share the stories of the brave people who lived there. These included French, Native American, British, and early American colonists. It's important to remember that the French had already left the area by the time the Block House was built in 1764.
Later, in 1902, a rich businessman named Henry Clay Frick bought all the land around the Block House. He offered the DAR a lot of money, $25,000, to move the Block House to another park. But the DAR said no! They wanted it to stay right where it was.
After a long legal fight, the highest court in Pennsylvania decided that the DAR could keep the Block House in its original spot. This decision helped save the building for good. The Block House has never been torn down, completely rebuilt, or moved from its spot in all these centuries. Many of its original wood, bricks, and stones from 1764 are still there today.
Protecting the Block House
Even though the Block House is inside Point State Park, it is owned and cared for by the Fort Pitt Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution. They let visitors to the park come inside and explore the building.
The Block House is a very important historical site. It is recognized by the National Register of Historic Places as the only original building left at the "Forks of the Ohio" site. It also has a special sign from the state of Pennsylvania and is a "Historic Landmark" chosen by the Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation.
Maps and Illustrations
Before Construction
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1759: This map of Fort Pitt was made before the Block House was built.
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1761: Another map from when the fort was being built, also without the Block House.
After Construction
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1776: You can see the Block House on the left side of the fort's wall.
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1795: The Block House is clearly labeled as "Bouquet's Redoubt" on this map.
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1795: The Block House is visible on the left side of the fort's wall.
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c. 1893: Here's what the Block House looked like when it was used as a house.
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c. 1903: The Block House around the time it was given to the DAR.
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1900: A map of the Forks of the Ohio. The Block House is shown surrounded by other buildings and noted as owned by the DAR, given by Mary Schenley.
