As the nation marks 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence this July 4, historians are working to preserve and recognize George Washington’s former land in Pennsylvania, including a section in present-day Washington County.A trail through history“How much land are we talking about? 6,800 acres. And this trail runs through those acres, about 2 1/2 miles run across George Washington’s former land,” Bryan Seip of the Montour Railroad Historical Society said. The Montour Trail, the longest suburban trail in the United States, runs through this section of land. A historic marker will soon be placed along the trail to inform the 400,000 people who use it annually that they are walking and biking through a piece of American history. “It kind of escaped the commercialism inherent with other George Washington properties. There were no mills, there were no hotels, there were no taverns built, there were no real towns. It was just strictly farmland,” Seip said. How George Washington received the land“It’s going to tell you that George Washington was granted by the governor of Virginia at the time. In the colonial days, this was part of colonial Virginia,” Seip added. Washington also owned thousands of acres in Fayette and Allegheny counties, which were given to him as rewards for his military service.A dispute with settlersIn 1784, he visited a 2,000-acre tract and found settlers already living there, refusing to recognize his title. Washington attempted to negotiate with the settlers, but the dispute went to court.In 1786, he won the case. Although he forgave years of back rent and allowed the settlers to stay if they paid future rent, they chose to leave.Washington held the land until the late 1790s, when he sold it.
WASHINGTON COUNTY, Pa. —
As the nation marks 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence this July 4, historians are working to preserve and recognize George Washington’s former land in Pennsylvania, including a section in present-day Washington County.
A trail through history
“How much land are we talking about? 6,800 acres. And this trail runs through those acres, about 2 1/2 miles run across George Washington’s former land,” Bryan Seip of the Montour Railroad Historical Society said.
The Montour Trail, the longest suburban trail in the United States, runs through this section of land. A historic marker will soon be placed along the trail to inform the 400,000 people who use it annually that they are walking and biking through a piece of American history.
“It kind of escaped the commercialism inherent with other George Washington properties. There were no mills, there were no hotels, there were no taverns built, there were no real towns. It was just strictly farmland,” Seip said.
How George Washington received the land
“It’s going to tell you that George Washington was granted [the land] by the governor of Virginia at the time. In the colonial days, this was part of colonial Virginia,” Seip added.
Washington also owned thousands of acres in Fayette and Allegheny counties, which were given to him as rewards for his military service.
A dispute with settlers
In 1784, he visited a 2,000-acre tract and found settlers already living there, refusing to recognize his title.
Washington attempted to negotiate with the settlers, but the dispute went to court.
In 1786, he won the case. Although he forgave years of back rent and allowed the settlers to stay if they paid future rent, they chose to leave.
Washington held the land until the late 1790s, when he sold it.