Two very important structures from the beginning of Mount Pleasant Township's recorded history (1770's) persisted into the 20th century but, due to lack of historic preservation and different mindsets of the time, both were lost. These structures were Cherry's Fort and the Reed Family House. Cherry's Fort was both a house and a fortress in Cherry Valley occupied by frontier rangers, who were tasked with preventing Native American raids on the nearby settlements. The Reed House was centrally located on a plot of land near Southview that was owned by George Washington. This house was one of many built illegally by squatters and was the site of a meeting between Washington and the squatters. David Reed, the owner of the house, was also a frontier ranger and likely would've performed such militia duties with the likes of Thomas Cherry, John McDonald, and many other prominent locals.
How can we protect and preserve a locally important landmark like the Cherry Family Fort and the Reed Family House if they no longer exist? The short and simple answer is - we cannot. All traces of the fort and house are gone and that may be at the fault of the previous wardens of the land, but we cannot fault them for lack of forethought or understanding. How were they to know the struggles and triumphs of their lives were to be studied in the future when they were otherwise occupied with surviving and raising families? There was always a more pressing matter or a priority bigger than preserving a few little log cabins that were briefly used as fortress for defense against Native American war parties. To these settlers, these aspects were just normal parts of everyday life, and preservation would not have been a thought.
Fast forward to 1940 and we find ourselves in a time in which we'd hope the locals would know much better than to destroy, deface, or otherwise violate important historic remnants of the past. This was still not the case, and can be seen in the actions of Adolph Zeman, who was responsible for destroying the most important historic landmark in our local area. A house that George Washington had attended a famous dinner in was torn down and stolen away from Mount Pleasant Township forever.
Perhaps viewpoints of the time were different, and it is true that George Washington visited many sites in his lifetime, but one so far removed from the western border of the Allegheny Mountains is very rare. Washington made a few trips west of those mountains, but spent the vast majority of his life closer to the east coast. Although the destruction of this house is a figurative crime against historic preservation that cannot be undone, we can work to correct these mistakes. Cherry's Fort met a similar fate earlier in the century, but was a victim of the passage of time and not the carelessness of man.
These log buildings such as the fort and the house, to us in the modern age, are perfect examples to be used as windows into a foreign past; one that we will never otherwise experience firsthand. For this reason, many old historic landmarks have been reconstructed, almost entirely out of new materials and in new locations more appropriate for the modern appreciator. Does it right the wrongs of those who came before us that did not wish to preserve these landmarks? No, but ignoring and forgetting about these landmarks is a disservice to our ancestors and our heritage as a whole.
Some notable examples of nearby reconstructed forts include Prickett’s Fort of Fairmont, West Virginia; Rice’s Fort of Claysville, Pennsylvania; Orr’s Blockhouse of Tarentum, Pennsylvania, and the Frontier History Center of Washington, Pennsylvania. Many larger and more notable historic landmarks have also been entirely or partially reconstructed such as Fort Steuben of Steubenville, Ohio; George Washington's Gristmill of Perryopolis, Pennsylvania; Fort Ligonier of Ligonier, Pennsylvania, and Fort Necessity of Farmington, Pennsylvania.
Reconstructions like these should include every detail of the originals as possible to allow us to fully appreciate the nuances included with such aspects of life in the unique period of time in our community’s history. By embracing and understanding the finer details of the frontier setting, we can further understand the lives of our ancestors and original settlers of the area.
Exact information on aspects such as layout and design are oftentimes lacking from primary sources, but in many cases leave us with enough information to create educated inferences on how certain aspects may have appeared. Along with the study of other similar designs contemporary to the period in question, and some creative liberties, any structure from our not-so-distant past can be accurately reconstructed to a certain degree.
There exists a description of the layout of Cherry's Fort, which includes some dimensions, size and height of the blockhouse, and other smaller details. No photos or drawings of this fort are known to exist, and all details seem to be those of secondary sources but seem consistent and accurate enough to believe them to be true. A layout drawing based on these descriptions has been prepared by the writer.
Very little is known of the David & Margaret Reed House. The only evidence of its original existence appears in two old photographs taken not long before its destruction. These photos can be authenticated in the 1981 work of Alvin D. White's history of Mount Pleasant Township, as well as archived articles from the Washington Observer and Reporter in 1941.
By collecting contributions through grants and private donations, these two historic landmarks can be reconstructed in their original appearances. There are no known 18th century structures left remaining in Mount Pleasant Township and these two, perhaps the most important, would serve as an example of how we can commemorate the foundations of our area's history. With enough community engagement and support, a complex such as this could even serve as a living history museum to educate on the frontier rangers and their involvement in the American Indian Wars, as well as the events of the squatters and their interactions with George Washington and the following ejectment case in Washington County court.
If you would like to contribute to this cause, please consider making a donation here.