The Forbes and Bouquet Trail

We have read in our histories how Forbes cut his famous trail through the area now known as Bedford County, and six years later a Swiss Officer, Col. Henry Bouquet, who joined the British Army, followed the same road from Carlisle.

Forbes built his road westward for the purpose of driving the French from Western Pennsylvania in 1757 and 1758 and Bouquet, in 1764, planned to conquer the Indians in the Ohio territory. However, very little has been written about the routes these men cut through the ridges, valleys and mountains. We encountered considerable difficulty in trying to trace this trail. We discovered that Bouquet in 1764 followed the original road way. He did make a number of detours and changes along the way. Therefore it is almost impossible to state this is THE Forbes and THIS is Bouquet road. In many instances these old roads or trails have been destroyed by our modernization of roadways.

For instance in what is now Fulton County, the present Pennsylvania Turnpike, and especially the by-pass between Breezewood and Fort Littleton passes over the trail in several places.

We might begin the trail route by starting at ‘Jerry's Spring’. (It is along the present highway 915 in Fulton County and very close to the turnpike. ) This old spring has existed from time immemorial. From this spring Forbes cut his trail southward toward the top of Ray's Hill. Near the top the Lincoln Highway and a telephone line have destroyed the traces of the original road. The old mountain house was later built along this famous road. The ruins of this old house still stand. After descending the mountain the road proceeded slightly north of the area, now Breezewood, to the Juniata River. This spot is about three quarters of a mile down the stream from the present Juniata Crossings Bridge. One can still see the ruts cut into the rock beds on the Western slope leading down to the river.

We might stop here for a moment and comment on this historical spot. The first crossing was made by fording the river. Later a ferry was used to carry the travelers over the water. Finally a chain suspension bridge was built. The stone abutment on the western bank can still be seen. Also, a small fort or stockade was erected here. This fort was known as Fort Martin. Efforts over the years to find the exact location have proved unsuccessful.

Apparently this fort was to provide protection for the settlers in the area against Indian raids. Only a few soldiers were stationed here. The place took the name of Martin due to the fact that it was located on land owned by Judge Martin, who was one of the first Judges of the County. This fort was also located on the 'Old Packers Path', and half way between Forts Littleton and Bedford. When conditions became critical in the county area, Captain Oury, who was in command at Ft. Bedford, found it necessary to strengthen his own defenses thus closed the stockades at Forts Martin and Stoney Creek and moved the men here. As a result, both were left to decay.

After reaching the summit of the ridge, the trail continued along the top. (Sometimes within a few hundred yards north of the present Lincoln Highway). According to the map, it appears the roadway passed near the new high school at Everett. If this town had existed at that time, the road would have entered it around First Street. We read an account that within the past century there were traces of this road still visible. The fields along the river and even the land on which the business section of Everett now exists were quite marshy, particularly in rainy weather, thus the trail followed the higher and more direct route.

The road must have turned north for a short distance to about Sixth Street on an easy grade along the base of Tussey Mountain to ‘Aliquippa Gappe.’ Apparently the Huntingdon-Broad Top Railroad tracks followed this grade. At the gap it followed a route between the present Lincoln Highway and the river until it reached the eastern base of Evitts Mountain. Then it continued along the base through the gap of the Narrows and between the mountain and the river for about a mile. It crossed the Dunnings Creek a short distance above where this creek empties into the Juniata. Continuing another mile parallel to the river the road forded the Juniata near where the Old Elm Wood Inn once stood. From here, it followed Pitt Street, passing the south side of the Fort.

According to the maps and descriptions the road seems to have left the fort by way of West Pitt Street. It continued west to Wolfsburg almost in line with the current Lincoln Highway. Instead of fording the river below the present highway bridge as some reports have indicated, it seems the road was up stream perhaps where the old covered bridge once stood. In fact Captain Oury built a 'hobby-horse' bridge over the Juniata, but it was destroyed by a flood in the winter of 1762.

There is no question but that Bouquet's men had to ford the river, probably in an area w here the present cement bridge now stands. From here the trail proceeded west to a point close to the Turnpike and then continued past the present Amick farm buildings and the Forks.

According to the map, the original Forbes road was cut by an Engineer, Lt. Thomas Bassett. About a mile beyond the Forks the road veered to the left at or about Tull's Hill. After it crossed the top (about three quarters of a mile south of the Lincoln Highway) and then two hills it came to an area called or marked 'Shawanose Cabbins'. The topographical map is marked on one spot 'Ford'. This is believed to be the exact location of the present bridge to the small island which now contains the District Office of the Shawnee State Park. Here it appears was the camp area of about fifty acres where the army rested and prepared for their next journey over the mountain.

The surveyed distance is marked '8 miles 3700 feet from Fort Bedford'. The map seems to indicate the soldiers camped on higher grounds while the teams and cattle were kept along 'Keg Run' where the livestock could have plenty of water and grass. Upon breaking camp, the army headed south for about three miles to the entrance of what is known as 'Negro Hollow.' Because of the marshy surface of this hollow, researchers claim the trail followed the top of the ridge for about another three miles. Then it descended the ridge and recrossed the Negro Hollow Run and followed an easy valley grade around a ridge knob until it reached the foot of the mountain about one half mile east of the Shot Factory. (Today, this knob is known as 'Andy's Hill and the old right-of-way as Dennikers Road).

This original described route may come as a surprise to many. The route taken by Forbes, which has been handed down to us over the years, was the one that has been the route of the Lincoln Highway. However, to explain the difference, we must return to the Tull's Hill area again. Historians have found among Bouquets papers, Volume 2, page 412, where a deputy quarter master Lt. Col. John St. Clair, on August 23, 1758, recommended an alternate route which would be drier and in fact it would be about two and one half miles shorter and a much better road. The new route would now bear west over Tull's Hill to Quaker Valley and over Chestnut Ridge and what is known as Fyan Hill.

By 1762 this road was used by all travelers. Several notations can be found to Hay's, Grahams and Anderson's which were located at or near the present Borough of Schellsburg. These were taverns which arose when the new road was built because one can find various references pertaining to the number of miles from one tavern to another.

After leaving Hay's, the next stop was at Ryan's, later called 'Lyons' which was near the foot of the mountain. Ryan's tavern according to the map was on the Burns Creek branch of Shawnee Creek, about 12 miles west of Fort Bedford. From Ryan's the route followed the crest of the ridges to the foot of the mountain where the original route intersected this route. Due to the steepness of the face of the mountain trail it was necessary to cut a trail around the base and up the long grade (north of the Shot Factory) until it reached the top. ( In this road bed one can still see the grooves in the stones which were cut by the wagon wheel rims.)

The area in which this road passed to the top was known as ‘Rhor's Gap.’ This name has been lost during the past two centuries. Today this is known as 'Shot Factory Hollow'.

We were puzzled about the name of ‘Rhor's Gap.’ We found that it was named after a young French Sergeant who was an Engineer for Forbes trail cutters. His correct name was Charles de Rohoir. He died at Grant's defeat September 1758 by the French and Indians where Pittsburgh now stands.

According to one resident who lived at the base of the mountain, this road split on top of the mountain This second road was for the eastern bound wagons because the long grade down the hollow was too narrow for two wagons to pass each other. The eastern bound wagons came down the face of the mountain. To keep them from running over the team the drivers not only locked the wheels with chains but fastened logs to the wagons to act as a drag.

The westward trail continued into what is now Somerset County, over Bald Knob and down the western slope to the famous area known as ‘Edmund's Swamp’, and 'Shades of Death'. The latter was so named because it was so thick with large pines and laurel that the sun's rays could not penetrate them.

We have read copies of letters written in August 1758 by a Colonel Stevens, while he was camped here, to Col. Bouquet who was stationed at Raystown. In his letters he described the hardships he and his men had encountered in making a trail through this section. He also requested additional men to help cut the trail through the laurel, rocks and ‘petrified old logs herd as iron and breaks our axes to pieces.’

After this obstacle was cleared the trail continued through the hills and valleys to Stoney Creek. ( Stoystown) Here a fort was built to provide protection against the Indian raids and a relay station between the Forts of Bedford and Ligonier.

We might mention that an earthen breastworks was built several hundred yards from the crest of the Allegheny Mountain close to the Forbes trail. A spring and small stream is located a short distance away. This is the beginning of our Raystown Branch of the Juniata River. The old earthen works can still be seen today. There are large trees growing out of the embankments. Years ago we visited this place many times while deer hunting in this area. We have seen many artifacts which were found around the old foundations. One map has this spot identified as Fort Dewart. On page 391, in volume 1 of the ‘Frontier Forts of Pennsylvania’, a former historian stated he visited this place, however he knew nothing about the fort. The paragraph describing this place is headed ‘Fort Wingawn.’

Over the past fifty years we have heard rumors or stories which have been handed down through the generations who lived in this area about this place. One of the tales is—when this trail was being surveyed, one of the scouts discovered a large band of maurauding Indians headed in their direction. The entire surveying force quickly dug these fortifications to defend themselves from the Indians. According to the stories, for some unknown reason, the Indians changed course, thus it was never used for the purpose it was intended. However, from the number of artifacts found, it must have been used considerably for a period of time.

Some historians have commented that this famous old road should have been called 'Bouquet's Trail', because it was this man who was responsible for directing most of the construction. To commemorate the Forbes Trail, a number of markers have been erected. One is on the corner of the present Altoona Federal Savings Bank building, placed here in 1930. A second marker is at the Forks Inn (junction of routes 30 and 31), and another is at the Shot Factory. Another is at Juniata Crossings. The trail in Somerset County contains a number of markers.

Years ago an attorney from Freeport, Pa., wrote to a local historian proposing that a Forbes-Bouquet monument be erected in Bedford to honor both men. He wrote that Bouquet was really the brains of the expedition because Forbes was very feeble in health at that time, thus it was Bouquet who developed the course over the mountains in addition to building the Fort at Bedford. It was Bouquet, according to the letter, who favored this road instead of the Braddock Road, while General Washington and other Virginia Officers favored the Braddock trail. Forbes made the final decision while in Bedford. He would develop the northern roadway westward to the forks of the river.

Forbes was a very sick man and was unable to direct the operation. On his last trip from Fort Pitt to Philadelphia he was carried in a litter between two horses. General Forbes died Sunday, March 11,1759. He was buried with full military honors in Christ Church Cemetery in Philadelphia three days later.

In researching this data on Forbes Trail we found a number of references which we believe will be of interest to those who are htstorically inclined. The location of Anderson's as previously mentioned, at Schellsburg is confirmed in Waterman's History of BedfordSomerset-Fulton Counties (1884) on page 278. This was the oldest building or log house in this area. The original patent was issued June 15,1776 to James Anderson from whom John Schell bought the 'Nine Mile Tract, Derry Ryan obtained title of his land on a warrant and it was surveyed July 1793. On this place were a log house and a mill.

We note that the author of one of the reports we have read commented that 'all historians of the Bedford County area agree that no memory of the actual Shawnee Cabins actually existed'. However, in talking with the Shawnee Park Superintendent, we were informed there are several old stone foundations still to be seen.

In the Wilderness Trail, volume 1, pages 273-81, it appears these cabins were dated prior to 1754. History fails to tell us who built these cabins or who lived here. However a tract named 'Shawanese Cabbins' located on the great road about eight miles westward of Bedford was listed on a warrant for survey July 1, 1762, and owned by Joseph Nelson, who conveyed it later to his son, Thomas, in warrant Number 16 Cumberland County 1762. This can be verified in the Bureau of Land Records in Harrisburg.

The old Forbes Trail will remain as one of the main points in the history of Pennsylvania, and, Bedford and Bedford County has played a very important part in it.