About This Collection
A history of the Venango Trail prepared by the Works Progress Administration and edited by Sylvester K. Stevens and Donald H. Kent. The Venango Trail consisted of the Presque Isle portage that connected Lake Erie with the headwaters of French Creek, thence extended from Lake Le Boeuf to the junction of French Creek and the Allegheny River, and from the Allegheny-French Creek junction to the Ohio River. It was long a major highway for the Indians of the Six Nations and also proved an important trade route for such European Indian traders as George Croghan. Colonel George Washington followed this corridor on his fateful mission to Fort Le Boeuf in 1754 and it was by means of this route that the French subsequently attempted to defend Fort Duquesne and Fort Michault during the French and Indian War. Included are copies of maps prepared by Joseph Gaspard Chaussegras de Lery in 1755 and a table giving distances in perches and feet of landmarks along the trail. This collection is part of the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission which was created in 1945. Disclaimer: The Pennsylvania State Archives provides digital access to a wide variety of historical documents, some of which may be considered offensive by current standards. The Archives does not endorse views expressed in these historical collections, but presents these collections to aid in scholarly research.
