National Historic Landmark

Forks of the Ohio

Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
Listed
October 14, 1966
Type
Site
Period
Listed
Ref No.
66000643

About this property

Point State Park (locally known as The Point) is a Pennsylvania state park which is located on 36 acres (150,000 m2) in Downtown Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, U.S., at the confluence of the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers, forming the Ohio River. Built on land that was acquired via eminent domain from industrial enterprises during the 1950s, the park opened in August 1974 after construction was completed on its iconic fountain. Pittsburgh settled on the current design after rejecting an alternative plan for a Point Park Civic Center designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. The park also includes the outlines and remains of two of the oldest structures in Pittsburgh, Fort Pitt and Fort Duquesne. The Fort Pitt Museum, which is housed in the Monongahela Bastion of Fort Pitt, commemorates the French and Indian War (1754–63), during which the area soon to become Pittsburgh became a major battlefield. It was designated as a National Historic Landmark in 1960 for its role in the strategic struggles between Native Americans, French colonists, and British colonists for control of the Ohio River watershed.

Location

Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
40.44194, -80.01041

Categories

HISTORIC - NON-ABORIGINALMILITARYPOLITICS/GOVERNMENT
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Everything a full report reveals about Forks of the Ohio

This page lists Forks of the Ohio. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Nearby Historic Sites

Pittsburgh Renaissance Historic District
Listed
0.2 mi
Bell Telephone Company of Pennsylvania Western Headquarters Building
Industrial
0.3 mi
Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad Complex
Industrial
0.4 mi
Duquesne Incline
Industrial
0.4 mi
Burke Building
Industrial
0.4 mi

Nearby Battles

Siege of Fort Pitt (Pontiac's Rebellion)
1763Colonial
0.1 mi
Siege of Fort Duquesne (1758)
1758Colonial
0.1 mi

Questions about this property

When was Forks of the Ohio listed on the National Register?

Forks of the Ohio was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 14, 1966.

What type of historic resource is Forks of the Ohio?

Forks of the Ohio is classified as a site in the National Register of Historic Places.

Is Forks of the Ohio a National Historic Landmark?

Yes. Forks of the Ohio has been designated a National Historic Landmark (NHL), the highest level of federal recognition for historic properties in the United States.

What is the period of significance for Forks of the Ohio?

The period of significance for Forks of the Ohio is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Forks of the Ohio?

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Pennsylvania history

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