National Historic Landmark

Meadowcroft Rockshelter

Avella, Washington County, Pennsylvania
Listed
November 21, 1978
Type
Site
Period
Listed
Ref No.
78002480

About this property

The Meadowcroft Rockshelter is an archaeological site which is located near Avella in Jefferson Township, Pennsylvania. The site is a rock shelter in a bluff overlooking Cross Creek (a tributary of the Ohio River), and contains evidence that the area may have been continually inhabited for at least 16,000 years and up to 19,000 years. If accurately dated, it would be one of the earliest known sites with evidence of a human presence and continuous human occupation in the New World. The site is located twenty-seven miles west-southwest of Pittsburgh in the Pittsburgh metropolitan area. The site operates as a division of the Heinz History Center of Pittsburgh and has a museum and a reconstruction of a circa 1570s Monongahela culture Indian village. Meadowcroft Rockshelter is recognized as a National Historic Landmark, a Pennsylvania Commonwealth Treasure, and as an official project of Save America's Treasures.

Location

Avella, Washington County, Pennsylvania
40.28648, -80.49099

Categories

PREHISTORIC
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.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Meadowcroft Rockshelter

This page lists Meadowcroft Rockshelter. 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.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Meadowcroft Rockshelter report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Pine Bank Covered Bridge
Civil War
0.2 mi
Manchester, Isaac, House
Industrial
2.7 mi
Jackson's Mill Covered Bridge
Industrial
3.8 mi
West Middletown Historic District
Listed
4.5 mi
Wilson's Mill Covered Bridge
Industrial
5.4 mi

Questions about this property

When was Meadowcroft Rockshelter listed on the National Register?

Meadowcroft Rockshelter was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on November 21, 1978.

What type of historic resource is Meadowcroft Rockshelter?

Meadowcroft Rockshelter is classified as a site in the National Register of Historic Places.

Is Meadowcroft Rockshelter a National Historic Landmark?

Yes. Meadowcroft Rockshelter 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 Meadowcroft Rockshelter?

The period of significance for Meadowcroft Rockshelter is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Meadowcroft Rockshelter?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Meadowcroft Rockshelter will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Washington County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Washington County.

Explore WashingtonCounty ›

More historic places in Pennsylvania

Browse all historic places in Pennsylvania.

View Pennsylvaniahistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Pennsylvania history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Pennsylvaniahistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Meadowcroft Rockshelter will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report