Fayette County PA - Fayette County History Attractions Facts Education and Links

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Spotlight on Fayette County PA

History, Facts, Attractions and Links

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• Fayette County Links

AT A GLANCE:

Population: 148,644 (2000)

Land area: 790 sq. miles

Per capita income: $21,172 (1999)

Total number of municipalities: 42

County Seat: Uniontown, population 11, 197

Other Major Municipalities: Connellsville, Brownsville, Masontown, Fayette City

Major Employers*:
1) Williamhouse Regency
2) Uniontown Hospital
3) Teletech Holdings Inc
4) Nemacolin Woodlands Resort & Spa
5) Connellsville Area School District
6) Sensus Technologies Inc.
7) Albert Gallatin Home Care
8) Anchor Glass Container Co.
9) Crown Cork & Seal
10) Highlands Hospital & Health Center
*source: Fay-Pen Economic Development Council

HISTORY:

Created in September 1783 from the southern portion of Westmoreland County, Fayette County was named for the Marquis de la Fayette, the young Frenchman who assisted General George Washington during several major battles of the American Revolution. Uniontown, originally established as Beeson's Town in 1776, was chosen as the county seat.

The county's first industrialization came as the 19th century loomed, with iron furnaces being built in the mountains to take advantage of the many deposits of iron ore and abundant forests which provided a source of wood for charcoal. The local glass industry which later brought national recognition to the upper Monongahela River valley, was first established when Albert Gallatin opened his New Geneva glassworks in 1794. Within the next 20 years numerous glass factories were erected at various points along the river. The National Road, constructed through the heart of the county about 1815, brought huge numbers of travelers on the way to the newly opened Northwest Territory and ensured the continued growth of Fayette County.

The largest boom to Fayette County's growth and economy, however, came from the discovery of the coke-making process. Vast deposits of bituminous coal underlying much of the county resulted in the development of a internationally renowned coal and coke industry around the turn of the 20th century. As the coal fields expanded, thousands of European immigrants came to Fayette County to work in the mines. New towns appeared seemingly overnight to accommodate the miners - small communities of "company houses" built by the coal companies to house the new labor group. Fortunes were made in Fayette County coal and it became one of the essential ingredients upon which the Pittsburgh steel empire was built.

The coal and coke boom began to peter out as the effects of the Great Depression took hold. By 1950 most of the large Fayette County mines had been played out and the county's economy took a major downward turn from which it is still recovering today. The future of Fayette County lies in tourism and industrialization based on the efficient network of roads and rivers crisscrossing the county. The lush mountain setting and abundant recreational opportunities are attracting new high-tech business to the area, with a young workforce looking to play as hard as they work.

VISITING FAYETTE COUNTY:

Situated in the Laurel Highlands of southwestern Pennsylvania, the scenic mountain setting of Fayette County provides an abundance of recreational opportunities. Ohiopyle State Park, almost 18,500 acres of wilderness delight, is full of hiking, biking and walking opportunities, including the Youghiogheny Trail, one of the most scenic portions of the 305-mile Rails-to-Trails route from Pittsburgh to Washington, D.C. The breathtaking Youghiogheny Gorge, cut 1700 feet into the Laurel Ridge by the Youghiogheny River, is a whitewater paradise. Numerous outfitters provide whitewater adventures from beginner through expert. Another interesting recreational opportunity exists at nearby Laurel Caverns Geological Park, with rappelling, spelunking and tours available. Laurel Caverns, with 2.8 miles of passages, is the 16th longest developed cave in the United States and the largest cave in Pennsylvania.

If rugged adventure isn't really your thing, then consider a night or two of pampering and relaxation at the world-renowned Nemacolin Woodlands Resort and Spa in Farmington. It is elegance at its best with luxurious accommodations, delicious dining in 10 restaurants, two PGA-rated golf courses and a lavish full-service spa.

Everyone who visits Fayette County should schedule time to see Fallingwater, the summer retreat of Pittsburgh department store owner, Edgar J. Kaufmann. Designed by great American architect Frank Lloyd Wright, the house appears to grow out of its natural setting and extends over the waterfall of Bear Run. It is the only remaining Wright house where the original setting, furnishings and artwork remain intact. A few miles from Fallingwater, along a scenic mountain road, is another example of Wright's genius, Kentuck Knob. This house, nestled into the side of a mountain, is hexagonal in shape and is constructed of native fieldstone and tidewater red cypress. Both Wright houses are open for tours and are well worth the visit. Another famous area house, Linden Hall, built for Sarah Cochran, widow of coal baron Phillip Cochran, is also open for tours.

History buffs should be sure to stop and spend some time at the Fort Necessity National Battlefield. The confrontation at Fort Necessity in the summer of 1754 was the opening battle of the war known in North America as the French and Indian War and elsewhere as the Seven Years' War. About a mile west of the fort entrance on U.S. 40 is the grave of Gen. Edward Braddock. Friendship Hill, another interesting historic structure, is a mansion built in the wilderness for Albert Gallatin, the Swiss immigrant who was Secretary of the Treasury under Presidents Jefferson and Madison, minister to France and minister to England.

If you love art and glass, you'll enjoy the Youghiogheny Station Glass and Gallery in Connellsville. The 1911 P&LE Youghiogheny Station, retail store for the Youghiogheny Opalescent Glass Co., is also a historic landmark listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The collection rates a four-star listing on the must-see register of crafters' sojourns.

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