Fort Lafayette

Fort Lafayette stood at the intersection of Penn Avenue and Ninth Street in downtown Pittsburgh, where the Monongahela and Allegheny Rivers merge to form the Ohio. This location allowed control over river traffic moving in and out of the region.

General Anthony Wayne built the fort in 1792 as part of an effort to establish military control over western territories. The structure was used during the War of 1812 and then abandoned in the following decade.

The site marked a crucial point where traders and settlers gathered before moving deeper into unsettled territories. Its location at the river confluence made it a natural meeting place for people heading westward into the frontier.

The site is now part of Pittsburgh's downtown Cultural District and remains unmarked, but historical signs help visitors understand what once stood there. Walking through the area between Penn Avenue and Ninth Street gives a sense of where the fortification once anchored the landscape.

During the War of 1812, the fort supplied vessels that gained control of the Great Lakes, playing a quiet role in a major naval campaign. This maritime connection is often overlooked since most remember it primarily as a land-based installation.