Fort Duquesne and the Birth of Pittsburgh. From 1689 to 1763, France and England (which became a part of Great Britain during that time period) and their Indian allies, fought a series of wars for control of territory in North America called the French and Indian Wars. One of the areas that was highly contested during this period is where the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers meet to form the Ohio River – the site of present day Pittsburgh. Although American colonists began to build a fort in this area, they were driven away by the French. So, France completed the first fort in this strategic location, Fort Duquesne, in 1754. The fort was named after the Marquis de Duquesne, governor-general of New France.
On November 24, 1758, the French deserted the fort, burning it to the ground, as troops under General John Forbes advanced. The British, realizing the strategic importance of this area, rebuilt a fort in the same vicinity, calling it Fort Pitt. As the French and Indian Wars drew to a close, settlements around Fort Pitt grew rapidly, and thus the city of Pittsburgh was born.
This stamp on the cover with the first day of issue postmark was issued at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on November 25, 1958 to commemorate the 200th Anniversary of the founding of the city of Pittsburgh.
Thank you Merja.
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