Circular stockade in the middle of a meadow. Dramatic clouds build in the blue sky.
The small circular stockade of Fort Necessity served as a supply depot for George Washington's Virginia Regiment during their 1754 campaign. NPS Photo/Tom Markwardt

Fort Necessity National Battlefield

National Historic Site · Pennsylvania · National Park Service

The battle at Fort Necessity in the summer of 1754 was the opening action of the French and Indian War. This war was a clash of British, French and American Indian cultures. It ended with the removal of French power from North America. The stage was set for the American Revolution.

Plan your visit

Trails & hiking

Hiking

Know before you go

Phone
(724) 329-5805
Official site
www.nps.gov
Managed by
National Park Service

Getting there

Directions on Google Maps →

Things to do

Highlights: Archeology · Burial, Cemetery and Gravesite · Forts · Military · Battlefields · Monuments and Memorials · Presidents · Transportation · Roads, Routes and Highways · Tragic Events · Assassinations · Massacres · Murders · Wars and Conflicts · French and Indian War · Grasslands · Meadows

Activities & features: Food · Picnicking · Guided Tours · Self-Guided Tours - Walking · Front-Country Hiking · Living History · Historic Weapons Demonstration · Junior Ranger Program · Skiing · Cross-Country Skiing · Wildlife Watching · Birdwatching · Park Film · Museum Exhibits · Shopping · Bookstore and Park Store

Photos

  • cabin and stockade casting shadows on the snow
    NPS photo
  • Fort Necessity and the Great Meadow with trail and tree in the foreground
    NPS photo / Mike Soohey
  • Man in 18th century flintlock musket stands in front of a round stockade fort with a British flag
    C. Hinton/NPS Photo
  • Image of a Caucasian male with a red coat gazing into the distance
    Mount Vernon
  • black and white photo of an open field with Fort Necessity in the middle with buildings in the back
    NPS Photo

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Guides for the trip

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Sources: National Park Service, Google Places · updated 2026-08-12