In 1774, a force from the Colony of Virginia garrisoned and occupied the stockade during Lord Dunmore's War against the Mingo and Shawnee peoples. It commanded the important strategic river ford of Nemacolin's Trail, the western path to the summit; this was later improved and called "Burd's Road". It was an alternative route down to the Monongahela River valley from Braddock's Road, which George Washington helped to build. Washington came to own vast portions of the lands on the west bank of the Monongahela; the Pennsylvania legislature named Washington County after him. Entrepreneur Thomas Brown acquired the western lands in what became Fayette County, Pennsylvania, around the end of the American Revolution. He realized the opening of the pass through the Cumberland NarrowsSee Nemacolin's Path, the French and Indian War (causes) and the history of George Washington as lieutenant and major in the colonial Virginia militia. and the end of the war made the land at the western tip of Fayette County a natural springboard for settlers traveling to points west, such as Kentucky, Tennessee and Ohio. Many travelers used the Ohio River and its tributary, the Monongahela. Eventually the settlement became known as "Brownsville" after him. In the 1780s, Jacob Bowman bought the land on which he built Nemacolin Castle; he had a trading post and provided services and supplies to emigrant settlers.
In 1774 a force from the Colony of Virginia garrisoned and occupied the stockade during Lord Dunmore's War against the Mingo and Shawnee peoples It commanded the important strategic river ford of Nemacolin's Trail the western path to the summit; this was later improved and called "Burd's Road" It was an alternative route down to the Monongahela River valley from Braddock's Road which George Washington helped to build Washington came to own vast portions of the lands on the west bank of the Monongahela; the Pennsylvania legislature named Washington County after him Entrepreneur Thomas Brown acquired the western lands in what became Fayette County Pennsylvania around the end of the American Revolution He realized the opening of the pass through the Cumberland NarrowsSee Nemacolin's Path the French and Indian War (causes) and the history of George Washington as lieutenant and major in the colonial Virginia militia and the end of the war made the land at the western tip of Fayette County a natural springboard for settlers traveling to points west such as Kentucky Tennessee and Ohio Many travelers used the Ohio River and its tributary the Monongahela Eventually the settlement became known as "Brownsville" after him In the 1780s Jacob Bowman bought the land on which he built Nemacolin Castle; he had a trading post and provided services and supplies to emigrant settlers