Fort Bedford Museum

Old Fort Bedford, a British stockade built in 1758 as part of the French and Indian War campaign against the French at Fort Duquesne, After several failed attempts in the early 1750s, the British launched a major offensive against Fort Duquesne in 1758. Facing the formidable task of crossing the Allegheny Mountains and the threat of attack, numerous stockades were built along the way westward. Fort Bedford was constructed as a key fortification along the military path, Forbes Road (Pitt Street), and served as the staging area for their successful campaign against the French.

The stockade, known as Raystown and later named Fort Bedford, had been built by Forbes' capable deputy, Col. Henry Bouquet. Bouquet constructed one of the best of the frontier forts at Bedford. Embracing an area of 7000 square yards, the fort had five bastions, places for the use of swivel guns, which guarded the corners of the irregularly shaped stockade (see image, below). The main gate was on the south side of the fort parallel to modern-day Pitt Street, a smaller gate faced the west side and a postern gate opened northward.