Fort Loudon, erected by Col. John Armstrong in the winter of 1756 by order of the Province of Pennsylvania, stood a mile southeast of this spot. Built to protect the frontiers against the Indians, it replaced the fort at McDowell's Mill at Bridgeport. Fort Loudon saw many dramatic events during Indian raids into this region. During Gen. John Forbes's expedition in 1758 and Col. Henry Bouquet's in 1763-4, it served as a rendezvous for troops and a base of supplies. It was also the scene of the exploits of Capt. James Smith and his "Black Boys" in 1765. Before the state road to Pittsburgh was built, it was the departure point for large trains of pack-horses carrying goods to the west and south.
