During colonial exploration and settlement, the valley provided a route to the western frontier. In 1753, preceding the French and Indian War, George Washington traveled this route to deliver Governor Dinwiddie's order that the French abandon their claims in the Ohio country. In the early 19th century, transportation improvements spurred development of the coal industry in the valley, and demand for its high-quality coal made it one of the nation's principal coal-producing regions between 1850 and 1910.